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COVE RANGERS 0-1 ABERDEEN

Cove Rangers were edged out by Stephen Robinson’s Aberdeen in our opening pre-season fixture at Balmoral Stadium this afternoon, with an early strike from Olutoyosi Olusanya proving enough to separate the sides.

The team produced an encouraging performance throughout, creating a number of promising opportunities against strong opposition, while several new faces were given valuable minutes as preparations for the new campaign began.

Balint Demus started the game in goal, with Bisland, Souter, Parker and Trialist (#3) forming the defence. Darge and new addition Max Barry partnered in central midfield, with Trialists on either side (#14 & #16), whilst our newest recruit and captain for the opener Jordan White was partnered by Trialist (#18) up top.

Aberdeen made a bright start and took the lead after just four minutes. Alexander Briedl’s powerful strike from the edge of the area was well saved by Balint Demus, but the goalkeeper could only parry the ball into the path of Olutoyosi OLUSANYA, who reacted quickest to fire home from close range.

Cove responded well and almost found a quick equaliser following an impressive spell of possession. Trialist (#14) showed excellent skill to beat Dylan Lobban down the wing before delivering a dangerous cross into the penalty area. Trialist’s (#16) acrobatic effort was blocked, but when the ball was worked back to him he had the time and space to curl an effort narrowly over the top-left corner.

Despite Aberdeen continuing to dominate possession, we kept threatening on the break. On 20 minutes, good wing play from Trialist (#16) found Max Barry on the edge of the area, and the midfielder opened up his body in an attempt to find the far corner, only to see his effort drift just over Rodrigo Vitols’ crossbar.

Aberdeen almost doubled their advantage six minutes later when Brad Lyons’ cross found Olusanya unmarked at the back post, but the striker’s header bounced into the ground and wide of the target.

Three minutes before the interval, Lyons was involved again as he clipped a measured delivery into the path of Stuart Armstrong, who side-footed over the crossbar from around 12 yards as the visitors went into the break with their slender advantage intact.

Cove made five changes at half-time, with Robbie Mutch replacing Demus in goal, Ryan Harrington coming on for Layton Bisland and a Trialist (#4) replacing Barry. Up front, Chris Maguire, who signed a new contract earlier in the day, and new signing Destiny Oladipo were introduced in place of Jordan White and Trialist (#18). Aberdeen, meanwhile, changed their entire side for the second half.

The visitors’ first opportunity after the restart came just after the hour mark when they were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal following a late challenge from Mark Souter on Ante Palaversa. Kevin Nisbet stepped up but fired comfortably over the crossbar.

The tempo of the game dropped in the second half, but Cove continued to look dangerous and came close to fashioning an equaliser on 75 minutes. A quickly taken free-kick on the left caught Aberdeen out, allowing Reuben McAllister to whip an inviting cross into the heart of the Dons’ box, but it was agonisingly beyond the reach of the stretching Oladipo.

Aberdeen threatened to double their lead moments later when Kenan Bilalovic drove a low effort across the face of goal that drifted narrowly beyond the far post.

Cove almost snatched a leveller with 10 minutes remaining. McAllister produced an excellent through ball to send Trialist (#13) clear on goal, but his poked effort rolled just wide of ex-Cove Rangers goalkeeper Nick Suman’s far post.

The visitors had one final chance to extend their lead late on when Palaversa struck powerfully from the edge of the area, but Mutch was equal to the effort, holding comfortably as Cove finished the contest strongly despite the narrow defeat.

COVE RANGERS: DEMUS; BISLAND, SOUTER, PARKER, TRIALIST; TRIALIST, BARRY, DARGE, TRIALIST; TRIALIST, WHITE

SUBS: MUTCH, TRIALIST, HARRINGTON, TRIALIST, OLADIPO, McALLISTER, MAGUIRE, TRIALIST, STEPHEN, DONALDSON, FRASER

GOALSCORERS:

ABERDEEN: VITOLS; LOBBAN, HAPPE, MAYO, MERCER; LYONS, BRIEDL; MARSHALL, ARMSTRONG, YOGANE; OLUSANYA

SUBS: SUMAN, DEVLIN, FRAME, MILANOVIC, BILALOVIC, NISBET, PALAVERSA, MOLLOY, MILNE, JENSEN, KJARTANSSON, AREMU

GOALSCORERS: OLUSANYA (4′)

ATTENDANCE: 1,657

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