Andrew Considine and Sone Aluko spared Aberdeen from an embarrassing draw with St Mirren last night as the Dons finally took one of their chances to move into the SPL top six with a late flourish to see off stubborn opponents.

ABERDEEN attacker Lee Miller shrugged off the disappointment at his omission from George Burley's Scotland squad to face Argentina by last night helping the Dons claim their second victory of the season at Pittodrie with a 2-0 win against St Mirren.

ST MIRREN are the SPL's kings of the nil-nil draw. Only three matches in the top flight this season have ended without a goal, and the Buddies have endured two of them. Eight-ninths of one here, too, in a game which surely was no more enthralling than their stalemates with Hibs and Kilmarnock.

IT WAS a relief in the end. We have played a lot better and lost games.

ST MIRREN manager Gus MacPherson insists his players must find more belief when they attack after failing to take anything from last night's game at Pittodrie.

Jimmy Calderwood has never had it so good. Even the loss of attacker Jamie Smith has failed to temper the Aberdeen manager’s belief he has more selection options than ever before in his time at the Pittodrie helm.

Jimmy Calderwood insists that signing target Sone Aluko’s decision to snub Aberdeen in favour of joining Blackpool will not deter him from making further bids for promising young players from English clubs.

Aberdeen attacker Chris Maguire has rejected the oft-quoted accusation the Dons only raise their game when they are facing Rangers.

Charlie Mulgrew has been tipped as the next Aberdeen player to follow striker Lee Miller into the Scotland team.

LEE MILLER’S late call-up for international duty has left Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood with a potential attacking headache for Saturday.

Lee Miller was planning to watch Scotland’s high-profile Hampden friendly against Argentina tomorrow night on the television – now the Aberdeen striker is dreaming of a starring role.

Aberdeen attacker Chris Maguire is hoping his Scotland under-21 call-up can be his passport back into the Dons team.

The road towards European football remains clear for Aberdeen – but Jimmy Calderwood’s players seem determined to pursue the difficult route at every opportunity.

Zander Diamond fears supporter anger is beginning to have an adverse effect on Aberdeen’s performances.

Hibs striker Steven Fletcher fears he will miss out on the chance to play for Scotland against Diego Maradona’s Argentina at Hampden on Wednesday.

ONE of the more irksome scourges of modern football is diving.

THIS feels like a defeat – but we didn’t deserve anything else.

Zander Diamond insists the new arrivals at Pittodrie are finally getting to grips with what it means to play for Aberdeen.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood believes Dons attacker Sone Aluko is already proving to be a shrewd investment.

Aberdeen have grown used to teams coming to the Granite City with the intent of turning Dons supporters against their own side. But Jimmy Calderwood’s men plan to turn the tables against Hibernian at Easter Road tomorrow.