The team from the granite city who took to the field to a massive roar as the Red Army occupied more than three quarters of the ground, could not have got off to a better start. A free kick to the Dons inside the opening minute gave Aberdeen their first chance. The ball eventually fell to Rooney after a few touches and he poked the ball at goal from a tight angle. His shot was saved and tipped behind for a corner. This early pressure only convinced the huge travelling sea of red to get behind their team even further. A poor kick out from stand in keeper Banks allowed Rooney to latch on to the ball on the right wing. Using a turn of pace, the striker got to the bi line area and put across the face of ball a low ball. It came all the way through to Hayes who tapped home from point blank range. Tynecastle shook as three sides were jumping like crazy. The Aberdeen fans could not believe what they were watching, a goal after three minutes.
The game then descended into a scrappy one as the referee somehow decided to blow for a free kick every time an Aberdeen player even lightly touched his man. Somebody at this point should have reminded him that football is a contact sport. On the half hour mark a crucial point in the game emerged. St ill only a goal down Croft found himself through on goal after a lucky deflection and all he had to do was slot past Langfield. However the Dons keeper had other ideas and rushed out quickly to narrow the angle. Croft went for placement and the slightest of touches from the keeper took it onto the post then behind. A marvellous save from Jamie Langfield. St Johnstone were now on top and were searching for the equaliser. A tame shot from May failed to trouble Aberdeen while several long balls were well dealt with by Reynolds and Anderson. It was Aberdeen however, against the run of play minutes later who doubled their lead. A breakaway from Hayes allowed the Dons to push out up field. Hayes' attempted cross ball to Rooney was cut out, but it came to Pawlett just outside the box who picked the ball up skipped past the Saints defender and Cooley rolled the ball under Steve Banks. The Red Army once again were off their feet not knowing what to do, they had not been in this kind of position in a while. Were they on course to reach the final?
As the second half got underway McInnes' side found themselves under the cosh again. Considine conceded a corner that was badly dealt with. Wright's header hit the bar before MacDonald almost turned the rebound in but Reynolds was there to turn the ball behind just and no more. A scare for the Dons. Aberdeen survived and were now piling on pressure of their own. Pawlett had an effort from just outside the box which Banks parried, Rooney then got to the ball before the scrambling St Johnstone keeper, but he decided to take the Dons striker out and the referee pointed to the spot. However none of that mattered as the linesman informed his fellow official Rooney had been offside. A disappointing moment for the Aberdeen fans who thought they had a penalty in the bag. On the hour mark however Aberdeen's advantage was increased through new signing Adam Rooney. Pawlett robbed his opposing man on the half way line and played in Rooney who ran half the length of the pitch and somehow kept calm to send Banks the wrong way and fire home to ultimately send Aberdeen through to the final.
Considine then looked to get in on the act when he thundered a header against the bar from a McGinn freekick. The defender was desperately unlucky not to get a goal of his own. That fourth goal then did come. Hayes picked up the ball out wide on the left with ten minutes to go. He drove at Anderson for the Saints wriggling in then out and once on the edge of the box fired through the defenders legs into the bottom corner of the net. A wonderful piece of skill from the man who had opened the scoring. The final whistle then was met with a humongous roar as the red army knew they would once again be in a cup final!
FT: Aberdeen 4-0 St Johnstone
Aberdeen
- 01 Langfield
- 29 Logan
- 05 Considine Booked
- 08 Flood
- 04 Anderson (Tate - 81' )
- 06 Reynolds
- 16 Pawlett (Low - 87' )
- 15 Robson Booked (Vernon - 82' )
- 10 McGinn
- 17 Rooney
- 11 Hayes
Substitutes
- 07 Zola
- 09 Vernon
- 18 Low
- 20 Weaver
- 28 Tate
St Johnstone
- 15 Banks
- 02 Mackay
- 24 Easton (Miller - 88' )
- 08 McDonald
- 05 Wright
- 06 Anderson
- 10 Wotherspoon Booked
- 22 Croft (O'Halloran - 72' )
- 17 May
- 11 Hasselbaink (Iwelumo - 61' )
- 07 Millar
Substitutes
- 04 Cregg
- 19 Miller
- 25 Iwelumo
- 29 O'Halloran
- 35 Hurst
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