Aberdeen’s perfect start to the new year continued with a 1-0 win against Terry Butcher’s Hibs thanks to Willo Flood’s stunning late strike last night.
The result means Aberdeen have won eight of their previous nine matches and all three in 2014.
With the match reaching the dying embers, a Niall McGinn cross was cleared only as far as Flood, who took a touch before unleashing a rasping drive from 25 yards which fizzed into the net beyond Hibernian goalkeeper Ben Williams.
The Dons have now opened up a four-point gap over third-placed Motherwell, although they have played two games more than Stuart McCall’s side.
Derek McInnes’s Reds should have been awarded a penalty in the first half for a handball by Hibs defender Michael Nelson, although the visitors also had a credible claim when Paul Heffernan tumbled in the area under pressure by Jamie Langfield.
But it was the Dons who grabbed another late winner to keep their quest to finish best of the rest behind leaders Celtic on course.
The Dons went into the match aiming for a fourth league win in a row – a feat they had not achieved since December 2008 – while resurgent Hibernian tra- velled north having tasted defeat only once in nine matches since Butcher took charge.
On-loan Swansea City defender Alan Tate made his first start for Aberdeen following Michael Hector’s return to parent club Reading after his spell at Pittodrie expired after last week’s 1-0 win at Kilmar- nock.
Joe Shaughnessy also started, with captain Russell Anderson dropping to the bench as McInnes made two alterations to the side that started at Rugby Park.
Despite their recent good form, it was a nervy start from the Dons, who had an early reprieve when a Hibernian penalty appeal was turned down inside three minutes when Heffernan was felled by Dons goalkeeper Jamie Langfield.
The home supporters had turned up in decent numbers for some Friday night football and a rampaging run down the left flank by make-shift left back Jonny Hayes stirred them into life.
Hibs continued to look the more likely to open the scoring and the Dons had captain for the evening Mark Reynolds to thank for preventing Heffernan turning home a Jordon Forster cross before Liam Craig whipped a free kick over the crossbar after Barry Robson’s clumsy challenge on Lewis Stevenson.
Scott Robertson’s weak header was calmly gathered by Langfield and Hibernian forward James Collins sliced a volley horribly after 22 minutes with the Dons yet to muster a meaningful effort in reply.
The Dons should have been awarded a penalty after 27 minutes when Willo Flood threaded a cute pass into the path of Peter Pawlett. But, when the attacking midfielder’s cross was handled by Hibernian defender Michael Nelson, referee Craig Thomson inexplicably waved play on.
Aberdeen, galvanised by a sense of injustice, almost broke the deadlock moments later but Reynolds’s header from Robson’s in-swinging corner was clawed away by Ben Williams in the Hibernian goal.
After their slow start, the hosts were beginning to find top gear and a clever corner from Ryan Jack presented Niall McGinn with a sight of goal but the Northern Ireland international’s low drive was blocked.
A poor clearance from Hayes almost allowed Heffernan a chance to net before the break but the Irishman tugged his effort wide.
An excellent flick by Collins for his strike partner Heffernan created the first chance of the second period but the Irishman’s left-footed effort was comfortably gathered by Langfield.
Aberdeen made a lacklustre start to the half, allowing Hibs to seize the early momentum with Lewis Stevenson fizzing an effort over the crossbar as Butcher’s side pressed for the opener. Paul Cairney’s free kick from distance was well stopped by Langfield before McGinn headed wide from a Robson cross as the game flowed at a decent tempo.
All that was missing was a goal, although desperation was beginning to replace inspiration as Flood fired an effort from long-range wildly over the target in an ambitious attempt to draw first blood.
Scott Vernon had been starved of decent service for most of proceedings but the Englishman was picked out by McGinn’s inviting front-post delivery but the Dons forward’s header looped over the crossbar.
Hibs introduced wide midfielder Alex Harris for his first taste of action since August after breaking a bone in his foot in place of the tiring Cairney, while the Dons turned to Calvin Zola in their search for a winner, with Vernon the man making way.
Zola almost made an immediate impact but his header from Robson’s set-piece delivery floated harmlessly wide.
But to the delight of the 12,734 inside Pittodrie – an impressive crowd given the match was being screened live on television – Flood produced a stunning strike with only four minutes remaining to win the match for the Dons.