Hamilton Academical vs Aberdeen. Scottish Premiership.
New Douglas ParkAttendance3,095.
Sunday 15 February 2015 21:49, UK
Aberdeen moved to within three points of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic after defeating Hamilton 3-0 at New Douglas Park.
Derek McInnes' side dominated proceedings on Sunday, even before the home side had Jesus Garcia Tena sent off for a second bookable offence.
Andrew Considine, Ryan Jack and Niall McGinn were on target for the Dons, who also had the ball in the back of the net on three other occasions.
Considine gave Aberdeen the lead on six minutes as he hammered home from close range after Accies defender Ziggy Gordon failed to deal with a cross from the right that goalkeeper Michael McGovern could only direct into Considine’s path.
The away side doubled their lead just two minutes later when Ryan Jack made the most of another incisive cross from McGinn, who popped up on the left flank and played in an inviting ball that his team-mate confidently converted.
Aberdeen right-back Shay Logan headed just wide at the back post after a good cross from Considine before Hamilton enjoyed their best spell of the game.
Jason Scotland just failed to connect with a Stephen Hendrie cross and Hendrie went close himself in the next attack with a deflected effort that barely cleared the crossbar.
Hendrie, who joins West Ham at the end of the season, was proving to be a handful and he fizzed another shot just past the post before striker Scotland was denied from close range by Aberdeen keeper Scott Brown, with Mark Reynolds completing the clearance on the goal-line.
The Dons continued to press though and should have a third when Adam Rooney smashed in a close-range shot off the underside of the crossbar but his effort was chalked off, despite replays showing his effort was well over the line.
Rooney was denied again after the break when his volley was saved point-blank by McGovern, who did well to keep the score down.
Garcia Tena was lucky not to give away a penalty as he looked to have fouled Rooney in the area, with the decision going the other way instead.
But the Spanish defender was not so lucky soon afterwards when he picked up his second yellow card in eight minutes for a foul on McGinn and McGovern had to be alert to save the resulting free-kick, diving full-length to his right to keep out Kenny McLean’s set-piece.
Considine then had a headed ‘goal’ chalked off for climbing and substitute David Goodwillie was also denied in the closing stages after he was adjudged to have strayed offside before putting the ball in the back of the net.
Those disallowed efforts proved inconsequential, however, as Aberdeen cruised to a comfortable victory.
