Fitzpatrick, Kerr and Craigan all came into the side although the two midfielders certainly had differing fortunes. After only three minutes Fitzpatrick whipped in a great ball that only just evaded McDonald and Clarkson but that was our one decent attack in the first half. McDonald had no service and Clarkson was his usual, sadly hopeless, self. Brewster couldn't get the break of the ball in our box and the game was clearly lacking in quality from either side as it turned into a dour midfield battle.
Aberdeen had two pieces of luck before the break; firstly they were denied a stonewall penalty when Clarkson handled in the box but Fitzpatrick inexplicably lobbed Graeme Smith when attempting a clearance to give the Dons the lead. Jamie Smith then missed Aberdeen's only chance of the half when he fired straight at Smith after a poor clearance from Reynolds.
We made a lively start to the second half without ever really threatening. Notably we ditched the idea of trying to hit long balls behind their defence and we were at last getting it into the feet of McDonald. Sadly we didn't have any further inspiration and still found chances hard to come by. Our Australian magician did almost rescue a point for us when he turned Diamond inside out, twice, to cross but Vadocz's shot somehow struck the inside of the post but stayed out. McDonald was denied by a very soft foul when he turned Anderson in the box and Diamond then blocked a certain goal from the small striker with a last gasp block. Aberdeen simply didn't show up for the second half but when McDonald's poked shot after a Keegan flick was turned wide by Langfield it seemed clear we weren't going to get the equaliser we just about deserved.