Full Time score from Balmoor
Aberdeen U20 1 | McKenna 51′ (Rose sent off 65′)
Hibernian U20 6 | Cummings 65′, 83′; Smith 70′, 76′ 90′ (Pen); Zoubir 85′
SPFL U20 League | 17th December | Balmoor Stadium | KO: 1.10pm | FT
Aberdeen U20s suffered their worst defeat of the season when they went down 6-1 to Hibs this afternoon in Peterhead. After an even first 45 minutes the young Dons took the lead through Scott McKenna at the start of the second half. The turning point in the game came on 65 minutes. Cummings disposed keeper Burns when the two of them went for the ball. The Aberdeen players claimed he had done so illegally but the goal stood. To make matters worse Michael Rose protested too much and was sent off. After that the roof fell in as a rampant Hibs clinically took advantage of the extra man.
Cammy Smith and Scott Wright both suffered injuries in what was a very bad afternoon of the young Dons.
match report :
Danny Rogers on loan young Craig Burns was given his first of the season in goal. Craig Murray was at right back with Michael Rose and Scott McKenna in central defence and Michael Kelly was at left back. Chris Clark and Craig Storie, back from his loan spell at Forfar, were in centre midfield. Cammy Smith played right left and Greg Wylde wide left with Shankland playing just off Magennis upfront.
The first chance of the game came on 6 minutes when the Dons won their first corner. McKenna won the ball in the air but his effort was blocked on the line and as Shankland went in for the rebound Hibs cleared. The first half was a very even affair and the lively Abdellah Zoubir had three decent chances for the visitors in the opening stages but on each occasion he failed to find the target. On 14 minutes Murray made a wonderful run from his own half and fired and thunderbolt towards goal but the ball just went past. Two minutes later Magennis beat the offside trap and was one on one with the keeper but Horne in the Hibs goal did well to get out quickly and do just enough to put Josh off.Hibs striker Jason Cummings then had two efforts at goal but Burns dealt well with them and the team went in at the interval level.
Aberdeen were forced to make a change at the start of the second half when the injured Cammy Smith was replaced by Scott Wright. Wright did very well when he came on and his pace in the middle of the park sparked the Dons into life as they enjoyed their best spell. On 51 minutes he helped the home side win a corner. The ball was swung in by Wylde and McKenna again towered about everyone and headed towards goal. His effort was blocked again but this time the linesman correctly ruled that the ball had crossed the line. On 58 minutes Shankland had a chance when Wright did well before finding Wylde down the left. The winger swung in a good cross but the striker could not quite get high enough and his effort looped over.
Although Hibs then had a couple of efforts the Dons were looking comfortable and with the pace in the side you felt they would add to their tally when Hibs pushed bodies forward. However the match took a dramatic turn on 65 minutes. Poor defending allowed Cummings the chance to nip in and challenge keeper Burns as he came for the ball just inside his box. The HIbs player appeared to knock the ball from the keepers grasp before walking it into the net. Both Burns and Michael Rose were incensed by the decision but Rose took his protesting too far for the liking of the referee and was shown a straight red.
The Dons tried to reshuffle their line up, Magennis went back to centre half, but with their tails up Hibs scored again five minutes later when Euan Smith found the net with a fine finish after being set up by Zoubir. On 75 minutes Scott Wright limped off with a bad looking injury and was replaced by Campanile. A minute later Smith scored again, this time with an even better finish. In the final ten minutes Aberdeen capitulated and a ruthless Hibs showed no mercy. The Edinburgh side have been scoring goals for fun recently and you could see the confidence in the players when they knew the game was won. Cummings added number four with a shot across the keeper, Zoubir scored number five and in the final minute Smith completed his hat-trick when he scored with a penalty.
A very disapointing afternoon as the U20s see their long unbeaten run coming to a crashing holt.
Team news :
Aberdeen | Burns, Murray, Kelly, Storie, McKenna, Rose, Smith, (Wright 47 (Campanile 75)), Clark, Magennis, Shankland, Wylde
Substitutes | O’Sullivan, Duguid, McMahon, Petrie
RedTV :
post match reaction with Neil Cooper please click here
match highlights please click here (to follow)
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Following the news below in regards to the U20 fixture which was postponed earlier this month v Ross County we can confirm that the rearranged details are as follows:
MATCH: Ross County U20 v Aberdeen U20
COMPETITION: SPFL U20 League
DATE: Tuesday 14th January 2014
VENUE: Grant Street Park, Inverness (Home of Highland League side Clachnacuddin)
KICK-OFF: 6pm
