Aberdeen are having such a wretched spell that a point salvaged at Hamilton can be regarded as a minor triumph.
Zander Diamond’s late equaliser, in his 200th Dons appearance, was greeted with an outpouring of relief. But although they have moved a point closer to sixth-placed Hearts after the Jambos’ defeat by Dundee United, this result has done little for Aberdeen’s hopes of earning a place in the top six after the split in six games.
Aberdeen seem destined to slum out the final stages of the season among the division’s more impoverished outfits.
Relegation may still be unlikely for Mark McGhee’s men – despite their best efforts. But given Aberdeen’s record against clubs in the lower reaches of the SPL, anything could happen.
Aberdeen have won just four times in 11 games against teams in the bottom six – which should be a cause for grave concern given that four of the Dons next six matches are against lower teams.
Unless they can figure out a way to beat combative sides, a nervous finale to the season awaits McGhee’s men.
Perhaps a relegation dogfight could perversely stir a club is in danger of slipping into a coma.
The current squad seems to have conceded defeat in the top-six race but the players do not really believe they are involved in a struggle to beat the drop.
The Dons are trudging along in a purgatorial manner, pining for the summer. But just maybe there were signs towards the end at New Douglas Park that some embers of a fired-up side still smoulder.
The last quarter of an hour was as spirited a showing as seen recently.
That might not be much to write home about but it is at least something for the disheartened Red Army to cling on to.
On the subject of the Aberdeen supporters, this run of nine matches without a victory has taken its toll.
Last season, Hamilton had to dig out the emergency chairs for the masses of travelling Dons supporters. On this occasion barely 450 had the stomach for the trek south.
The supporters who turned up would have been cursing their dedication during a miserable opening 45 minutes which was as bad as anything witnessed in the garish defeats by Raith Rovers, Falkirk and Hearts.
Hamilton were still looking for their first home league goal in 2010 and had found the net just three times in 11 previous matches.
Yet for much of the opening period Aberdeen made the Accies look like Brazil.
The home side’s unorthodox 3-6-1 formation, up against an Aberdeen 4-3-3 line-up, unsurprisingly gained a stranglehold on the midfield and it was no shock that McGhee moved to a 4-4-2 at the interval.
Fortunately for the visitors, Hamilton were powderpuff up front and endless possession was repeatedly squandered.
McGhee also needs a spark in the final third and he desperately wants Sone Aluko to provide it. The manager spent much of last week trying to galvanise the mercurial Nigerian international, in private and in the media.
He suggested that Aluko on his day was better than anything Accies have in their ranks – but the player made the argument look foolish. Alex Neil, Simon Mensing and James McArthur would all walk into the Aberdeen team.
A couple of flashes aside, Aluko looks as though he would rather be anywhere other than in a red shirt.
It is Diamond who is proving to be McGhee’s best friend, as Zander’s determination rises in tandem with his fitness.
The big defender may not yet be 100% physically, but he offers nothing less in commitment.
Hamilton, however, felt aggrieved that Diamond was still on the pitch to net the leveller. He certainly came close to picking up a red card when he ploughed through the back of Dougie Imrie, but a yellow was just about right.
Imrie bore the brunt of the robust challenge, but it was Diamond’s team-mates who received the boot up the backside.
With 14 minutes remaining, a quick free kick from Charlie Mulgrew released Steven MacLean, who squared into the path of the marauding Diamond, who steered the ball home
Until that point the match had been unfolding into another nightmare for the visitors. Flavio Paixao had given Accies a 62nd-minute lead with a header amid statuesque defending.
©2010 Press and Journal
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