Aberdeen’s Euro route could become a long and winding road
two-goal lead vanishes as the jitters hit erratic dons again in easter road share of spoils
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The road towards European football remains clear for Aberdeen – but Jimmy Calderwood’s players seem determined to pursue the difficult route at every opportunity.
It was backs-to-the-wall stuff from the Dons for long periods in this game, which is fine if you are defending well. But, given the jitters which have defined Aberdeen’s league campaign so far, there is little certainty about which way a game will go for Calderwood's team – and so it proved as his players squandered a two-goal lead.
Despite beating St Mirren at Pittodrie last midweek it was a nervous, apprehensive Aberdeen team which started at Easter Road. The defensive errors which cost the Dons all three points at Dundee United the previous weekend were clearly still preying on the minds of Calderwood's defence with the back line looking hesitant against Hibs. Mixu Paatelainen's back four looked no more assured, but it was Hibs who were asking all the questions of the visitors’ defence, with the Dons struggling to get into the game in the opening half-hour.
The one advantage the Hibees had on their opponents was a vibrant, attack-minded trio of Dean Shiels, Derek Riordan and Steven Fletcher and these three linked up well to create a couple of good chances.
Shiels had a hand in the first chance, playing in Riordan, but the former Celtic player's shot from the edge of the box clipped Jamie Langfield's post.
Shiels created the second for himself, beating Richard Foster on the edge of the box – but his low drive was superbly turned around the post by the Dons goalkeeper.
Aberdeen’s front pairing of Lee Miller and Darren Mackie, in comparison, had little to work with in the way of service. The Dons were reduced to aimless high balls to the edge of the home box which left Miller and Mackie as easy pickings for the Hibs central defensive pairing of Chris Hogg and Rob Jones.
Having been on the front foot for so much of the first half, Hibs then conspired to gift Aberdeen their easiest goal of the campaign so far. In 40 minutes the Dons were awarded a free kick wide on the right and Sone Aluko curled a great ball into the box where Mackie, whom every Hibs player in the box had inexplicably failed to pick up, headed past Andrew McNeil in the home goal.
When referee Steve O'Reilly signalled half-time five minutes later, the home side left to a chorus of boos. A bit harsh given their contribution, but the fans’ frustration was evident after watching Hibs fail to capitalise on their first-half pressure and then lose a goal to the visitors' only chance.
The breakthrough had the desired effect for the Dons as eight minutes after half-time they grabbed a second goal to raise the ire of the home support.
It was another set-piece, with Aluko's corner headed down past McNeil by Zander Diamond, who had powered his way through a paper-thin Hibs defence.
With Aberdeen, though, matters never seem to progress smoothly and, following a marked increase in tempo from the home side, Hibernian hauled themselves back into the game in the 62nd minute.
Again, this was a straightforward affair with Riordan's corner headed past Langfield by Rob Jones. The Dons keeper had every reason to ask questions of his defenders for giving the tallest man on the field freedom inside the six-yard box.
The inevitable siege of the Aberdeen goal commenced and Langfield did well to save a Fletcher header before Riordan flashed a shot wide following a goalmouth scramble as Hibs pushed for an equaliser.
Aberdeen should have had a penalty with eight minutes left when Aluko was clearly tripped in the box by O’Brien, but the Dons attacker stayed up.
Hibs threw everyone forward in a frantic final five minutes with substitute Colin Nish and captain Jones giving the capital side a twin aerial threat and, deep into injury time, the equaliser came. A shot from John Rankin on the edge of the box was deflected into Sol Bamba's path. The former Dunfermline player's shot was blocked by Langfield before Andy Considine's attempt to clear his lines fell at the feet of Fletcher, who made sure at the third time of asking.
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