Aberdeen 3 Hearts 2

Aberdeen continued their fine run of form with a narrow victory over a spirited but luckless Hearts at Pittodrie.

After five goals, three orderings off and a controversial penalty, it was the home side who were left standing with all three points in what was the most dramatic of afternoons.

There was little of note in the first half until a dramatic and unexpected one minute spell produced a goal at either end.

In the 17th minute, the visitors raced into an unlikely lead.

Stevie Fulton swung in a free-kick from wide out on the right. The ball missed everyone before it took a wicked bounce and flew into the top corner of the net, leaving Kjaer grasping at thin air.

But Aberdeen ran up the park and immediately equalised. Ben Thornley's cross from the left was only partially cleared by Pressley to the waiting Robbie Winters.

The Dons striker hit the bar with a vicious shot, the ball bounced off the unsuspecting Thomas Flogel and onto the bar again.

When it bounced down for the second time the waiting Eugene Dadi could hardly believe his luck as he nodded in from a yard out.

In the 26th minute, Hearts could have restored their lead when Kevin McKenna found himself at the end of a Fulton cross only 10 yards from goal.

The tall defender's header almost foxed Kjaer who had to react quickly to gather.

In the 32nd the home side took the lead courtesy of a controversial penalty.

Stephen Simmons gave the ball away to Thornley who raced into the Hearts box. The former Manchester United player appeared to take a dive as he went past McKenna but referee Ian Fyfe pointed to the spot.

There was plenty of dissent amongst the Hearts players before Winters confidently stepped up to send Niemi the wrong way.

Two minutes later Thornley's contribution was less positive when he was given his marching orders after an off the ball incident with Hearts defender Alan Maybury.

The 10 men of Aberdeen came out for the second half determined to hold onto their lead but the visitors were on level terms within a minute of the restart.

Aberdeen's defence looked fragile as the Edinburgh raced into attack forcing the Dons rearguard back to the edge of their own box.

Hearts' Jamaican striker Ricardo Fuller slipped the ball through to Stephane Adam, who took it past a hesitant looking Kjaer at the second attempt and toe-poked it home despite the presence of Derek Whyte on the line.

The Tynecastle side looked to have the upper hand although Dadi, playing up front himself, was causing occasional problems in attack with his pace and strength.

Aberdeen, to their credit, weren't looking to sit back and their cause was helped when referee Fyfe flashed his red card for the second time.

The sides were evened up numerically as well as in terms of goals when Flogel was sent off in the 58th minute for a bad foul on Aberdeen youngster Philip McGuire in the centre circle.

The Austrian had already been booked in the first half for a flare up with Darren Young and the referee had no option but to show the red.

They raced into the lead for the second time midway through the half when Kevin McNaughton raced down the left, cut back onto his right foot and swung a cross over to the back post.

Darren Young stretched to head back across goal and his brother Derek, on for Darren Mackie, nodded in from close range.

Right on the final whistle Hearts youngster Graeme Weir, making his debut as a 84th minute substitute for Adam, became the third man to see red for a foul on Derek Young.

Teams

Aberdeen: Kjaer, Solberg, McGuire, Whyte, McNaughton, Mackie (Derek Young 54), Tiernan (Anderson 81), Darren Young, Thornley, Winters, Dadi (Zerouali 64).

Subs Not Used: Peat, McAllister.

Sent Off: Thornley (35).

Booked: Darren Young, Dadi.

Goals: Dadi 18, Winters 33 pen, Derek Young 67.

Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, McKenna, Webster, Maybury, Flogel, Simmons, Fulton (Wales 72), Mahe, Adam (Weir 85), Fuller (Boyack 72).

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, McCann.

Sent Off: Flogel (58), Weir (90).

Booked: Flogel, Fulton, Simmons, Mahe.

Goals: Fulton 17, Adam 47.

Att: 13,850

Ref: I Fyfe (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com