Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has urged his side to remember Stenhousemuir as they get their latest Scottish Cup campaign underway today.
The Dons were held to a 1-1 draw by Stenny in the first game after the winter break last year in a remarkable fourth round tie at Pittodrie.
The Aberdeen manager watched his side dominate their League 1 opponents but fail to convert their chances before conceding an equaliser and the Dons boss hopes lessons have been learned when Dumbarton visit Pittodrie today.
He said: “I was pleased with a lot of the performances against Stenhousemuir but we were guilty of missing so many chances, especially in the first half.
“That was a game, and it will be the same on Saturday, that we’re expected to win, the onus is on us against a team from the lower league.
“We’re going to have to work really hard for a result. It is a reminder that against Stenhousemuir, we knocked off, lost the ball in a poor area and they took full advantage.
“We had to do it the hard way, going down there and winning the replay on a difficult surface.
“It is the perfect reminder for us about doing our job properly and not being wasteful and recognising we’re against a team that is desperate to cause an upset.”
The Sons, managed by Jim Duffy, are sixth in League 1 and McInnes expects Duffy’s side to approach the game in exactly the same manner as Stenny did a year ago.
He said: “They’ll be organised, as Jim’s teams always are. They’ll know their jobs, they’ll try to frustrate and they’ll try to stay in the game as long as they can.
“They’ll also pick and choose their moment to cause us a problem. We’re well aware of the challenge but they’ve got to be aware of us, our abilities, our intensity.
Dylan McGeouch is set to make his Aberdeen debut in the absence of suspended midfielder Lewis Ferguson and the injured Craig Bryson following his arrival from Sunderland last week.
Zak Vyner, who has deputised in midfield during his loan from Bristol City, remains sidelined but McInnes is hopeful he will have him available again next month.
He said: “He has had two opinions now and they don’t think surgery is necessary at the moment.
“He has to do a rehab but the hope is that because of the length of recovery he won’t have it reoccur.”
