The big Aberdeen support had barely time to get seated before they saw Anier racing on to Sutton's pass before firing low beyond Langfield to give us the dream start. If there was to be any reaction to the midweek Russian trek then that goal was the perfect comforter.
Almost 2,000 visiting fans
Hollis, McFadden, Sutton and Vigurs were started while Neilsen, Lawson, Carswell and Kerr were rested.
Aberdeen were soon in control as they tried to shake off their early loss and for the next twenty minutes we were concentrating on defending. Pawlett cracked one off the bar and Zola turned at the angle of the box before rattling the junction of post and bar. The warning signs were clear.
We survived and took the game back to the South Stand end and were happy to reach the safety of the dressing room with the one goal lead intact. The Aberdeen side has a mixture of height and pace with Flood and McGinn a constant threat and they looked the more likely team to score the next goal.
A rare Motherwell attack in the second half
Zola scuffed a great chance two minutes into the second period and the game continued to flow from end to end. The Dons equaliser came after a Hammell's i5inability to clear allowed Hayes into the box. McManus fouled him and McGinn fired he resulting penalty high into the net.
McFadden angled a teasing ball across the Aberdeen six yard box but there were no takers. In fact there was no Motherwell shot on target in the second half.
Hollis produced a good save with his legs to defect a drive from Magennis at the cost of a corner. Reynolds rose above the melee to head the visitors into the lead. There seemed no way back for Motherwell and we began to fade.
The referee surprised everyone in the ground by awarding a second penalty for an apparent jersey tug as were defended a corner. Again, McGinn dispatched the spot kick. McCall made a triple substitution but the game petered out with Aberdeen in control.
The players have a week to prepare for the next game. We'll need to be a bit sharper if we are to take something from Inverness.