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Dons Stumble Again In Euro Chase

21 April 2007

Nine men Hibs hold out against Dons

In a dramatic game at Pittodrie Aberdeen did little to help their European dream as they  only managed a draw against a young Hibs side that had been reduced to nine men. A poor defensive performance in the first half saw Hibs take the lead when a couple of howlers from Andrew Considine gifted Hibs two goals. Russell Anderson grabbed a goal in between then Aberdeen won a penalty three minutes into the second half but McNeil saved Mackie’s effort.  Hibs were then controversially reduced to ten men four minutes later when Lynch was sent packing for a challenge. The Dons then bombarded the Hibs goal and were unlucky when Mackie hit the woodwork. Foster eventually fired in the equaliser from 25-yards with ten minutes remaining. Despite several stoppages and six substitutions referee Stuart Dougal only found three minutes of injury time and the Dons failed to find the vital winner as they continue to stutter in the run in.

The young Hibs team kicked off in front of a sparse Pittodrie and Langfield caused flutters in the second minute after he was closed down quickly and had to clear under pressure. A minute later Hibs attacked down the right but failed to find a killer cross as the Dons were forced back in the opening minutes. Mackie did well n the 4th minute as he controlled the ball well and broke on the right. Unfortunately he had little support from midfield and his cut back was easily intercepted.

Aberdeen were looking worryingly shaky at the back and the young Hibs players were getting in about the Aberdeen players with ease. Aberdeen threatened to cut open the Hibs defence in the eighth minute when Brewster and Foster played a neat one-two on the edge of the box before Foster was cynically taken out of the play. The foul earned McCaffrey the first yellow card of the match before Nicholson hit the free kick inches over with the keeper struggling.

Hibs won the first corner of the match in the 13th minute but the Dons defended the set play well. Two minutes later Foster went on a fine run before having his shot charged down by Martis. A collision of heads forced Mackie back to the dressing room to have some stitches put in the wound. Just after Mackie returned in the 19th minute Considine made a real howler with a short pass back that was intercepted by Gray who calmly rounded Langfield to open the scoring. The Dons almost levelled within two minutes when a free kick 30 yards out was rolled to Severin and he hammered the ball inches wide of the target.

Foster looked lively in the 23rd minute as he strode forward but on this occasion he failed to produce a finish and the ball rolled tamely through to McNeil. Two minutes later Smith hit a sweet volley from 20 yards that McNeil did well to tip over the bar. The subsequent corner from Nicholson found Anderson in plenty of space inside the penalty area and he headed the Dons level from 12 yards. Hibs went back up the other end of the field and won their own corner and the Aberdeen defending was as poor as the visitor’s before they did manage to scramble the ball clear.

Foster then had a decent effort from the edge of the box that went inches over before the Dons looked shaky at the back again when Langfield had to get of his line smartly to deny Gray a second. A Nicholson shot in the 38th minute was deflected wide for a corner that was delivered to the near post and scrambled clear. Another Dons corner was easily defended before Jamie Smith fired a shot straight at the keeper in the 43rd minute. Another blunder from Considine produced a second goal on the stroke of half time when Dean Shiels nipped in and scored from a very tight angle.

Considine was replaced by Maguire at the interval as the Dons looked to turn this game around. It was Hibs who threatened first however as Aberdeen were ripped open in the 47th minute before the ball was scrambled clear amid claims of a penalty. Chisolm was then booked for diving before Aberdeen did win a penalty a minute later when McNeil crashed in to Darren Mackie with his feet high. The keeper earned a yellow card but then redeemed himself when he dived low to his left to block Mackie’s effort. There was controversy four minutes later when Lynch went in with his studs showing against Severin. The youngster was shown a straight red much to the surprise of most observers.

Despite playing against ten men Aberdeen were struggling to break the Hibs defence down as passes continually went astray. McCaffrey had to boot a Maguire cross clear in the 57th minute before Mackie spurned a chance. Aberdeen were now totally in control and Nicholson drilled a shot wide in the 59th minute. Hibs then made a triple substitution as they added experience to the ten men. Benjelloun, Beuzelin and Sproule replacing Zemmama, Gray and Shiels. Foster had another effort blocked in th e62nd minute then an almighty scramble in the Hibs box failed to fall to an Aberdeen player with the goal at their mercy.

Anderson was yellow carded in the 65th minute despite both him and Sproule tugging at each other and Lovell then replaced Brewster as the Dons looked to throw everything at the capital side. Calderwood made his final change when Miller replaced Clark. There was another goalmouth scramble in the 71st minute before Maguire collected the ball then went down far too easily for Stuart Dougal’s liking. The youngster was booked along with Hogg who took his protest a bit too far. Aberdeen’s luck had clearly ran out as Mackie looked to have scored in the 74th minute but the ball crashed off the post and was cleared for a corner.

Anderson drilled the subsequent corner wide as the Dons struggled to break through. Another chance went begging in the 79th minute when McNeil came off his line and Mackie clipped the ball over the keeper only for Martis to clear for a corner. Anderson and Miller went close from the corner but the ball just wouldn’t fall for Aberdeen. The equaliser eventually came a minute later and what a peach of a goal it was. A short free kick was rolled to Foster and he stepped forward and drilled a 25-yard shot into the corner of the net.

Aberdeen were pressing forward now but Hibs almost stole a winner in the 88th minute when Sproule broke and forced a fine save from Langfield. Hibs were then reduced to nine men when McCaffrey was given a second yellow card for a late challenge on Anderson. Lee Miller was then booked for reasons unknown after being called to the referee. In a second half that produced many stoppages and six substitutes Stuart Dougal only managed to find three minutes of injury time. Mackie had a great chance to grab the winner deep in injury time but was crowded out as he pulled the trigger. Then with the last kick of the game Lee Miller screwed a shot wide of the target.

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