Aberdeen 0-1 Motherwell: Visitors go four points clear in third
- Published
Motherwell took a grip on third place in the Scottish Premiership after winning at nearest challengers Aberdeen to move four points clear of the Dons.
Liam Donnelly headed in the only goal - and his 10th of the season - in first-half stoppage time at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen enjoyed a glut of possession but toiled to craft many clear-cut chances, Andy Considine coming closest.
The hosts were denied a penalty when the defender was taken out by Declan Gallagher after miscuing a cross.
In the dying minutes, Bruce Anderson's shot appeared to strike the arm of Bevis Mugabi in the box, but Derek McInnes' side were a largely blunt attacking force.
The only concern for Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson was a first-half injury to Christopher Long, who had scored four goals in his previous two games.
Effective Motherwell stymie limp Aberdeen
This was a performance that will elate Robinson, who watched his team limit one of the Premiership heavyweights to few clear-cut chances.
Aberdeen had a heap of the ball, but for much of the contest, lacked the guile and ruthlessness to cleave open an extremely diligent visiting defence.
The fare on show was attritional rather than aesthetically pleasing, sweeping from end to end in frantic, fizzing bursts without the incision to bring promising attacking play to a fruitful crescendo.
Lewis dived low to his right to deny Long yet another goal when the striker galloped on to Mark O'Hara's pass and drove across him.
Christian Ilic, the Englishman's replacement, thundered one off the midriff of the Aberdeen custodian from 20 yards.
At the other end, Considine bounded on to a Sam Cosgrove flick but could only prod awkwardly straight at Mark Gillespie.
And then came the killer touch. Donnelly's decider was a golden opportunity the powerful Northern Irishman was never likely to squander amid a fabulous season.
He escaped the limp clutches of Shay Logan, who allowed him to scoot clear at the back post and meet Liam Polworth's delivery from the right with his forehead. A 10th goal of the campaign makes the midfielder Motherwell's top scorer.
In the dying embers of the first half, it was a blow that stupefied Aberdeen and only imbued the visitors with more of the energy and resolve they were showing in spades.
Motherwell were more conservative after the break, content to snap at Aberdeen's midfield while they tried in vain to fashion an opening.
The home side earned nine corners to Motherwell's one. They loaded up the box with their behemoths - Considine, Cosgrove and Ash Taylor - but seldom could they land the ball on any of them with the kind of space to hit the target.
Cosgrove's header looped softly into the arms of Gillespie, Considine hooked over on the turn before he looked to be chopped down by Gallagher after lashing at Niall McGinn's quickly-taken free-kick.
Willie Collum pointed to the corner flag, not the penalty spot, and was unmoved when Anderson's strike cannoned off Mugabi in stoppage time. Aberdeen grafted but their spluttering attack never looked like yielding a leveller.
Man of the match - Liam Donnelly
BBC Scotland's Tyrone Smith at Pittodrie
Lets be honest, this wasn't a night of stand-out individual performances. But Donnelly epitomised everything Motherwell were about - hard-working, disciplined and tireless.
He never veered from the job in hand, and put in a power of graft in the engine room, never giving Aberdeen a minute's peace. His goal was a fitting reward for an industrious evening's work.
'The team needs changes' - reaction
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "We've been over-reliant on Cosgrove and when he's not at his best - as he's not been the last couple of games - it's up to others to contribute. We are looking to make the necessary changes in the last week or so of this window, and hopefully we can make those changes, because the team needs it.
"The result wasn't what we wanted. We were the better team, had good opportunities to score, but when you defend the goal as poorly as we did, you deserve to get punished."
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "One of the best away performances in my time at the club in terms of sheer hard work and endeavour and organisation. Some of the performances were fantastic; some of our young players really came of age.
"We haven't assessed [Long's injury] yet. Hopefully it's not too bad, he's a big part of what we do. Obviously at the moment, he looks a bit of a doubt for Saturday [when Hibernian visit Fir Park]."
No reason Motherwell can't stay third - Robinson