Published on Monday 30 January 2012 01:08
ABERDEEN, despite being some way off their best on Saturday, continued an impressive resurgence which has carried them from joint-bottom of the SPL into the top six in the space of just over two months.
The Pittodrie side looked in deep trouble as they languished at the foot of the pile alongside Inverness towards the end of November. However, after Scott Vernon’s winner against Dunfermline on Saturday helped make it seven in a row unbeaten, Craig Brown’s men crept into the top half for the first time this season and are now looking up rather than down.
Indeed, having lost only one of their last ten, the Dons are now a healthy 12 points clear of Saturday’s visitors Dunfermline, who remain rooted to the foot of the table and seemingly scrapping it out with Hibs in a relegation battle which Aberdeen looked like becoming embroiled in earlier in the season.
The latest win was far from spectacular, as acknowledged by Vernon, who capitalised on an error by Pars goalkeeper Iain Turner to net the only goal of the game and take his tally for the season to 10.
The Dons top-scorer said: “It was an awful game. We didn’t play too well and it was hard to get to grips with the game. We got the points in the end and I suppose that is the important thing. We just want to keep progressing and keep this unbeaten run going as long as we can. We knew this was a massive game as it could propel us into the top six. We are happy to get into the top half of the table, although we know we can play much better.”
Vernon is disappointed that Icelandic midfielder Kari Arnason has rejected an improved contract offer to remain at Pittodrie after his current deal expires at the end of the season. However, the former Colchester man has no doubts that Arnason will continue to give his all until the end of the season. He added: “We don’t talk about it too much in the dressing-room because we have a job to do but obviously you hear things on the radio and in the press. He is a good player and has had a really good influence on us as a team. It is his prerogative to do as he pleases and we can’t blame the lad. There is no doubt that if he stays he will put in 100 per cent every game. He is that type of lad.”
Vernon is hoping Craig Brown manages to secure a loan deal to bring Nigerian striker Danny Uchechi, who has been on trial with the Dons, to the club. He added: “He is the type of player that we haven’t got. He can play as a winger and dribbles a bit more than the players we have. He has good feet and good skills and I’m sure he will be a good addition if he stays.”
Dunfermline manager Jim McIntyre refused to be too downhearted after his side lose for the fourth time in five matches. He said: “Not taking chances has been our Achilles heel this season. But you have to credit the players as they kept going. I thought the back four were excellent. There was a lot of pleasing aspects we can take out of the game but the bottom line is we have taken no points, which is disappointing.”
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