Hartley hails improving Dons spirit

Aberdeen captain Paul Hartley believes team spirit is beginning to improve after they fought back to avert another cup shock. Hartley scored a second-half double to secure a 2-1 victory over Falkirk at Pittodrie last night and a place in the last four of the Co-operative Insurance Cup.Mehdi Khalis had given First Division Falkirk a deserved half-time lead to stoke memories of Aberdeen's cup defeats by Raith Rovers, Dundee, Dunfermline, Queen of the South and Queen's Park in the past four seasons.But Hartley headed an equaliser before netting his seventh penalty of the season deep into injury-time after Khalis was controversially ruled to have fouled Chris Maguire."We started the first half very poorly and we deserved to go in behind," Hartley told RedTV."We got a bit of rollicking at half-time and we were out the cup basically."But we showed desire and attitude. People will say we were fortunate with penalty but we'll take it."A semi-final is massive for the club. We showed a bit of spirit and the main thing is we are in the draw on Friday."When I came here people talked about the fact we've had a few defeats to lower-league teams and First Division teams."We have tried to install a work ethic, a determination and a never-say-die spirit. I'm delighted for the supporters because it gives the supporters something to look forward to."Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee had argued their recent disappointing run, which saw them took one point from six SPL games, was down to an injury crisis.His argument has been given credence by the fact that the return to fitness of Hartley and Sone Aluko has helped the Dons beat Hibernian and Falkirk.And victory over St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday could edge them into the top six."We haven't got the biggest squad but everyone is in it together," 34-year-old Hartley said."We have tried to install a team spirit and it is coming through. We still have some good players to come back."We said last week we had three massive games. We've won two of them, we have another one on Saturday, and we want to win that."

Source: Team_Talk