McGhee delighted with spirited Dons

22 August 2010 11:31
Mark McGhee believes his Aberdeen side are on the up after Darren Mackie's late strike secured a 1-0 SPL win at St Johnstone on Saturday.[LNB] It appeared the Dons, who opened up the season with a 4-0 hammering of Hamilton, would have to settle for a point as the two sides struggled to carve out clear goalmouth opportunities.[LNB]However, Mackie's strike five minutes from time ensured the optimism which has marked Aberdeen's opening to the new campaign continues as they went top of the embryonic Scottish Premier League with back-to-back victories.[LNB]"Getting the late goal tells me there's hope, that there's change a-coming," said McGhee.[LNB]"I'm not going to take anything for granted, it's two games and two different kinds of performances, and we've just got to keep going and keep demanding of each other.[LNB]"There is a spirit and there's a determination about them that was missing last season, that gives you the opportunity to win games 1-0 away from home. I'm well pleased with that aspect of it.[LNB]"I think it was a deserved win. We stuck to our task, we kept it tight and defended well and gave ourselves the opportunity to win the game.[LNB]"Before the game we spoke more than anything about the clean sheet and defending as a team, about not getting beaten and giving ourselves the opportunity to win the game, which was exactly how it worked out."[LNB]McGhee, who praised the influence of skipper Paul Hartley in fostering a new-found resolute team spirit at the club, felt his team could have been ahead before Mackie's winner, with Andrew Considine's first-half header being ruled out by referee Steven McLean.[LNB]The official also denied the Dons, who saw Hartley net a hat-trick of penalties against Hamilton last weekend, what McGhee thought should have been a second-half spot-kick.[LNB]He added: "Andrew Considine said it came off his shoulder a little bit but he didn't feel as if it was a foul.[LNB]"I would have to see it again but our boys maintained that they didn't feel there was anything wrong with it.[LNB]"And I felt quite strongly that we should have had a penalty at the other end as well.[LNB]"Chris Maguire should have been awarded a penalty. Whether it was because we had three last week and you're only allowed three in every two games I don't know but we felt we had strong claims for a penalty."[LNB]St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes remained philosophical in defeat, insisting there had been little between the teams throughout a tight 90 minutes.[LNB]The Saints boss, who admitted Kevin Rutkiewicz's early miss had been a 'key moment' in the game, said: "I think we just have to take our medicine and it's important we don't over-analyse it.[LNB]"There were small margins in the game. They got the break with the clearance and with the goal when it went through Danny Grainger's legs and trundled into the corner.[LNB]"But there was nothing between the teams. It was hard-fought and fiercely contested and there wasn't a lot of pretty stuff on show from either team.[LNB]"I was hoping we would cause them more problems in the wider areas of the pitch but we never did that anywhere near enough to go and win the game, but I certainly didn't think we were going to lose the game.[LNB]"Aberdeen worked hard for the three points but we'll pick ourselves up and get ready to go again."

Source: Team_Talk