The Dons started on the front foot and following a free kick inside the opening ten seconds to the visitors Pawlett looked as if he was about to burst through the Hibs defence and in on goal but McGivern was on hand to avert the danger. In the opening stages Aberdeen poked and prodded at the Easter Road outfit without much penetration and it was clear the nerves of the Hibs players were jangling. As the Dons controlled the ball and tempo of the match the home crowd were quick to anger and were becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of determination being shown by their team. However credit has to be given to Aberdeen who did not allow Hibs to get a grip on the game. With a quarter of an hour gone a moment of McGinn magic lit up the game and offered the match its first real effort on goal. A ball up to Rooney fell kindly to McGinn who controlled the ball and curled and looped the ball over the outstretched Williams. What a goal from at least 25 yards out!
That rocked Hibernian and Aberdeen completely had the home team where they wanted them. On the back foot. The crowd were frustrated and the atmosphere was affecting the Hibs players game. Neat link up play allowed the Dons in behind again as Rooney knocked the ball down to Pawlett who fed it wide to McGinn. The goalscorer cut inside and with his left fired an effort in at goal only to see it come crashing back off the post. Hibs replied but meagerly, Taiwo hit a shot from range that dribbled past Langfield's post. It was then Rooney's chance to put the game to bed. A beautiful diagonal ball from Robson found Rooney and he struck the ball on the volley and once again it hit the post. I t would have been a terrific goal. Aberdeen were ahead going into half time but McInnes will have felt it should have been more.
The Dons struggled to find the rhythm they showed in the first half and an early second half penalty shout for Hibs gave the home fans something to shout about. Collins theatrically went down under a challenge from Anderson, it would have been a soft award if the referee had decided to point to the spot. The change in fortunes showed for both sides as Aberdeen then went up the other end and scored. On 62 minutes Flood slipped the ball wide to Rooney who drove in at goal cutting back to McGinn. One touch and he unleashed another lethal strike that struck the underside of the bar and found the net. McGinn was back to his best and was oozing confidence, as were the Dons who knew the three points were now secure.
Hibernian never looked to threaten the Dons' goal as Stanton had a couple of wayward efforts, Langfield could only simply watch the shots fire away from his goal. The ball was now being passed about with ease by Aberdeen going into the final ten minutes of the match, every pass being cheered by the 1300 strong Red Army. Hibernian and Butcher were being toyed with and their fans were streaming out of the ground. Flood looked to put the icing on the cake as he cheekily lifted an effort to the back post but it was inches wide. The referee blew for full time and the Dons clapped their fans and vice versa and shows once again what a close bond the two camps have! The might of the Red Army will be called upon again on Sunday as we travel to Ibrox to face St Johsntone in the Scottish cup semi-final.
FT: Hibernian 0-2 Aberdeen
Hibernian
- 01 Williams
- 23 Forster
- 16 Stevenson
- 20 Taiwo (Handling - 72' )
- 05 Nelson
- 03 McGivern
- 07 Harris
- 10 Craig
- 26 Stanton
- 14 Collins (Cummings - 90' )
- 11 Cairney (Watmore - 84' )
Substitutes
- 15 Boateng
- 17 Tudur Jones
- 19 Handling
- 22 Watmore
- 31 Grant
- 35 Cummings
- 38 Thomson
Aberdeen
- 01 Langfield
- 29 Logan
- 06 Reynolds
- 22 Jack
- 04 Anderson
- 05 Considine
- 08 Flood
- 16 Pawlett (Smith - 80' )
- 10 McGinn
- 17 Rooney (Vernon - 89' )
- 15 Robson (Low - 91' )
Substitutes
- 02 Shaughnessy
- 03 Robertson
- 09 Vernon
- 14 Smith
- 18 Low
- 20 Weaver
- 24 McManus
No comments:
Post a Comment