Aberdeen had Bojan Miovski back in the team and on form as they started the William Hill Premiership season with a 2-1 win over St Johnstone in Perth.
Goals from Nicky Devlin and Jamie McGrath earned manager Jimmy Thelin victory in his first Premiership encounter.
Substitute Makenzie Kirk inspired a late Saints surge, with his low cross going in off Aberdeen defender Gavin Molloy but the visitors held on.
Miovski posed a danger in the first half especially, after being restored to the starting line-up.
The North Macedonia international only played 45 minutes of the Premier Sports Cup group stage, with Aberdeen seemingly protecting their top asset amid speculation over his future.
It was a big night for St Johnstone with 9,203 fans present to see former chairman Geoff Brown taking part in a pre-match ceremony to mark the main stand at McDiarmid Park being named in his honour.
New majority shareholder Adam Webb performed the duties as Brown was thanked following his 38-year stint as owner.
Saints have struggled for Premiership survival in the three seasons since Brown’s guardianship peaked with a cup double and they did not do enough to get Webb’s tenure off to a positive start in the league.
Craig Levein’s side also suffered a major injury blow with Sam McClelland being carried off on a stretcher early in the second half with what appeared to be an Achilles problem.
The home side started brightly and Lewis Neilson twice threatened early in his debut.
But Aberdeen soon imposed themselves as an attacking force. Ester Sokler saw a goal disallowed for offside and was denied by Josh Rae in a one-on-one. The goalkeeper also saved well from Sivert Nilsen’s header.
Miovski hit the bar from 30 yards before Devlin put Aberdeen in front midway through the half with a free header from McGrath’s corner.
Rae saved from Miovski as Aberdeen continued to push.
Saints were largely being restricted to long-range efforts which failed to trouble Dimitar Mitov on his early return to his former home.
The visitors extended their lead in the 62nd minute when McGrath ran on to Nilsen’s through-ball and slotted into the corner of the net.
St Johnstone pressed for a lifeline and Mitov made a flying save from Matt Smith’s curling effort from 22 yards.
Adama Sidibeh missed a good chance to give the home fans hope when he volleyed towards the corner flag.
Kirk’s arrival in the 86th minute proved the catalyst for a grandstand finish. Some direct running and a drilled cross led to Molloy putting through his own net two minutes later and Mitov had to get down well to stop the former Hearts player’s low strike during some stoppage-time pressure.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
