Stillie will be in at the deep end to solve keeper crisis

GRAEME SMITH

7 Mar 1994

ABERDEEN manager Willie Miller spent the weekend searching for a goalkeeper after losing both the match and Dutchman Theo Snelders in the thirty-first minute of the game against Hearts.

The loss of Snelders is a terrible blow because his back-up Michael Watt is already sidelined after breaking his leg in training.

Snelders suffered a bad shoulder injury when he was caught by a foot as he dived in a vain attempt to stop Scott Leitch score the only goal of a match which Hearts thoroughly deserved to win.

The injured keeper has been ruled out for at least a month.

Aberdeen manager Willie Miller said: "We have been told it could be two or four weeks before he is fit enough to start training again.

I will contact the Scottish League to see if a short-term loan deal is possible.

If not we must buy."

In the reserve match at Tyncastle, Aberdeen's youth keeper Kevin Morgan was sent off and his automatic suspension leaves only 20-year-old Derek Stillie, the third-choice keeper, available for tomorrow's crucial league match against Motherwell.

Stillie performed extremely well on Saturday when he made his first team debut as the substitute keeper, pulling off a great save in the eighty-third minute to save Aberdeen further embarrassment.

The Dons certainly did not look like championship contenders.

There were four changes to the side which beat Raith in their last match.

In came Stewart McKimmie to make his 500th appearance and oust Gary Smith.

Lee Richardson returned as did Scott Booth and Joe Miller while Jim Bett, Mixu Paatelainen and Eoin Jess were dropped although the latter two were on the bench.

Aberdeen exerted the early pressure but never threatened keeper Henry Smith, who had only one serious save to make, from Booth in the sixty-sixth minute.

There were roars from the 13,100 crowd for a penalty when Berry pulled Booth down in the box in the twenty-eighth minute but referee Dallas was unimpressed and waved play on.

Although seeing less of the ball, Hearts always looked more threatening and when Foster rounded McLeish on the left and sent in a perfect cross for Leitch to tap home, it was well deserved.

In 83 minutes Foster was replaced by Gary Locke, who seconds later found himself with only young Stillie to beat after a cross from Colquhoun reached him.

However the young keeper raced from his line to dispossess him.

Hearts manager Sandy Clark was delighted with the performance which helps drag them out of the relegation zone.

He attributes their recent successful run to continuing hard work and luck, for a change, not running against them.

The result has set them up nicely for next week's Cup clash against Rangers.

"We cannot wait for next week.

There is no pressure on us whatsoever," said Clark.

Miller was very unhappy with his team.

"To say I am disappointed is an understatement.

Hearts came up and battled hard and when things are not going for you, you have to do that.

We didn't and we were beaten."

ABERDEEN 0, HEARTS 1

Aberdeen -- Snelders, McKimmie, Wright, Grant, McLeish, Irvine, Miller, Richardson, Booth, Shearer, Kane.

Substitutes: Stillie (for Snelders), Paatelainen (for Grant).

Jess not used.

Hearts -- Smith, Weir, McKinlay, Levein, Berry, McLaren, Colquhoun, Leitch, Foster, M Johnston, Millar.

Substitutes: Robertson (for Colquhoun), Locke (for Foster).

Referee: H Dallas (Bonkle).

Scorer: Hearts -- Leitch (31).

Red cards -- None.

Yellow cards -- McLeish (Aberdeen).

Foster (Hearts).

Attendance -- 13,000.

Man of the match -- Foster (Hearts).

Taken from the Herald