Spot the ball

ABERDEEN 2 RANGERS 2 Subs: Tiernan for Bisconti 38, Michie for Mike 78.

Not used: Esson, Thornley, Billio.

Booked: McGuire 76, Deloumeaux 58, Thornley 80.

Referee: S Dougal.

Subs: McCann for Mols 74.

Not used: McGregor, Nerlinger, Dodds, Hughes.

Booked: Ferguson 82, Klos 90.

Attendance: 14,915.

ALL manner of dreary records were being trotted out concerning Aber-deen's recent record against the Old Firm yesterday, but by full- time they were all rendered irrelevant by the only statistic which mattered. Rangers stumbled at Pittodrie and will surrender their precious position as Premierleague leaders by one point if Celtic beat Partick Thistle this afternoon.

An odd game had its fair share of novelty value. Ben Thornley was booked without playing in the match and at one point play was suspended for four minutes while repairs were performed on a damaged goal-net. The most unexpected element of all, though, was Aberdeen's emergence into the play after a first half of smooth Rangers domination.

"Aberdeen always seem to run an extra mile against Rangers," said Maurice Ross later, reheating a familiar grievance about Aberdeen showing more effort against them than against any other team in the country. Given that Celtic put seven goals past Aberdeen without replay a fortnight ago, Rangers' suspicion was understandable. But the number of goalscoring chances they had squandered in the first half meant their gloomy mood was largely self-inflicted.

At first, all the placatory noises which emanated from Pittodrie and Ibrox last week seemed to strip the match not only of its menace, but of its spectacle. There have been countless occasions in recent matches between these clubs when Aberdeen's trepidation was clear. For the first half, yesterday's fixture threatened to be yet another - Alex McLeish said he had never known Aberdeen fans so quiet at a Rangers game - and the contest was further dulled by Rangers' apparent belief that victory would be theirs without expending more than the bare minimum of energy.

That impression was formed not just by the ease with which they accommodated the absence of four first-team regulars - Lorenzo Amoruso, Craig Moore, Mikel Arteta and Peter Lovenkrands - but the manner in which they gained control of the play.

They amassed a number of chances to put victory beyond doubt before half-time. Michael Mols found the ball caught under his feet when he slid in to connect with a simple conversion from a Russell Latapy cross, and Ronald de Boer's uncharacteristically lax first touch squandered an opening after a cute Fernando Ricksen through ball. Shota Arveladze connected with a header which Phil McGuire blocked, and another Ricksen pass invited a Mols goal but David Preece smothered.

Given that none of Rangers' front three could apply a suitable finish they were especially indebted to their unlikely opening goalscorer. Numan's goal had the aplomb of a practiced assassin. The left-back took a de Boer pass at the corner of the penalty area and stabbed a clever shot with the outside of his left foot which cut through the crowded box to beat Preece.

At half-time McLeish warned his players about complacency, but he may feel the point was not made with sufficient force. At that stage there had been nothing to indicate the resurgence of spirit which brought Aberdeen into the match at the start of the second half. Withdrawing Derek Young into midfield, to go 4-4-2, gave the side the weaponry to win more possession there and feed their previously starved forwards. Rangers' response to the change was poor, but for Aberdeen the results were immediate. First Russell Anderson should have delivered a header on target when found by an Eric Deloumeaux corner and then Darren Mackie fired a drive over the bar. Those two immediate chances, after a barren first half, encouraged them.

Darren Young then unleashed a fierce angled shot which brought both sets of fans - Rangers' reduced allocation of 2,400 among a crowd of less than 15,000 - to their feet. The attempt was matched by Stefan Klos's diving save, but from the resultant corner Deloumeaux's delivery was met by a downward header at the back post for Leon Mike's second goal of the season.

Rangers had four minutes to contemplate how cheaply they had surrendered the lead as play was held up to repair the net, which had been damaged as Klos followed Mike's header into the goal. Yet their introspection had no effect. Aberdeen might then have gone ahead from a Mackie chance before actually doing so when the same player delivered a carefully-placed headed finish after starting the move from which Kevin Rutkiewicz delivered an inviting right-wing cross. Again Rangers' marking was inadequate.

Pittodrie was awake, but this time Rangers reacted. Substitute Neil McCann crossed for Arveladze but his header was saved by Preece, though Aberdeen were to enjoy their lead for only four minutes. When Ferguson threaded a pass into the area Ricksen was being shepherded away from danger when McGuire needlessly brought him down for a penalty. McGuire later denied Ross's suggestion that Aberdeen put more effort in against Rangers - that would be "unprofessional", he said - but he admitted the penalty was incontestable. Ferguson calmly sent Preece the wrong way.

Thornley was cautioned for coming off the trackside on to the field of play, to check on the injured Anderson, but Aberdeen were not distracted. In injury time four players flooded forward on two Rangers defenders and only Klos's superb save from Deloumeaux's powerful low shot denied Ebbe Skovdahl his first league win over Rangers. With a draw, though, not only Aber-deen's goal-net was mended. Their self-respect was too.

Copyright 2002 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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