ABERDEEN manager Jimmy Calderwood believes victory over Dundee United has given his side a welcome shot at repeating last season's third-place finish in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.
The Dons are just three points behind Motherwell, with the two sides set to clash in a crunch contest at Fir Park next Saturday.
Third-placed Motherwell still have two games in hand on their rivals, but Aberdeen are the form side, having beaten Hi
bs and United in the last week.
The Dons have impressed since the humiliating Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Queen of the South and came agonisingly close to snatching a draw at championship chasing Celtic that would have added a welcome point to their total.
Calderwood is delighted to see his players now challenging for third place and reckons a win over Motherwell would leave them firmly in contention to finish behind the Old Firm.
He said: "It was a good result for us and we have not been in the equation for third place all season.
"At this moment in time we are still in the equation, although we have two very difficult games and it depends on other people.
"All we can try and do is win our matches and see where it takes us. We have another big game next week and if we can win that who knows?
"It might be dejà vu like last season."
Aberdeen opened the scoring against United through Richard Foster, who fired a low shot into the net after Derek Young's powerful drive was only parried by Lukasz Zaluska.
The visitors came close to an equaliser when Jamie Langfield failed in his attempt to punch clear a cross from Danny Grainger and Noel Hunt saw a weak effort cleared off his own goal-line by Karim Touzani. Three minutes into the second period, the Dutch defender then connected with a cross from Jeffrey de Visscher to head Aberdeen into a two-goal lead.
A driving run by Danny Swanson followed by a searing shot which went in off a post saw the visitors immediately pull a goal back, but their challenge soon fizzled out as Aberdeen finished stronger.
United manager Craig Levein was frustrated at his team's inability to beat Aberdeen, who were once again without several key players.
He said: "It was a real opportunity missed because Aberdeen have a few injuries and we should have been able to win the match. It is disappointing that we didn't."
United will conclude their season with the daunting task taking on either half of the Old Firm.
But Levein has not ruled out the prospect of a third-place finish for his team, because neither they, Motherwell or Hibs have been winning games of late.
He said: "Before today we had drawn twice to move a point away from Hibs and a point closer to Motherwell.
"Who would have thought that would happen?"
Levein added: "In normal circumstances you would say it will be very difficult for us now, but everyone seems to keep losing so you never know."
The full article contains 519 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
