Dons come up trumps

Aberdeen produced a magnificent performance to beat Hibs at Pittodrie this afternoon as they eased themselves to within five points of third spot. It looked like the Dons might end up with a Euro hangover when they dominated the opening 25 minutes but went behind to a Fletcher goal. Aberdeen rolled their sleeves up and pulled level eight minutes later through Miller and when Chris Clark’s deflected shot beat the keeper three minutes after the break Hibs never looked like getting back in the game. Derek Young added the icing on the cake five minutes from the end to complete a fine performance.

Aberdeen won an early free kick when Chris Maguire was bundled from behind. As the ball was played in, it was headed back across goal and Derek Young looped a header well over the bar. Maguire then had a shot in the 4th minute that ended outside the stadium before Hibs threatened at the other end. Good passing play between Maguire, Miller and Hart carved out another chance two minutes later, but the visitor’s defended the threat well. A free kick wide right was then wasted before Nicholson tested Ma-Kalamby from 20 yards and the keeper didn’t look too clever as he turned it wide for the first corner of the match.

Miller won a free kick on the edge of the box in the 11th minute and Maguire hit the effort over the bar. Two minutes later Young slipped a clever ball through to Maguire but the keeper was off his line smartly to gather. Maguire had another snap shot from 25 yards but it was straight down the throat of Ma-Kalamby. Aberdeen had dominated so far but a Hibernian free kick in the 18th minute caused a few problems as it eluded everyone and slipped wide.

Antoine Curier tested Langfield from distance two minutes later and the keeper had to touch it wide. At the other end Miller almost played Maguire in but a last minute challenge denied him deep in the Hibs box. The Dons then went very close in the 23rd minute when Miller nodded a cross down, but the ball bounced just too high for Nicholson and the midfielder could only steer it over. Aberdeen were then hit on a counter attack in the 25th minute when Zemmama played Fletcher in and the striker beat Mair and fired the ball into the far corner of the net.

Aberdeen looked to have taken a knock in confidence after losing the goal and passes in the final third started to go astray. On the half hour mark Maguire won a free kick in the middle of the D. As the ball rebounded off the wall Hart returned it into the danger area and the Dons Spanish luck continued as Miller crashed the ball off the Hibs bar. The Dons were back level in the 33rd minute when Clark worked his way down the left and delivered a great cross on to the head of Lee Miller and the striker made no mistake from close range.

Maguire should have added a second two minutes later when Young cut the ball back to the youngster in the Hibs box but he scooped the ball well over under no pressure. Derek Young collected the first yellow of the game for a stupid foul then a minute later Foster came storming into the penalty area but Ma-Kalamby did well to tip the ball away for a corner. A Maguire header in the 43rd minute failed to test the keeper then in the last minute a cheap corner was conceded but Aberdeen couldn’t conjure up a second goal before the break.

After the break Aberdeen won an early free kick when Maguire was bundled over on the edge of the box and from the resultant free kick Aberdeen took the lead. The ball was rolled in to the path of Chris Clark and his shot took a wicked deflection and ended up in the back of the Hibs net. The visitor’s tried to hit back and won a corner on the left. Aberdeen cleared the danger and at the other end Maguire utilised his pace and the keeper did well to save his low drive. Touzani became the second player to collect a booking as the Dons infringements appeared to be judged more serious than Hibs despite the visitors conceding twice as many fouls at this stage.

Hibs made a double substitution in the 55th minute but it was Aberdeen who carved out the next chance as they worked the ball to Miller who ended up firing high over. Aberdeen went close again in the 63rd minute when a cross into the box was half heartedly palmed away by the keeper, but it was enough to take the ball away from Chris Clark at the back post. The Dons made a double substitution in the 65th minute when Severin and Lovell replaced Touzani and Maguire as they looked for a killer third goal. A minute later a Miller shot failed to test the keeper and in the 70th minute referee Thomson got a loud cheer from the red army as Kerr became the first Hibs player to collect a booking.

Hibs went close a minute later when Benjelloun released Morais and the substitute out ran Foster and curled the ball wide of the target. A looping Miller header tested Ma-Kalamby then Nicholson took a quick free kick in the 75th minute and the keeper had to throw himself the length of his goal to turn the ball round the post. A minute later Miller scooped another shot over the bar then Severin hit a brilliant volley that was well blocked by the keeper. Nicholson almost added a third in the 79th minute with a great shot that scraped inches wide before De Visscher replaced Chris Clark.

A deflected Severin effort and a Young drive that went wide kept the pressure on Hibs, but the points were wrapped up in the 85th minute when a free kick was rolled to Derek Young and his low shot beat Ma-Kalamby far too easily. Lovell should have put the icing on the cake two minutes later when he spun and fired into the side netting and in the 89th minute it took a last gasp challenge to deny de Visscher a goal as the Dons finished the match well ahead of their opponents.