Aberdeen 2 (Stewart 16 Pen, Foster 74)
Rangers 2 (McCormack 2 {27, 55})
Played at Links Park, Montrose
Rangers looked impressive in the opening stages yet
found themselves trailing in sixteen minutes when Bob
Malcolm was adjudged to have pushed John Stewart, the
‘Dons centre converting the resultant penalty.
The scores were level in 27 minutes when Ross
McCormack equalised with a twenty-yard free-kick.
Two minutes later Andrew Considine (son of the former
Pittodrie player) received a yellow card for a foul on
Bob Davidson – and when he did likewise with McCormack
on the stroke of half-time he was sent for an early
bath.
Ten minutes after the restart Rangers took the lead
with a superb solo effort from McCormack, who finished
off a mazy run with a superb shot from the edge of the
box.
Three points were there for the taking – yet although
Ryan Esson was outstanding as he denied both McCormack
and Davidson, complacency crept in to the visitors’
ranks and the scores were levelled at 2-2 when Richard
Foster headed home a David Donald cross.
Despite their numerical advantage, Rangers were unable
to make it count and the game finished with two points
thrown away.
ABERDEEN Esson; Thomson (Bagshaw 45), Donald; Tiernan,
Considine, O’Leary; McInnes (Bruce 57), Adams,
Stewart, Foster, Muirhead
UNUSED SUBS Kiely, Neill, Kelly
RANGERS Robinson; Ross, Walker (Lowing 86); Malcolm,
Campbell, Kalenga; McLean, Gilmour, Davidson (Johnston
71), McCormack, Fetai (Carcari 56)
UNUSED SUBS McCall, Giacomo
REFEREE Steven Nicholls