7.10pm

Today's result: Motherwell 0, Aberdeen 2.

Motherwell remain bottom of the SPL following our third consecutive defeat.  Although this was a much improved performance compared to last week's horror show at Love Street, our inability to put the ball in the net coupled with our continued generosity in gifting the opposition crazy goals mean we are almost certainly in for a relegation battle this season.

Not surprisingly, Maurice Malpas made a number of changes to the side, with Reynolds, McBride, Clarkson and McDonald coming in for Donnelly, Foran, McCormack and Hamilton.

We started brightly, and McDonald was unlucky when his header clipped the crossbar and went over after just a couple of minutes.  Clarskon also had a great chance and McBride too went close before Aberdeen took the lead against the run of play, and in comic cut fashion.  A harmless punt over the top resulted in a mix up between Smith and Craigan, and Mackie took full advantage to put the visitors in front.  The goal changed the complexion of the game, with Aberdeen finishing the first half on top.

We again started the second half quite brightly, but after 60 mins the Dons scored a killer second goal when Smith dropped a cross under intense (and some would say illegal) pressure, and Mackie once again took full advantage to make the points safe.  In desperation, Malpas switched to a 4-2-4 formation, but even with the presence of four forwards we created very little, and the visitors comfortably held on for the win.

I can't fault the players for a lack of effort today, but yet again we looked as though we could have played all day without scoring.  Our midfield simply isn't good enough, with the wide players in particular little more than passengers.  It's difficult to criticise Graeme Smith given the number of times he has saved us in the past, but he will know himself that he had a howler today.  On a more positive note, I thought young Mark Reynolds had a excellent debut at centre half, and the much maligned Paul Quinn actually had a decent game defensively (his distribution is still murder, unfortunately).

With two tricky away games next up, it's difficult to see where our first points are going to come from.

Team (4-4-2): Smith, Quinn, Reynolds, Craigan, Paterson, McGarry (Foran 66), Kerr, O'Donnell, McBride (Hamilton 79), Clarkson, McDonald.
Subs not used: Meldrum, McCormack, Fitzpatrick, Connolly, Soutar.

Booked: Craigan, Quinn.

Attendance: 5,186.

Maurice Malpas' post-match comments were as follows:
"We deserved what we got last week. This time we got nothing like what we deserved.  There was only one team on the park in the first half, but we made a mistake and that cost us the goal and goals change games.  It gave Aberdeen confidence and gave us a hill to climb.  I take 90 minutes of positives because we were the better team all the way through.  The one thing which disappoints me is that we never hit the target when we did have a couple of good chances.  After criticising them last week - and they deserved it last week - I have to praise them this week.  People will think I am crazy because we were beaten, but performances like that will win us more games than not."

On the controversial decision by the referee to allow Aberdeen's second goal to stand, Malpas added:
"The second goal killed the game, but I will pass judgement on that one when I see it again.  The referee has made a decision - it was a big call because 2-0 is a far harder result to get back from."

We've been drawn at home to Partick Thistle in the 2nd Round of the CIS Cup on Tuesday, August 22.

The reserves won their opening game of the season 2-0 at Love Street in midweek, with Connolly and Coakley on the scoresheet.  Team:
Meldrum, Soutar, Fitzpatrick, Fagan, Nixon, Reynolds (Brownlie 60), McBride, Connolly, Coakley, Clarkson, Forbes (Sideserf 82).
Subs Not Used: Coutts, Donnelly, Murphy.

The Hibs game next week is pay at the gate (£20 for adults), but the Falkirk game the week after is all ticket with tickets (£19 for adults) going on sale from Fir Park on Monday 21st.

Time for a new opinion poll

Will we struggle to avoid relegation this season?