Aberdeen’s miserable Scottish Premiership form continued unabated as they slumped to a ninth defeat in their last 13 league games against a clinical St Mirren side.
The home side were better for most of the match, but Slobodan Rubezic’s defensive performance saw them score two goals in the first half. Toyosi Olusanya scored the first and set up Mikael Mandron’s second. Mandron added a third after the match to secure a 3–0 win.
Mikael Mandron (L) and Toyosi Olusanya suffered damage
Don, who made five changes to his side following last week’s morale-boosting Scottish Cup win over Elgin City, has made five changes.
The visitors, who have lost their last four in the league, started Callum Penman for one of two changes from the side that beat Queen of the South.
The Friends went ahead after seven minutes when Ross Duohan came on the edge of his area to meet Richard Taylor’s long ball, but Rubezic steered the ball past the oncoming keeper and Olusanya picked up the loose ball and slid home from close range. .
Olusanya celebrates after scoring 1-0
Aberdeen responded well and Pape Habib Gueye, his first after four months through injury, was denied from point-blank range by Zach Hemming after good work down the left by Jeppe Okkels.
Okkels himself was denied by Hemming before Topi Keskinen had a low shot blocked by the hands of Richard Taylor, ultimately opposing a penalty, prompting a var review for handball.
Debuting Penman was injured 10 minutes before the visitors doubled their lead, and Lubezi again covered the pace before swatting a weak nudge from a defender to guide the ball home from six yards. I couldn’t do it.
Rubezic was signaled to the bench and replaced by goal-scoring Tottenham defender Alfie Dorrington.
The Dons brought Palaversa on the break and had an almost immediate impact when Alexander Jensen’s cross was tipped over the edge of the box, but his shot went over the crossbar.
Aberdeen were looking for some joy down the left flank, Okkels netting in another cross from Gueye.
Hemming eluded everyone in the penalty area around the posts and pushed home a deep Palaversa free-kick for substitute Kevin Nisbet before clipping the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick to see the hosts continue to find their way. game.
Nisbet was denied by Hemming from close range with the Dons’ best chance and Jensen’s follow-up effort saw the ball narrowly wide of Drift as the Fradies’ goal led charmed life.
But any hopes of an Aberdeen comeback were extinguished when another long ball from Alex Gogic found Mandron with a delightful effort from the edge of the area.
What the manager said…
Aberdeen president Jimmy Thelin: “Today is difficult.
“We are playing this game and I think before the game we are getting better and looking better in the training sessions.
When your team looks better and looks better, you get results.
“For me and my supporters, it’s difficult for everyone. As a manager, I have a responsibility and I have to find ways to balance things out with my team in a different way so I’m not exposed to the situation.
st mirren president Stephen Robinson: “We’ve had a lot of good performances in recent weeks, but my big strength has been defending set pieces – Zach (Hemming) has been dominant in the air.
“The strikers will get all the praise, but as managers the reason we weren’t higher up the table was our defense from set plays in the second phase.
“We defended our lives today, and we rely on Zach to come in and dominate and that’s what he’s done, and that gives us a platform to play on, really.
Aberdeen’s problem. “
