Dons begin badly and fail to improve

Graeme Smith

16 Oct 1989

Aberdeen 1, Hearts 3

ABERDEEN'S mettle will be tested to the full over the next six days as they try to pick themselves up from a crushing home defeat in time to face Rangers in Sunday's Skol Cup final.

Even when their strike force is muted Aberdeen's sturdy defence can normally be relied upon to keep them in a game, but a no-nonsense Hearts side full of grit and determination totally dominated this match.

It was an uncharacteristic performance by the Dons which left manager Alex Smith angry and concerned.

"We started badly and never got any better," he said.

"We are disappointed in how we played, disappointed in the result, and Hearts deserved their victory.

We will just have to think about it over the weekend and start again on Tuesday to build up to the cup final.

"It was unlike us.

We have got to find out why we played like that.

It wasn't the best result before a cup final."

While Aberdeen have now gone four games without a victory, Hearts reversed an unsuccessful run.

Manager Alex MacDonald revealed that he used the 10-day World Cup break to put his players back to pre-season training routines and was "absolutely delighted" at what he felt was his team's best 90-minute performance this season.

The difference, he believed, between Saturday's match and their recent defeats by Celtic and Dunfermline was that they converted their early domination into a goal.

Hearts were a team with heart against Aberdeen.

They fought for every ball, even when they were three goals ahead, and always seemed half a pace faster than their opponents.

They refused to let the Dons settle into possession and on Saturday's form can fully expect to be in contention at the end of the league race.

Hearts' first goal was a volley from 22 yards by Tosh McKinlay after the Aberdeen defence failed to clear properly an Eamonn Bannon effort.

Jim Bett had a chance to equalise, and possibly change the course of the match, when a Craig Robertson chip left him facing only Henry Smith on the 18-yard-line.

He rounded the keeper but, untypically, put his shot wide.

Aberdeen suffered a blow early in the second half when their recent £250,000 signing from St Mirren, winger Ian Cameron, was carried off with concussion after an accidental clash of heads with McKinlay.

Hearts' second goal came through a defensive error by Aberdeen.

A Foster cross was allowed through to the goalmouth with no-one spotting the danger as Scott Crabbe ran in to a push diving header into the net.

An appalling pass back by Van der Ark, who had come on for Cameron, gave Hearts their third goal.

A loose flick towards fellow Dutchman Snelders was intercepted by Levein, and although Snelders managed to touch the ball it slithered under his body and straight to the feet of Crabbe, who had a clear net into which to hit his second goal.

Aberdeen had a set-piece opportunity when the referee awarded an indirect free kick in the box for time wasting by Henry Smith but could do nothing with it.

Van der Ark did redeem himself by turning a McKimmie cross into the net for an Aberdeen consolation goal -- but it came in injury time and by then most Aberdeen fans were on their way home hoping they had seen a once-in-a-season performance.

ABERDEEN -- Snelders, McKimmie, D Robertson, C Robertson, McLeish, Miller, Nicholas, Bett, Mason, Connor, Cameron.

Substitutes -- Grant, Van der Ark.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, McCreery, McPherson, Colquhoun, Mackay, Foster, Crabbe, Bannon.

Substitutes -- Robertson, Kirkwood.

Referee -- D F T Syme (Rutherglen).

TOSH McKINLAY .

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scored with a 22-yard volley.