Hibs discipline fails them

Hibs talked the talk then walked the walk as they ended up with nine men after both Gatheussi and Nish talked themselves into a red card. Nish in fact received a straight red as the Dons came from behind to win 2-1. Aberdeen dominated the match and should have been ahead at the interval after they created several chances with a Lee Miller header that was hooked off the line being the closest they came. Hibs then took the lead in the 54th minute against the run of play after an error from Diamond allowed Shiels to pounce. Aberdeen simply rolled up their sleeves and a minute after coming on Mackie levelled. Miller then scored from the spot after he was pushed by Gatheussi. Hibs then imploded as first Gatheussi then Nish talked themselves into their red cards. Miller crashed a shot off the bar and McNeil made several excellent saves to keep the score down.

After a minutes applause in memory of Derek McKay Hibernian kicked off, but Aberdeen were first to threaten. Maguire broke on the right but he fired the cross out of play when he had ba it more time than he realised. Aberdeen were enjoying a promising start as they put the visiting team on the back foot. Hibs worked their way forward in the 4th minute but Langfield had an easy catch as the ball was played in. Aberdeen should have taken the lead a minute later when Nicholson floated a cross in and Miller headed back across goal but Maguire failed to turn the ball into the net despite two attempts.

Aberdeen kept up the pressure and had a penalty claim denied when a Hibs defender looked to have handled. Hibs then went close through Benjelloun but Langfield stretched out a hand to prevent a goal before the ball was booted out for a corner. A mix up in the Hibs back four almost allowed Maguire in but they eventually scrambled the ball clear. Aberdeen were unlucky again in the 12th minute when Maybury swung a cross in from the right and Lee Miller’s header was hooked off the line by Jones.

Five minutes later a snap shot from Maguire went wide of the target then Benjelloun earned the first yellow card of the game for a challenge on Considine. Lee Miller won the Dons first corner in the 19th minute and Considine headed Nicholson’s delivery wide of the target. Two minutes later Maguire swung in a lovely cross but there were no takers at the back post. Another cross from Nicholson found Miller but once again his knock down was booted clear. Aberdeen were well in control, but they still had no goal to show for their endeavour.

A cross from Maguire was begging to be turned into the net but once again the runners were late getting into the box and the ball was cleared for a corner. The set play came to nothing and in the 28th minute Duff attempted a fierce volley that went well over. A Nicholson free kick on the half hour mark found Considine at the back post but his flick across the goal was cleared. A minute later Rankin hit a screamer that went inches over. A free kick in the 33rd minute was rolled to Severin but he hit the effort well over. and a minute later Miller nutmegged Jones on the edge of the box and was then clearly obstructed but the referee waved play on.

Another free kick three minutes later failed to produce the breakthrough as Aberdeen continued to dominate the game. Hibs were under pressure again in the 38th minute as they were forced to concede another corner. Once more the ball was scrambled clear before a soft free kick for a Miller challenge on Jones halted another Dons attack. Duff showed some great skill in the final minute to release Maguire on the left, but the youngster failed to get his delivery past the first defender and he ended up with a yellow card for a petulant kick as he tried to make up for his error. A late corner for Hibs produced a great save by Langfield as he turned a Morais shot round the post.

Chris Maguire was not enjoying the best of games and within the opening couple of minutes  of the restart he lost out as he looked to be in a good position then fired wildly over after good play from Duff. A Dons corner in the 48th minute failed to produce the breakthrough before Maybury was brought down on the right of the box. Nicholson’s low cross was easily cleared, but Aberdeen had again started the half strongly without finding an opening. Some good passing play between Maybury and Nicholson set up Severin in the 52nd minute but the skipper fired well over.

A minute later Morais fired wide then against the run of play Hibs went ahead and once again it was an individual mistake that gifted the goal. Diamond made a poor attempt to clear his lines in the 54th minute and Dean Shiels pounced, beat Diamond, waltzed forward and fired past Jamie Langfield. Hibs took confidence from the goal and now looked more of a threat. as Langfield had to look smart to prevent a second. Prior to that Miller went close with an audacious chip from distance and then he set up Nicholson who watched in horror as his low drive was blocked by McNeil. Mackie replaced Maguire in the 62nd minute as Jimmy Nichol looked to change the course of the game..

The substitution proved to be inspired as within a minute Duff fed the ball through to Mackie and determined play by the substitute produced the equaliser. Walker replaced Young in the 68th minute and Fletcher was booked at the same time as he obviously said something out of turn to Mr. Dougal. Aberdeen then went ahead from the spot in the 70th minute after Lee Miller was pushed over by Gatheussi inside the box. Miller dusted himself down and calmly swept the ball past McNeil. The afternoon took a turn for the worse for Gatheussi has he talked himself into, first a yellow card then a red card in the space of 30 seconds.

A Maybury shot in the 76th minute went wide then a quick break was brought to a halt as Duff made his first mistake of the match as he swung his cross out of play. Walker and Severin combined well and Duff fired inches wide with 80 minutes on the clock. Nish must have stepped way out of line with a comment to Stuart Dougal as he was shown a straight red to take Hibs down to nine men. A minute later McNeil made a terrific save to prevent an own goal. A Walker drive was well saved by McNeil then Severin was booked for a challenge on Murray. Hibs won a corner in the 84th minute and Langfield claimed the ball and released Nicholson.

Unfortunately Nicholson’s pass to find Mackie was intercepted by Jones. A minute later Walker released Mackie and only the heel of McNeil prevented a third. McNeil came to the rescue again a minute later as he made a great save from a Duff strike that looked to be heading for the bottom right hand corner of the net. Late in the game Touzani replaced Severin, who still looked upset after his booking. Lee Miller crashed the ball off the cross bar in the final minute before Hibs forced a corner deep in injury time that was swept clear to ensure the Dons held on for a deserved win.