Aberdeen 2 Heart of Midlothian 1
Ladbrokes Premiership, Friday 10th May 2019 – Pittodrie
With a plethora of injuries – the story of their season – Hearts travelled to Aberdeen more in hope than expectation for their Ladbrokes Premiership clash on Friday evening. And so it proved as the white-shirted Hearts players headed home with nothing to show for their efforts after another bruising encounter at Pittodrie.
With Uche Ikpeazu the latest to clog up the Hearts treatment room, manager Craig Levein made six changes to the side that lost to Kilmarnock last Saturday.
Aberdeen were looking for a win to boost their chances of taking third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership but, if truth be told, the opening forty-five minutes at Pittodrie matched the weather – driech. A couple of seagulls flew past on occasion and, er, that was about it. Dons keeper Lewis was injured in an accidental collision with Hearts Conor Shaughnessy but managed to continue after treatment.
Hearts took 38 minutes to record a shot on target – it had been a very poor first half showing from the visitors.
The home side took the lead in the 54th minute with a fine strike from Ferguson – whose father played for Hearts three decades ago.
Against the run of play Hearts equalised ten minutes later when Bobby Burns scored his first goal for the club when he poked the ball home from close range.
However, the home side grabbed a deserved winner thirteen minutes from the end with another fine strike from Stewart.
The only plus point for Hearts were the introduction of 16-year-old Aaron Hickey and 17-year-old Connor Smith. Both showed some nice touches. But, yet again, it’s a long trek home for the small band of Hearts supporters who made the journey north.
Aberdeen: Lewis; Logan; Considine; McKenna; Lowe; Stewart; Ball; Ferguson; Shinnie; Wilson; Cosgrove.
Hearts: Doyle; Dikamona; Berra; Shaughnessy; Burns; Bozanic; Cochrane; Edwards; Brandon; MacLean; Clare.
Referee: Bobby Madden
Att: 14,371
Top man: Christophe Berra
Photo: Ian Bell
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
