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Stephen Glass tolerated Aberdeen’s early performance at Livingston and insists he also understands the fans’ exuberant reaction to his team’s dramatic late victory.
Scores of the 900-strong travelling support spilled onto the playing surface in the immediate aftermath of Jack Mackenzie’s clinching goal deep in the fourth minute of injury-time. Excitement at such a late winner was palpable, mixed possibly with a dose of relief at the comeback.
Bruce Anderson – a Dons player until this summer – predictably popped up with the opening goal against his old club in the first-half, but on-loan Brighton midfielder Teddy Jenks levelled things up a minute into the second period and Mackenzie sealed the three points for the Pittodrie side with seconds to spare.
The 21-year-old’s delight, and that of the supporters who may have got their club into a spot of bother with the governing bodies, contrasted with the devastation felt by Livingston goalkeeper Max Stryjek, who inexplicably allowed the full-back’s shot to slip through his grasp and drop agonisingly over the line.
“You don’t want people to come on the pitch, but I think there’s pent-up frustration and emotion,” said a forgiving Glass. “It’s not up to me to steward the fans. All we can do is put something on the pitch and hope they are delighted to see it.
“That’s really all I can say on it. It’s not for me to police and keep people in the stands or have enough stewards around.”
Glass felt the need to rest six starters following Thursday’s Europa Conference League victory over Breidablik in Iceland. Scott Brown, Ross McCrorie, Christian Ramirez, Funso Ojo and Calvin Ramsay all dropped to the bench and Lewis Ferguson was omitted completely ahead of this week’s second-leg with a 3-2 win to protect. The Dons boss was adamant that speculation over Ferguson’s future did not play a part in his absence.
There were first starts for summer signings Jack Gurr and Jenks but a distinct lack of cohesion until after the break, by which time Brown had been introduced for the injured Jonny Hayes.
“It’s important to be patient with the players who haven’t played,” added Glass. “You have to show a level of patience as staff not to make changes at half-time. It was important to be tolerant of our levels in the first-half but the players got the rewards for their work. To score that last minute winner, I’m delighted for them.”
Gradually, after an even start, the Lions took a stranglehold on proceedings and eventually took the lead 10 minutes from the interval. Craig Sibbald’s corner was only partially cleared and Penrice’s return ball tempted Lewis off his line, only for Anderson to reach the ball first and loop his header over the goalkeeper and into the empty net.
Six minutes later, the home side should have doubled their advantage but Pittman was too tame with his shot and could not beat Lewis from 14 yards out.
It was to prove a costly miss. Just a minute after the interval, Jackson Longridge did not get enough on Niall McGinn’s cross and Jenks marked his first start for Aberdeen with a sweeping finish from the edge of the box.
Both sides had attempts cleared off the line in an increasingly frantic second-half before it climaxed in ecstasy for Mackenzie and Aberdeen and agony for Stryjek and Livingston.
“I’m gutted for the boys, gutted for big Max,” said Lions manager David Martindale, who revealed he has recruited Birmingham City winger Odin Bailey on loan until January. “Obviously Max has made a mistake, it was kind of a bog-standard save. I felt we put more than enough into the game to take something from it.”
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