Aberdeen 1 Hearts 1

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

A late goal by Hearts derby hero Mark De Vries gave the Jambos a share of the points in an explosive encounter at Aberdeen.

Big Dutchman De Vries scored four goals in the Edinburgh derby last week and pounced again when all looked lost for the visitors.

Laurent D'Jaffo's first goal for Aberdeen after 72 minutes looked enough to give the home side all three points.

But the home side reckoned without De Vries who, six minutes later, stabbed a shot from close range into the corner of the net.

Aberdeen boss Ebbe Skovdahl will have other worries after this brutal game though having seen four of his players - Eric Deloumeaux, Darren Young, Philip McGuire and Darren Mackie - all come off injured.

There was some pre-match confusion when Andy Kirk, who should have been partnering De Vries up front, injured his hamstring in the warm-up before the game and was replaced by Gary Wales.

The late change did not appear to unsettle the visitors and they made a bright start to the game forcing a couple of early corners.

But neither side could create any early chances and De Vries was having little luck against tight marking Dons defenders Russell Anderson and Phil McGuire.

It was the 18th minute before the first chance came along and it fell to the home side but Darren Mackie's shot from 12 yards out was well saved by Hearts keeper Antti Niemi.

As the first half progressed, still neither side could gain the upper hand although Aberdeen were enjoying the bulk of possession.

Dons' Roberto Bisconti should have done better from close in when Kevin McNaughton swung a corner in from the right but the midfielder appeared to misjudge the flight of the ball and it ran harmlessly past Niemi's right hand post.

However, the Gorgie men did offer the occasional threat and in the 35th minute the subdued De Vries flicked a header onto Gary Wales but the former Hamilton striker's angled shot from 14 yards was blocked by the foot of Niemi.

In the second half Dons midfielder Fergus Tiernan, who had replaced Darren Young late in the first half after playmaker had been crunched by Stephen Simmons - a tackle for which the Hearts midfielder was booked - was setting up what little attacks the home side were mounting.

In the 58th minute De Vries caught Philip McGuire just outside the box and the way the players overreacted to what seemed an innocent enough challenge summed up the petty nature of the game.

But McGuire could not continue and Aberdeen boss Ebbe Skovdahl shook his head as he made Leon Mike his third substitution of the match.

The game threatened to boil over as the challenges became more desperate and at times nasty. Dons defender Russell Anderson was booked in the 64th minute for catching Hearts midfielder Steven Boyack on the touchline with a late lunge.

The home side took the lead in the 72nd minute when D'Jaffo stabbed the ball past Niemi from eight yards, after starting a move which also involved Mackie and Chris Clark.

But six minutes later the visitors were level when Scott Severin's shot was deflected off the hapless Russell Anderson to the unmarked De Vries - who had the simplest of tasks in knocking the ball into the corner of the net.

Teams

Aberdeen: Kjaer, Deloumeaux (McAllister 9), Anderson, McGuire (Mike 61), McNaughton, Derek Young, Bisconti, Darren Young (Tiernan 44), Clark, Mackie, D'Jaffo.

Subs Not Used: Preece, O'Donoghue.

Booked: Anderson.

Goals: D'Jaffo 73.

Hearts: Niemi, Maybury, Pressley, McKenna, McMullan, Boyack, Simmons (Janczyk 77), Severin, Valois, Kirk (Wales 37), De Vries, Wales (Weir 61).

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Webster.

Booked: Simmons, Severin.

Goals: De Vries 79.

Att: 12,825

Ref: G Mitchell (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com