Dismal Dons Disappoint at Easter Road

The bounce from the Rangers game midweek wasn’t matched in this encounter, as the Dons were outclassed by Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday.

The Dons form up until this point was pretty decent, six games unbeaten whilst still nursing a number of injuries.  Today all that ended in a insipid Aberdeen performance.

Derek McInnes stayed with the same second-half team that drew with Rangers midweek with Zak Vyner and Lewis Ferguson in a holding midfield.

Greg Leigh was also used in an advanced position, joining Andrew Considine who had recovered from his injury midweek.

Just before the game started, Niall McGinn was replaced on the bench by Bruce Anderson, the hope was that he had recovered from his calf strain but that was not the case.  Jame Wilson was on the right behind Sam Cosgrove.

Meanwhile, Shay Logan made his 200th Scottish Premiership appearance for the Dons.

Hibs had their first opportunity on goal early on.  Ash Taylor blocked a dangerous ball into the area, Scott McKenna cleared the ball to Hibs’ Stevie Mallan, with the midfield forcing a low save from Joe Lewis.

Sam Cosgrove was next to have a chance, picking up a loose ball after a battle between Jon Gallagher and Ryan Porteous, his near post drive was tipped round the post by Ofir Marciano.

Andy Considine was next up ten minutes later, flashing a cross along the home side’s six yard line and Jon Gallagher lined up Sam Cosgrove 12 yards out, but Ryan Porteous stretched to get onto the pass to deny the Dons a chance.

James Wilson had a chance in the 33rd minute forcing Marciano into a double stop after he headed the ball round Paul Hanlon and then Cosgrove on the rebound.

Lewis Ferguson was booked for a challenge on Scott Allan, indeed the ref was favouring Hibs in most foul awards in Aberdeen’s half.

Into the second half and Florian Kamberi came close to opening the scoring after his close-range shot went across goal and over the bar.

The first goal for Hibs came from Martin Boyle who picked up a Scott Allan cross, and broke away from Considine and McKenna, rounded Joe Lewis and tapped the ball into the empty net.

McInnes threw all his subs on in the 65th minute, with Ryan Hedges, Curtis Main and Dean Campbell coming on for James Wilson, Zak Vyner and Shay Logan and shifting to a 3-4-3 formation.

It didn’t work.

Martin Boyle scored a second for Hibs shortly after the changes, with Florian Kamberi finding Boyle with a big gap in the Dons backline.  Considine chased back without success and Boyle made a composed finish to put Hibs two up.

The day got worse when Florian Kamberi got away from Dean Campbell on the left flank before firing a shot low to Joe Lewis’ right from the edge of area.

A woeful afternoon for the Dons and a disappointing day out for our large travelling support.

Derek McInnes said:  “I’m maybe guilty of making too many changes looking back now.

“I thought the 3-4-1-2 we went to allowed us more possession of the ball and we got into good areas, but we didn’t do enough with the ball and I’ve gambled too early with the shape because it left us more open on the counter-attack.”