Jimmy Thelin pleased to see Aberdeen making cup progress again
Sivert Heltne Nilsen headed home the opener after 32 minutes and Kusini Yengi added a second five minutes later.
Substitute Leighton Clarkson's cool finish in the 79th minute capped off a dominant showing for the Dons, who were able to shake off the disappointment of losing their opening two William Hill Premiership fixtures.
'The first two games in the league have been not too bad in terms of performance, but the result hasn't been there,' said Thelin, whose side won the Scottish Cup last season.
'We see it every year that some teams from the Premiership get knocked out.
'There were a lot of supporters there that had travelled from far away and they need to see their team give 100 per cent.
'You need a lot of good players to be in a team that make semi-finals and finals — the competition has to be there.'
The Pittodrie side can now look forward to their Europa League play-off clash with FCSB on Thursday evening with a renewed sense of optimism.
Thelin was also pleased with the contribution of Yengi, who netted his first goal for the club.
The striker has come in for some criticism for his displays in the defeats to Hearts and Celtic but relished the physical battle with Morton's backline.
'I think his performance overall was better in how he used his body,' Thelin added.
'Sometimes you get one chance. It's not so many players who score with every chance they get so we have to create more chances in the box to help our strikers also.'
Morton boss Dougie Imrie admitted his team did not do enough to trouble their Premiership opponents.
Dimitar Mitov in the visitors' goal did not have a save to make.
'It was always going to be a difficult afternoon, playing a top team in Aberdeen that are the Scottish Cup holders,' he said.
'Overall I don't think we did enough to cause Aberdeen problems — we could have played for a month and not scored.
'I've got to give credit to Aberdeen, they are a top outfit and have got some really good players.
'We are disappointed to lose out in the manner that we did, just the quality of Aberdeen cut us open for the goals.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
a minute ago
- Scotsman
Hibs boss in 'biggest ever' claim ahead of UEFA Conference League clash
Scottish Cup winner well placed to assess importance of tie Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs boss David Gray believes tomorrow night's visit of Legia Warsaw represents the biggest game of his time at the Easter Road club. And he's hoping to see his team play their part in Scottish success across the board as SPFL sides look to make an impact on Europe. Legia represent the final stage between Hibs and a first taste of group/league phase football in European competition, with a place in the UEFA Conference League at stake. Having been dumped out of the Europa League, only to bounce back with a brilliant aggregate win over Partizan Belgrade in the Conference League last time out, Gray's men are ready to embrace the challenge of facing opponents who reached the quarter-finals of this competition last season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And, asked where this tie ranked in his own personal list of special moments at Hibs, the former Scottish Cup-winning skipper said: "I think it has to go right at the very top, or right up there. Just because, well, the stock answer for me is because it's the next game! "We've got no distractions between the next two games against Legia Warsaw. The prize at the end of it is what people look at, but even just looking forward to tomorrow night in isolation, how can we go and approach the game? Warsaw were knocked out of Europa League by Larnaca 'The players are feeling really good about themselves, they're playing at a really high level, we keep selling out the stadium, so everyone really believing in what we're doing and the feel-good factor around the football club. I never had the opportunity to do this as a player, to be in the last tie before European group stage football, and what that means for the club, for the fans, the players.' Scottish Cup legend - European football a unique thrill Given his own history of special moments with the club, most notably a certain header at Hampden in May of 2016, Hibs boss Gray – just into his second stint as a manager – is well placed to assess the importance of this tie. He admits that European football has always held a special allure. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "It certainly did for me,' he said, adding: 'I really enjoyed the different atmospheres, in which you go into, different styles, different type of players. 'In Scotland, you play each other so many times within the year that everybody knows everyone. It's small and everybody knows what everybody is doing all the time. "In Europe you play against different clubs that the players have never experienced before. And even I when I look back, there were players that went on to do other things that I didn't realise I played against. That happens all the time. "It is brilliant for the players to experience that, and the different atmospheres. After Belgrade, the players spoke to me about whether I had played in an atmosphere like that, and the answer was no. I'm sure they loved it - how loud it was, how hostile it was, because that's the sort of nights they want to be involved in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Villa Park opportunity the previous season, to go and do that, the players loved that one as well. These are all special nights, but they're even made more special, if you know you're going into the game fully believing you're good enough to go and compete, and to go and try and get into the next stage. That's what I need to make sure the message to the players is, that they are good enough to make sure we get to the next stage." SPFL decision a boost for Scottish clubs - Hibs boss Gray was consulted by Hibs before the club requested that this weekend's trip to Falkirk was postponed, taking advantage of a new SPFL ruling aimed at helping Scottish Premiership clubs progress in European football. From his perspective, it's a no-brainer. He asked: 'Why would you not give yourself the best possible chance? In between, you could pick up injuries, you could pick up, knocks, or anything can happen any time you go on the football pitch. "When you're playing against opposition that are doing it, I don't see why you shouldn't take the opportunity, to try and do that as it's not as if it's every single week, it is just this one off fixture, because of what's at stake, for the football club, for the team, but also Scottish football. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "You want to see all the teams progressing as far as they can in Europe, and really promoting the Scottish game because it makes the product better. I think it's certainly, in a really good place at the minute. 'You've got Aberdeen going into Europe, wish them all the very best and hopefully they can get through their tie. Dundee United were very unfortunate to go out on penalties, but they gave an incredible account of themselves against a real top side over two legs. "Rangers have got a tough tie ahead of them now because of the result of last night, but are more than capable of turning that around, we'll be right behind them hoping they do that. And there's Celtic and what they're doing again. "So you want everyone to push it as far as they can, to really boost the product, and if cancelling one fixture gives you the best possible chance to do it, when other countries are doing it, I think it certainly makes sense. It's a real step forward, for Scottish football." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Offering up a brief assessment of Legia, who lost to Larnaca in the Europa League second qualifying round to fall into this tie, Gray said: 'Yeah, listen, they're a top side. You don't get to this stage having played the games they've played without being that. They got to the quarter-finals in the competition last season. They lost out to Chelsea. 'Very aggressive, pressed really well. And it'll be a tough test for us. One thing we've demonstrated, though, is that if we play at the level we can, we're a really good side ourselves.' Admitting he'd given himself some new problems after making half a dozen changes to the starting XI for Sunday's comfortable Premier Sports Cup win way to Livingston, he added: 'Team selection is getting harder and harder. I've just demonstrated that with making six changes at the weekend. We won, kept a clean sheet, players now look at me and say: 'I deserve to play again, because I've played really well given the opportunity'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The player that came out, did he deserve to come out? And everything that comes with that makes my job harder, but it's a good place to be. Then when you're talking about looking further ahead, I don't think anyone would appreciate the excuse of: 'I'll leave you out of this one, because I'll save you for the one after it'. "With the magnitude of this game, everybody's desperate to play. Anyone carrying any sort of fatigue will say they're absolutely fine, they want to play because they all want to be part of what's hopefully a special occasion. So, it doesn't make my job any easier. "I've tried the whole way through to always pick a team that I feel gives us the best chance to win the game. Tomorrow night is no different. "I always say as well, the team that starts won't finish. All the subs need to be ready, they all need to contribute over the two legs because there's a lot of football. A lot of different things that can happen - we could lose a goal, we could go a couple of goals up, anything can happen."
Scotsman
a minute ago
- Scotsman
Hibs feeling Euro vibes as Easter Road crackles with anticipation ahead of Legia Warsaw showdown
Hibs in Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It never gets old. The promise of adventures on foreign soil, the raw electricity of those big European nights in front of hyped-up home crowds, the unrivalled sound and fury of playing for the highest stakes, they're simply irresistible even to the most ardent devotees of Scotland's domestic game. Which explains, at least in part, why there is such a crackle of energy and anticipation in the air around Easter Road ahead of Thursday night's visit of Legia Warsaw. Feel free to have a debate over where, precisely, the first leg of a UEFA Conference League play-off sits in the annals of a club rightly proud of their pioneering history. But understand that, given the cast of characters involved and the journey taken just to reach this point, vibes are likely to far outweigh logic once that whistle sounds at 8 pm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For a couple of hours, this game will be the only thing that matters. As Hibs boss David Gray well understands. Hibs boss David Gray speaking ahead of the UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Legia Warsaw. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group) | SNS Group You'd have to go a long way to find a bigger fan of Scottish football than Gray. He's passionately proud of the product and deeply embedded in its success. Yet he insists that European football has always felt like a special treat for those on the front line of the SPFL. 'Sort of nights they want to be involved in' "It certainly did for me,' said Gray, seeking to lead Hibs into group/league phase football for the first time in club history, the Scottish Cup legend adding: 'I really enjoyed the different atmospheres you go into, different styles, different type of players. 'In Scotland, you play each other so many times within the year that everybody knows everyone. It's small and everybody knows what everybody is doing all the time. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "In Europe you play against different clubs that the players have never experienced before. And even I when I look back, there were players that went on to do other things that I didn't realise I played against. That happens all the time. "It is brilliant for the players to experience that, and the different atmospheres. After Belgrade (in the last round), the players spoke to me about whether I had played in an atmosphere like that, and the answer was no. I'm sure they loved it - how loud it was, how hostile it was, because that's the sort of nights they want to be involved in. 'The Villa Park opportunity a couple of seasons ago now, to go and do that, the players loved that one as well. These are all special nights, but they're even made more special, if you know you're going into the game fully believing you're good enough to go and compete, and to go and try and get into the next stage. That's what I need to make sure the message to the players is, that they are good enough to make sure we get to the next stage." Jack Iredale during a Hibs training session ahead of the Conference League play-off first leg against Legia Warsaw. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group) | SNS Group Legia, knocked out of the Europa League by Larnaca in the second qualifying round, represent formidable opposition for Hibs. They reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League last season, only losing out to a Chelsea side boasting a combined transfer market value best described as somewhere on the stratospheric side of obscene. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Biggest challenge of career Just over a year into life as a football manager, and still just 37, Gray considers the challenge of getting past the Poles to be the biggest test of his coaching career to date, explaining: 'Yeah, I think so, I think because of, as you say, the magnitude of the game and what's at stake outside of it. 'The opportunity to be playing in Europe beyond Christmas, the opportunity, the potential fixtures we might get. We've already had two sell-outs, soon to be three sell-outs tomorrow, I'm sure, at Easter Road, and how good that is to play in that environment and coaching that environment myself, testing myself against top coaches. I think it's where we want to be competing at this football club. 'Yeah, listen, Legia are a top side. They got to the quarter-finals in the competition last season. They lost out to Chelsea. Very aggressive, pressed really well. And it'll be a tough test for us. One thing we've demonstrated, though, is that if we play at the level we can, we're a really good side ourselves.' Drawing on his team's experience of winning 2-0 in Belgrade, a hugely significant first-leg win that eventually helped them get past Partizan after a 3-2 home loss, Gray said: 'I really played it down after the game, the Partizan result, away from home. But if that game was just an isolation on a 90-minute game, to go over to Partizan and win 2-0 on one night, would have been probably one of the biggest results in the club's history in Europe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's not a case of shutting up shop and hoping that we're keeping the tie alive. Not at all. The ideal scenario is to go over there with a lead. That's what you want to do.
Press and Journal
28 minutes ago
- Press and Journal
Ross County boss Don Cowie's message for frustrated fans ahead of Partick Thistle clash
Don Cowie insists he shares Ross County fans' frustration – but vowed to help turn their early season slump around. The Staggies manager has seen his side bow out of the Premier Sports Cup group stages, draw 2-2 at Airdrieonians after leading 2-0 and lose 1-0 late on against expected title rivals St Johnstone. On Saturday, they host Partick Thistle in the Championship – just four weeks after the Jags won 3-1 in Dingwall in the League Cup. Mark Wilson's team have also just one point from their first two league games – but their flawless form in the cup has taken them into a quarter-final showdown against holders Celtic next month. Cowie and his players have been under fire from sections of the support due to poor performances and results, and he knows it. Cowie said: 'I share the same frustration, and the players share it as well. 'The frustration is valid, especially for the fans. Like I say, each signing that has come in, it's been like 'that's a good signing'. 'That's what we feel as a football club. We're really happy with what we've taken in. 'But now ultimately it is down to the players. We've all set out our stall, between me, the board and the players, what our goals are going into this season. 'Now it is a case of 'go and show it'. 'There's no reason to panic this early in the season, but we've still got to recognise in the games we've played that we should have performed better. 'Yes, it is only two games in, but we should demand more, expect more. 'What I want to see now on Saturday is a team that comes out of the traps flying. 'To go and show what they're capable of and give the fans that positivity in terms of what they're seeing on the pitch.' Amid the 13 arrivals at County this summer have been defenders Declan Gallagher and Alex Iacovitti, wingers Adam Emslie and Gary Mackay-Steven, midfielders Jamie Lindsay and Ross Docherty and forward Nicky Clark. The Staggies head coach stressed that there was a collective agreement that the standard of player arriving at County over the summer brought a sense of excitement. He said: 'We have all spoken about our recruitment – everyone outside and inside the club have been really happy with the individuals who have come in. 'We knew there was always a possibility it could take a bit of time for them to gel and perform collectively as a team. 'The players recognise they need to perform better individually and, if they do that, then we'd be in a better place. 'We will have had two weeks since our last game and there needs to be a real determination to take the game to Partick.' Cowie also addressed the question over whether a regular squad overhaul at the Dingwall club is a challenge. He added: 'It's part of football. 'It's not something we've not gone through before. 'You have got to adapt and it's no excuse. 'Previously, we've had a lot of loan or younger players come in and they're having to adapt. 'We've signed a lot of seasoned pros with a lot of experience in the game. 'They recognise they need to perform a lot better than they have.' *** County's bid, meanwhile, to bring Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson to the club on loan has reportedly ended with the 37-year-old opting to remain at Dens Park. The former Hartlepool, Motherwell, Dundee United and St Mirren keeper was wanted as competition for Ross Laidlaw and Brad Foster and the clubs had agreed on the move until January. However, Carson has turned down the switch, preferring to fight for the number one spot with Jon McCracken, who is Steven Pressley's current top pick for the Dark Blues.
