Match ends, Aberdeen 1, Motherwell 1.
AberdeenAberdeen1MotherwellMotherwell1
Scott McDonald showed new boss Mark McGhee why he should be in Motherwell's starting line-up by coming off the bench to get them a point at Aberdeen.
Adam Rooney's seventh goal of the season gave the out-of-form Dons a lead they barely deserved.
However, substitute McDonald was left unmarked to nod in the leveller from a Lionel Ainsworth free-kick.
It took a string of saves by Dons goalkeeper Danny Ward to stop them slipping to a fifth successive defeat.
The result means Aberdeen miss the chance to return to the top of the table before next week's visit to leaders Celtic.
Motherwell made a much more positive start to the game than they had against Celtic the previous week and they looked the more potent team early on.
The Fir Park players moved the ball around effectively and confidently with Marvin Johnson going close with a long-range curling drive that fizzed past Ward's post.
The Dons defence has lost a lot of the resilience they showed at the start of the season and a slick four-man move ripped them apart down their left.
The chance fell to Keith Lasley, who was left pounding the turf in frustration after steering his shot wide of the target from just inside the penalty area.
It then took a marvellous interception from Shay Logan to deny Wes Fletcher a goal after Johnson and Louis Moult combined to once again embarrass the home defence.
In fact, they were almost undone by overconfidence going forward as they were caught on the break when Jonny Hayes burst clear.
The Irishman then swapped passes with Niall McGinn, who picked him out in the inside right position, only for the former Caley Thistle player to flash a shot just wide.
For much of the season Motherwell have failed to press home any advantage by scoring when on top, and they once again paid the price when Adam Rooney gave Aberdeen an unlikely interval lead with his seventh goal of the season, one that undid all the visitors' good defensive work.
A free-kick wide on the right was whipped in behind a static Steelmen backline by McGinn and Rooney was left all alone to glance in a header.
Rooney nearly claimed a second goal with another glancing header from a McGinn cross that nestled on the top of the net.
Former Motherwell man Mark Reynolds had the ball in the net, but was adjudged to be in an offside position, much to the relief of his former club.
Aberdeen certainly played with more confidence in the second period and Peter Pawlett very nearly turned a loose ball into the net but it dribbled just wide.
McGhee threw McDonald on for the last half-hour in an effort to add more aggression and poise up front and it worked.
Fellow substitute Ainsworth floated in a free-kick from the right and McDonald, one of the smallest players on the park, glanced a header high into the net.
Both goalkeepers then made terrific save with Connor Ripley denying Shay Logan while Danny Ward tipped over Theo Robinson's net-bound effort, before Ward again came to the rescue to deny Ainsworth.
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 19Ward
- 2Logan
- 5TaylorSubstituted forQuinnat 70'minutes
- 6Reynolds
- 3Shinnie
- 10McGinnSubstituted forMcLaughlinat 89'minutes
- 22Jack
- 7McLean
- 11Hayes
- 16PawlettSubstituted forGoodwillieat 80'minutes
- 9Rooney
Substitutes
- 14Smith
- 15Robson
- 17Goodwillie
- 18Quinn
- 20Brown
- 21McLaughlin
- 32Parker
Motherwell
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Ripley
- 18Law
- 16Kennedy
- 6McManus
- 15Chalmers
- 4Grimshaw
- 14LasleySubstituted forAinsworthat 53'minutes
- 8PearsonBooked at 57mins
- 11Johnson
- 9FletcherSubstituted forMcDonaldat 61'minutes
- 20MoultSubstituted forRobinsonat 69'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Laing
- 7Ainsworth
- 13Samson
- 17Robinson
- 23Thomas
- 25Taylor
- 77McDonald
- Referee:
- Crawford Allan
- Attendance:
- 12,389
Match Stats
Home TeamAberdeenAway TeamMotherwell
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away7
- Corners
- Home9
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 1, Motherwell 1.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Danny Ward.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Danny Ward.
Post update
Attempt saved. Marvin Johnson (Motherwell) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
David Goodwillie (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Stephen McManus (Motherwell).
Substitution
Substitution, Aberdeen. Ryan McLaughlin replaces Niall McGinn.
Post update
Attempt missed. Theo Robinson (Motherwell) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Adam Rooney.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Danny Ward.
Post update
Attempt saved. Theo Robinson (Motherwell) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Connor Ripley.
Post update
Attempt saved. Shaleum Logan (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Josh Law.
Post update
Attempt missed. Niall McGinn (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Kieran Kennedy.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Mark Reynolds.
