Kilmarnock 3 - 0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen U20s crashed out of the SFA Youth Cup to Kilmarnock U20s at Balmoor defeating Neil Cooper's side by the same scoreline at a very wet Rugby Park. Cammy Smith hit the post for Aberdeen in the opening stages, but the Dons fell behind to Robbie Muirhead's left-foot volley on 33 minutes. Muirhead struck again with a fine run-and-shot just two minutes into the second-half, before an excellent finish from Greg Kiltie sealed Killie's progression into the next round. Aberdeen lined up with Craig Storie moving into central defence to partner Michael Rose, with Marcus Campanile at right-back and Scott McKenna on the left. Kieran Gibbons and skipper Stephen O'Neill sat in front of the back four, with Scott Ferries and Scott Wright on the flanks. Cammy Smith sat behind Lawrence Shankland through the middle. Aberdeen's first effort came on three minutes, as Lawrence Shankland's shot from 30 yards drifted past the keeper's right hand post. Killie's first serious threat came on 11 minutes, as forward Robbie Muirhead powered towards goal before producing a shot that Rogers got down well to save. However at the other end, the Dons created the best early chance of the game. Good running from Scott Wright down the left saw him pull the ball back for Cammy Smith, who shot first time from the edge of the box with the ball coming back off the face of the post. Neil Cooper was forced to make an early substitution, as Kieran Gibbons hobbled off with a bad knock he picked up in the middle of the park, being replaced by Alan O'Sullivan. Aberdeen began to knock the ball around neatly, with a fine passing move setting up Shankland to hit a low drive from the left that was just too far ahead of the run of O'Sullivan. However, Killie began to pick up in confidence, and after a succession of long-range efforts they took the lead on 33 minutes. The ball was played in from the left where Robbie Muirhead guided it into Rogers' far corner with a left-footed volley. The goal was a sore one to lose before half-time. The Dons tried to get back into the game before the interval and there were long-range efforts from O'Neill's free-kick and Campanile's piledriver which was not far away.

The second-half was only two minutes old when Muirhead added his and Killie's second goal, storming forward and taking the ball into the penalty box before drilling low past Rogers. A good finish from the striker, but once again poor defending from the Dons. Aberdeen made their second sub on 56 minutes, witth Michael Kelly coming on for Scott Wright. Kelly slotted in at left-back, pushing McKenna to centre-half to allow Storie forward into central midfield. However, within seconds of the tactical change it was virtually game over. The ball came in from Killie's left flank, before it was met in the air by an excellent first-time volley from Greg Kiltie, who found Rogers' top-left hand corner. O'Neill put a free-kick over the bar from the edge of the box, before being replaced two minutes later on 66 minutes in the Dons' final change. He was replaced by Matthew McMahon, with the captain's armband being handed to Storie. The game fizzled out in the dying stages, with Rogers getting down low to comfortably gather Chris Johnston's low shot from the edge of the box. The same player produced a much better shot from further out minutes later, with Rogers scrambling across his goal to make an excellent fingertip save. However, it was to be a very disappointing afternoon for the young Dons who had high hopes of doing well in the competition this year.