Aberdeen 0

Dundee 0

THE post-match chit-chat in the Pittodrie boardroom may have centred on mutual agreement that a share of the lucrative spoils of a replay would be good for both clubs, but after 90 bruising and uncompromising minutes, the managers and players would prefer not to have to endure a similar

experience.

On Wednesday week, though, the likelihood is that nothing much will change, except for the scoreline, of course, as an opponent for Falkirk in the next round has to be decided.

Mark Fotheringham's dismissal early in the second half, following a rash challenge on Ricky Foster, the Dundee player had been booked in the first half, left his team-mates with plenty to contemplate, and even though the former Celtic man apologised to his colleagues at the end of the game, he would do well to remember that his manager, Jim Duffy, is too short of personnel as it is.

Duffy thought his team did enough in the first half to win the game and his counterpart, Steve Paterson, did not

disagree, pointing to just three Aberdeen players - Russell Anderson, Zander Diamond, and Markus Heikkinen - as worthy of mention.

Dundee ran themselves into the ground. Steve Robb, in Duffy's words, was ''running on empty'' towards the end and Nacho Novo, as cute and as clever a striker as the Premierleague has to offer, was, along with Lee Mair, carrying an injury. ''Once the ordering off happened,'' said Mair, ''we knew what to expect. We thought the sending off was a bit harsh but it gave Aberdeen the incentive to come at us, although I thought we defended well and we held them out.''

Mair and his partner in central defence, Lee Wilkie, did much to steer Dundee through the difficulties they faced when down to 10 men. Julian Speroni, too, was inspirational and the Dens Park side are fortunate to have him.

Mair now hopes to face Falkirk next month, a side he has, coincidentally, played for in cup ties against his current employers. That was during

a period on loan at the Stirlingshire club a couple of seasons ago when his future at Dens Park looked bleak under the previous regime of Ivano Bonetti.

Scott Booth, the Aberdeen striker, agreed with the assertion of his manager that Aber-deen had performed poorly.

''There were too many players under par, especially in the first half,'' he said. ''I think Dundee, coming away from home and having the financial problems they have, deserve great credit to get the draw

and maybe they had the best chance of the game, as well.''

The best chance of the match fell in the first half to Duncan McLean whose in-experience was all to evident as he raced on to Novo's exquisite pass into the penalty area and, with only David Preece to beat from 12 yards, the youngster panicked and pulled his shot wide.