Jimmy Thelin admitted he’s facing his toughest spell as a manager after Aberdeen’s incredible nosedive continued in Motherwell.
Ewan Wilson’s first professional goal and a wonder strike from the terrific Tawanda Maswanhise earned the Steelmen a first home win over the Dons in three-and-a-half years and jump into fifth spot. But for Thelin and the Red Army the scoreline on this latest chapter of misery should read Well 2 Woeful 0 as they slumped to another defeat – and a 10th successive game without a win.
After their sensational unbeaten start to the season which saw them take 31 points from 11 games, the Dons are now looking as washed out as their grey away kit having taken just three points from the last 30. And this implosion must be the worst of them all.
They have now scored just three goals in their last seven games and could have played all day here without netting. And they lost their heads in spectacular fashion with Slobodan Rubezic – just back from a ban – the chief sinner after being sent off shortly before the interval for sticking his noggin on Tony Watt.
The time-bomb defender pleaded innocence but ref Nick Walsh stuck with his decision after reviewing the incident and SFA guidance later confirmed the Montenegrin had moved his head twice towards the Well hitman. Dons coach Peter Leven and Well counterpart Richard Foster were also sent off for a coming together in the tunnel at half-time as the Dons lost their composure.
How they could do with a Maswanhise whose pace, quick thinking and sublime touch played a huge part in both Well goals. Concerned Thelin said: “We started the game really well and then we have 10 minutes when Motherwell have momentum and the goal comes in an easy way.
“That’s the thing we have to find a way to stop happening, because when we are good, we are quite good inside the game, but when opponents have momentum, we are not strong enough to resist this.
“It can be 10 minutes, 15 minutes sometimes, but it costs a lot for the team right now when this is happening. We need to find a way, and that’s my job, to find a way together with the players to be more stable in this. For me, it’s the first time through this kind of period as a manager.
“It’s really important that we are strong and focus on the right things and don’t hesitate in what you believe in and try to understand the direction of the team you want to keep building.
“That’s the most important thing, don’t hesitate in the things you want to get through with and keep progressing as a team and be better.
“It’s so easy to doubt the wrong things and these kind of things, but second half today you can see the character of the players. You are in a bad run, you have 2-0 against you, you are playing with 10 men, but still they are trying and as long as they have this spirit and they try, then always find a way out.
“That’s the most important thing to see from the game today and also the supporters who travel here and stay to the end of the game. As long as we can keep this togetherness, it’s going to be a way out of this situation and be much stronger.”
Both sides found it difficult to string two passes together in the early stage. Unforced errors and a lack of shots at goal summed up an opening spell best described as cagey.
Well’s Andy Halliday produced the first proper piece of quality in the 20th minute when he lifted an inviting curling cross into the six yard box but Dan Casey’s header flashed wide of Aberdeen keeper Ross Doohan’s goal. Aberdeen’s Nicky Devlin then saw a strong header from Ante Palaversa’s corner clawed away by Well No.1 Aston Oxborough.
The biggest talking point of the opening half hour was home boss Stuart Kettlewell falling out with officials again after copping a booking for losing his cool with Walsh over an innocuous Aberdeen free-kick. His anger was soon to subside though as Well stormed ahead in the 34th minute. Maswanhise controlled a ball fired into the channel and played in Watt.
The former Celtic striker took his time before sliding a low cross which was missed by Moses Ebiye but slammed high past Doohan by Wilson at the back post. That was the green light for the Dons to see red. Rubezic might have felt hard done by for the 43rd minute flashpoint that left his team in the brown stuff.
But there was nothing unfortunate as they fell two behind immediately from the restart. Angus MacDonald switched off as Liam Gordon floated the ball in behind for Maswanhise, whose brilliant first touch left him eyeballing Doohan before sliding a perfect finish low past the keeper for his fifth goal of the season.
Aberdeen had to somehow find a way to get the big travelling Red Army back onside after the break. Duk should have pulled one back after a blistering run from Topi Keskinen set him up on 50 minutes but his shot from eight yards was blocked.
Devlin flashed a shot across goal and the normally composed Leighton Clarkson skied a 20 yard effort into the away support. Sub Sam Nicholson blew a glorious chance for a Well third in the 81st minute when he fired wide while in acres of space 16 yards out. But the game was won long before that as Well climb to within four points of the dismal Dons.