Aberdeen 0 St Mirren 2: Three things we learned as damaging problems that derailed Dons’ season return

Aberdeen’s winning run at Pittodrie came to a grinding halt with a woeful 2-0 loss to relegation-battling St Mirren.

The Dons had won three successive Premiership games at home under boss Stephen Robinson, without conceding.

However in their final home game of the campaign problems that had damaged the entire season came back to haunt them – slack defending at set-pieces and lack of cutting edge in attack.

Some frustrated Aberdeen fans booed at half-time and full-time.

It was a performance that underlined the size of job facing Robinson in the summer as he tries to rebuild and resurrect the squad.

Richard King fired Robinson’s former club St Mirren ahead in the 42nd minute when the Dons were punished for switching off at a dead ball situation.

St Mirren doubled their advantage in the 80th minute through Killian Phillips.

United States based chairman Dave Cormack was at Pittodrie for the loss.

Here are three talking points from the match:

Pittodrie farewell for some players

This match will inevitably be a Pittodrie farewell for many players after a woeful season where the Dons flirted with the danger of relegation.

Many players will pay the price by exiting the club as boss Robinson oversees a summer transfer window rebuild.

Robinson has already indicated he now knows which players he can trust to handle the pressure of playing, and delivering, for Aberdeen.

And those that cannot handle it will be moved on.

Some players may also not fit into the model of play Robinson aims to stamp on the team from next season and beyond – with his own signings.

For those exiting this was a wasted opportunity to say goodbye to the home fans on as positive a note as winning a game after escaping a relegation battle can be.

This match was a microcosm of the season – lack of cutting edge and vulnerability at set-pieces.

Robinson has made progress in fixing those problems in the successful battle against being dragged into a relegation play-off.

Further progress will be made in the summer window and pre-season – but some players won’t be around to see that.

Changes after woeful first half

Aberdeen boss Robinson rang the changes at half time after a dismal opening 45 minutes that was a tortuous watch for the Red Army.

The Dons failed to register a single shot at goal, either on or off target, in that first half.

Some frustrated Aberdeen supporters booed at the break.

Aberdeen secured their Premiership safety at the weekend with a 2-o win against Dundee United at Pittodrie.

However Robinson has made it clear there the notion of a ‘dead rubber’ is not in his vocabulary and he goes into every game to win.

In a bid to inject an attacking edge and momentum into his team Robinson made two changes at the break.

He took off centre-back Liam Morrison and midfielder Afeez Aremu, replacing them with Jack Milne and Lyall Cameron.

It had an immediate effect as Aberdeen registered three shots at goal within 90 seconds of the restart.

First Kevin Nisbet connected with a Nicky Devlin cross from the left but his 15 yard header flew over.

Then substitute Cameron played a perfectly weighted throughball to release Toyosi Olusanya through on goal but his shot was wide.

Then Nisbet met a corner kick but headed inches over.

It was an explosive start to the second half, fuelled by the substitutions and one would imagine a half-time talk by the manager.

Aberdeen threatened again in the 59th minute when a vicious 15 yard Mitchel Frame drive was saved by keeper Ross Sinclair.

Substitute Graeme Shinnie hit the bar late on with a long range shot but the Dons could not score.

Change of keepers as Pittodrie clean sheet run ends

Norwegian international keeper Per Kristian Bratveit came in for his sixth start since signing for Aberdeen in the January transfer window.

Bratveit replaced Dimitar Mitov who had surgery on a groin injury earlier this week.

Robinson revealed Mitov required surgery when he was appointed head coach in March.

However the Dons boss asked Mitov to battle through the pain barrier and delay surgery until the club’s Premiership safety was secured.

Aberdeen confirmed their top-flight survival with a 2-0 win against Dundee United at the weekend, and Mitov went under the knife on Monday.

That Robinson was willing to start Mitov in the high pressure games in the battle against relegation is a clear indication of which keeper is viewed as No.1.

However Bratveit, contracted to summer 2027, will be desperate to change that and the remaining two games of the season offer an opportunity to impress.

St Mirren secured the breakthrough in the 42nd minute when Aberdeen switched off at the back at a free-kick.

Jacob Devaney beat Ante Palaversa on the right hand side of the box and fired a low cross along the face of goal.

It was St Mirren’s first shot on target and ended a three game clean sheet run at Pittodrie.

Bratveit was at the near post and appeared to dive too early as the ball sped past him to reach Richard King at the back stick who fired in from eight yards.

However, the keeper was left badly exposed by his defence.

In the 58th minute Mikael Mandron broke clean through on goal but Bratveit read the situation well and comfortably blocked his 15 yard drive.

St Mirren made it 2-0 in the 80th minute when Phillips forced his way in Mitchel Frame to meet a low cross from Mandron and fire home from four yards.

Again Bratveit was let down by his defence.

In the match Bratveit faced five shots, made three saves for a 60% success rate.

He claimed one cross, made 34 passes, with 22 completed for a 64.47% success return.

ABERDEEN (3-4-1-2): Bratveit 6; Morrison 3 (Milne 46), Knoester 6, Molloy 6; Devlin 5 (Lobban 68), Geiger 5 (Shinnie 80), Aremu 3 (Cameron 46), Palaversa 5 Frame 5; Olusanya 5, Nisbet 5 (Keskinen 68)

Subs not used: Suman, Bwomono, Bilalovic, Kjartansson.

ST MIRREN (3-1-4-2):  Sinclair 7; Gogic 7, Freckleton 7, King 7; Donnelly 6; Fraser 6, Devaney 7, Campbell 6, O’Hara 6; Phillips 6 (Douglas 92), Mandron 6

Subs not used: Tamosevicius, Richardson, Tanser, Idowu, Calvin, Young, Falconer

Referee: David Dickinson

Attendance: 15,638

Man of the Match: Alex Gogic (St Mirren)

[Source: Press and Journal]