It is not a unique scenario for Lee Miller to have to explain why he has gone down easily in the penalty box of an opposing team. After all, the Aberdeen striker is not exactly a shrinking violet and, at 6ft tall with a physique to match and enough experience to cope with the demands of competing against bustling defenders, he recognises what is required for the rigours of professional football.
Eyebrows and ire were raised, then, when he hit the deck inside the St Johnstone six-yard box with just eight minutes remaining of this thriller of a match when he and Danny Grainger, the Perth side’s left-back, collided in an untidy skirmish.
It was then left to Euan Norris to become the latest referee to be enveloped in a controversy involving the Dons — the SFA is looking at possible punishment for the club’s public haranguing of Steven Nicholls, the official who sent off two of their players at Easter Road seven days earlier — by awarding a penalty kick that prompted cries of disbelief from Derek McInnes, the Saints manager.
There was, of course, no complaint from Miller who accepted the decision and converted from the spot, although yesterday he did express some sympathy for his opponents. “It was a jostle between Grainger and me,” he said. “He grabbed me and I grabbed him. There was contact there and it’s in the box and it’s a silly thing for a defender to do.”
Aberdeen deserved their half-time lead, thanks in the main to a scintillating first-half display in which Peter Pawlett, one of their young starlets, was outstanding. His pace and aggression were key in allowing Sone Aluko to open the scoring following an eye-catching run into the visitors’ area, although once Liam Craig had levelled with less than 15 minutes remaining, the home side were forced to cling on. “We rode our luck,” Miller said. “We were holding on near the end and St Johnstone gave a great account of themselves.”
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Craig’s goal should not have stood, according to Mark McGhee, the Aberdeen manager, who claimed Jamie Langfield, his goalkeeper, had Dave MacKay’s high ball into the area in his hands when challenged by Kenny Deuchar, but the St Johnstone striker disagreed. “Most of the time referees give a free kick for the keeper and it gets really frustrating,” Deuchar said. “This time we got a break.”
Aberdeen (4-4-2): J Langfield 7 — R Foster 7, J Ifil 7, A Considine 7, C Mulgrew 6 — P Pawlett 8 (sub: T Wright, 72min 5), M Kerr 6, G McDonald 6, S Aluko 7 (sub: D Mackie, 46 5) — L Miller 7, M Paton 6. Substitutes not used: S Bain, D Young, S Duff, D Grassi, J Crawford. Booked: Considine, Pawlett, Foster.
St Johnstone (4-4-2): G Smith 7 — D MacKay 7, K Rutkiewicz 6, G Gartland 2 (sub: S Anderson, 9 6), D Grainger 6 — C Millar 7, J Morris 7, M Davidson 7, L Craig 8 — J Johansson 6 (sub: K Deuchar, 46 6), C Samuel 7. Substitutes not used: A Main, M Hardie, F Morais, M Durnan, S Reynolds. Booked: Grainger.
Referee: E Norris. Attendance: 10,894.