Dundee vs Aberdeen. Scottish Premiership.
The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens ParkAttendance7,815.
Dundee 2-2 Aberdeen: Hosts snatch point but Mark McGhee's wait for a win as manager goes on
Match report as cinch Premiership bottom club Dundee and top-six chasing Aberdeen draw 2-2 at Dens Park; Visitors twice pegged back as goals from Calvin Ramsay and Ross McCrorie answered by Dundee's Jordan McGhee and Danny Mullen
Saturday 2 April 2022 20:45, UK
Dundee and Aberdeen had to settle for a share of the points as a pulsating cinch Premiership game at Dens Pak finished 2-2.
Aberdeen’s Calvin Ramsay opened the scoring just before the break with a stunning strike – his first goal for the club.
Dundee equalised in the second half thanks to Jordan McGhee, before Aberdeen took the lead once more in the 81st minute through Ross McCrorie.
However, Dundee snatched a point when Danny Mullen headed home, though Mark McGhee’s wait for a win as manager goes on.
The result was a hammer blow to Aberdeen and their top-six aspirations, with bottom-of-the-table Dundee now six points behind St Johnstone in 11th.
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How a pulsating clash at Dens Park ended all square...
Mullen was first to try his luck but his shot from a tight angle on the edge of the Aberdeen box was easily gathered by Dons keeper Joe Lewis.
Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson had his side’s first chance of the game but his long-range effort did not trouble Dundee keeper Ian Lawlor, flying high and wide.
A similar attempt from distance in the 11th minute from Connor McLennan beat Lawlor all ends up but the ball crashed back off the crossbar.
From the resulting corner, David Bates produced a powerful header with Lawlor producing a spectacular one-handed save.
Aberdeen twice came close to breaking the deadlock in the 35th minute with Ramsay cutting in from the right and unleashing a stunning 30-yard shot which Lawlor saved brilliantly, with the ball being worked back to Christian Ramirez and his shot was cleared off the line by home defender Cammy Kerr.
However, the Dons did take the lead in the 41st minute – and this time Ramsay made no mistake.
The full-back again cut in from the right and rifled an unstoppable left-footed shot past Lawlor’s despairing dive and into the back of the net.
Dundee club captain Charlie Adam was then brought off the bench and he made an immediate impact in the 62nd minute.
The Dark Blues were awarded a free-kick wide on the left with the former Scotland midfielder swinging a great ball into the Aberdeen box with McGhee heading home from close range at the back post.
However, the Dons took the lead again in the 81st minute when McCrorie fired low past Lawlor to the joy of the travelling support.
That delight was shortlived with Dundee equalising for the second time just five minutes later with Adam again the free-kick provider, this time for Mullen to glance a header home past Lewis.
What the managers said...
Dundee boss Mark McGhee: "It's not the result we wanted but I think it could be a huge point at the end of the season.
"We deserved the point. I think we made it difficult for ourselves, going behind a couple of times, but we showed great resilience and great determination. It gives great hope going into the last six games.
"Charlie was ill last weekend, he had gastroenteritis. He took himself to the hospital at one point.
"He'd had an injury before that and hadn't trained. So I didn't really hold any hope he was going to take any part.
"But he came to see me, he wanted to be part of it, even though he felt he couldn't go on - he would at least be among it and in the dressing room and helping the lads."
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin: "We deserved to win the game. We were the better team and had over 20 attempts on goal, half of them on target.
"We hit the bar in the first half, we had one cleared off the line and could have been two or three up at half-time.
"Credit to Dundee, they kept going.
"But I do have serious questions about the first Dundee goal as Charlie Adam caught Lewis Ferguson in the face with a flailing arm before the free-kick.
"[Referee] John Beaton has to see it. It's a simple decision and a free-kick for us.
"Five seconds later, Dundee get the foul and then it ends up in the back of our net.
"I don't understand how he missed it as he has the best view on the pitch.
"It should have been a free-kick and possibly a yellow card. People will say I am making excuses but I can only call it as I see it.
"Thereafter we have to defend the free-kick better.
"We don't deal with the cross into the box. We know the quality Charlie has but we don't deal with it."
What's next?
Dundee travel to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, April 9; kick-off at 3pm. Up next for Aberdeen is a home match against Ross County on the same day; kick-off also at 3pm.
