Nicky Devlin is praying victory at Elgin will spark a revival that carries Aberdeen to a first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years.
But the defender knows that depends on getting the Dons’ dismal league form back on track at Pittodrie this Saturday. Shayden Morris and a Duk double finally saw off the League Two promotion pushers for a first win in 13 games. Not that Jimmy Thelin’s men have struggled against lower league teams, scoring 23 goals and conceding just one in seven cup ties this term.
It’s a dramatic slump in form against Premiership rivals that remains concerning ahead of St Mirren’s weekend visit. That’s why Devlin’s desperate to beat the Buddies to clinch back-to-back wins for the first time since October. Only then will someone who has lost a final and two semis since joining Aberdeen, believe this season can still have a silver lining.
He said: “Every competition since I’ve been here, we’ve reached the semi-finals minimum. But we don’t want to be a team that gets to the semi-finals and finals, we want to go and win stuff.
“You want to put yourself in positions to win trophies and that’s why everyone comes to clubs like Aberdeen. That was why we had to come here to win as there’s no second chances in cup competitions.
“Although there’s no point in coming and doing it if we’re not going to use that to kick ourselves on. We have to start winning our league games and hopefully we can go and do that next Saturday against St Mirren.”
Two years ago this month Dundee United gaffer Jim Goodwin was sacked as Dons boss in the wake of THAT humiliating Scottish Cup defeat by Darvel. There’s no doubt early on that Elgin fancied adding their name to Aberdeen’s Hall of Shame.
Even the current Dons manager admits the part-timers were unlucky to trail to the first Morris goal since the winner at home to Rangers last October. In the end he was unfortunate not to head home with a hat trick ball under his arm, but Duk’s first goals of the season in the second half rounded things off.
There was even time for a glimpse of Senegal striker Pape Gueye for the first time since getting injured in mid-September. Part of Aberdeen’s recent problems are that he remains their top scorer in the league despite four months out injured.
But for now Devlin was just delighted to give the long suffering Red Army something to cheer. He said: “It’s been a long time but to be fair, the fans again today were here in their numbers and they’ve been right behind us. That win’s for them because they’ve stuck by us these 13 games when they could have easily turned.”
To be fair the loyal backing Thelin’s had from the Aberdeen board has been just as crucial. Big money was spent on Topi Keskinen, Sivert Nilsen, Peter Ambrose and Gavin Molloy before a ball was kicked this season. Now in this window they’ve already tied up Croatian midfielder Ante Palaversa on a new deal until the summer of 2027.
Alfie Dorrington has arrived from Spurs on loan for the rest of the season as has Preston NE winger Jeppe Okkels. Devlin said: “Good players can come in and play straight away and both of them have showed that they are that.”
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