Real Scottish People's League Week 19
Aberdeen and St Johnstone kicked off Week 19 of the Real SPL with their rearranged fixture live in front of the Sky cameras. In dreadful conditions, both teams did their best to entertain with Aberdeen running out eventual 2-1 winners - their first away win of the season.
This was closely followed by another victory in another live TV fixture, this time on ESPN. The 1-0 victory was dominated by two controversial incidents, both involving Peter Pawlett - the Dons youngster was accused of diving to win Aberdeen's penalty, then sent off for what looked like an innocuous attempt to block a clearance by Hibs' Lewis Stephenson.
In games not involving Aberdeen this week, Motherwell extended their lead at the top of the Real SPL to 12 points despite a home draw with St Mirren. Closest challengers St Johnstone had a week off and third-placed team Dundee Utd were held to a draw away from home by Kilmarnock, but only a late equaliser saved them from defeat.
Hearts joined St Mirren on 21 points thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 win against Dunfermline. The battle for Europe is really hotting up with only three points covering the teams in second and seventh place, and it seems the relegation fight will be between the three clubs currently separated by two points at the bottom. But will anything stop Motherwell from claiming the inaugural RSPL title?
Week 19 Results:
Tuesday December 13th, 2011
St Johnstone 1-2 Aberdeen
Saturday December 17th, 2011
Aberdeen 1-0 Hibernian
Hearts 4-0 Dunfermline
Kilmarnock 1-1 Dundee Utd
Motherwell 1-1 St Mirren
Week 19 Table:
| Home | Away | |||||||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Motherwell | 15 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 6 | +13 | 34 |
| 2 | St Johnstone | 15 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 22 |
| 3 | Dundee Utd | 15 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 22 |
| 4 | Hearts | 15 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | +7 | 21 |
| 5 | St Mirren | 16 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 9 | +1 | 21 |
| 6 | Aberdeen | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 | +1 | 20 |
| 7 | Kilmarnock | 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -1 | 19 |
| 8 | Inverness CT | 15 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 19 | -6 | 15 |
| 9 | Dunfermline | 15 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 | -14 | 14 |
| 10 | Hibernian | 14 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 14 | -8 | 13 |