PREMIER LEAGUE - MATES GAVE ME STICK

HEARTS 1

ABERDEEN 2

CHRIS CLARK capped a dream week for the Dons and completed a miserable one for the Jambos - then revealed his team-mates gave him PELTERS for his late winner.

The Aberdeen star's deflected 87th-minute strike piled on the misery for the Tynecastle side after Steven Pressley's own goal cancelled out Calum Elliot's opener.

Owner Vladimir Romanov was blasted by the fans at the end of a nightmare week when his decision to pick the team for the midweek draw with Dundee United sparked the latest soap opera to undermine Hearts' stuttering title challenge.

But despite the Jambos' knack of shooting themselves in the foot Aberdeen deserve full credit for another superb display after their midweek victory over Rangers.

Clark was the hero - yet he got nothing but stick in the away dressing room.

He said: "I reckon my shot was going in at the other post but the lads are giving me pelters for scoring with a deflection again.

"My last one against Falkirk also went in thanks to a wicked deflection - I think I'm going to start aiming at people when I shoot!"

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood called this game a "humdinger" and it was appropriate that such a turbulent week should end in drama.

Hearts' starting line up came under close scrutiny after the controversy of Tuesday.

Head coach Graham Rix insisted this one was his call - not Romanov's - but the formation raised more eyebrows. Hitkid Elliot played alone up front with Paul Hartley and Rudi Skacel providing support from advanced midfield roles.

Ex-Benfica playmaker Bruno Aguiar stepped in for his debut while Martin Petras pushed forward from full-back to stiffen midfield in the absence of suspended Julien Brellier.

The most heartening change from the clash with United was the return of centre-back Andy Webster who was dropped when contract talks collapsed.

Aberdeen were desperate for revenge after crashing out of the Cup at Tynecastle last week but fell behind in just nine minutes.

Hartley's deep cross found Skacel in acres of space but it looked like the chance had gone due to his poor first touch.

However, the Czech quickly recovered to set up Elliot who fired low past Jamie Langfield.

It was a dream start for the home side and only Russell Anderson's timely intervention stopped Elliot scoring again in an almost identical move with Skacel 10 minutes later.

These were dangerous times for the Dons but after Jamie Smith copped the first booking for a foul on Pressley in 25 minutes they looked far more threatening.

Clark hit the bar with a hopeful cross and Kevin McNaughton fired just wide before Craig Gordon was forced to save his side three times before the break.

The keeper dived brilliantly to his left to beat away Barry Nicholson's low swerving free-kick and tipped Smith's bending blast over the bar.

But the closest call was Danny Griffin's low free-kick. Gordon could only claw his effort out and had to rely on Webster to steer the rebound to safety with Steve Lovell and Smith lurking.

Hearts' unfamiliar shape wasn't working with marooned Elliot crowded out by Dons defenders. A change was needed and it came at half-time - Lee Wallace and Ludek Straceny for Petras and Aguiar.

Aberdeen's half-time switch - the outstanding Ferne Snoyl for Kyle McAuley - was far more effective and they piled forward.

Tempers then flared in the dug-out as Takis Fyssas marched off the pitch for a row with Dons assistant boss Jimmy Nicholl over something the Northern Irishman shouted to him. Calderwood explained: "Fyssas was trying to get one of our boys booked and that's not something you want to see in British football. Your job is hard enough coming to places like this without people trying to get your players booked.

"It was Nicholl this time, not me getting into trouble. I seem to have a one-way ticket to meet the SFA just now but this time it wasn't me!"

Both parties escaped with a warning but Hearts couldn't get off the hook from Aberdeen's incessant pressure - especially when Calderwood threw on Darren Mackie for Lovell.

And the breakthrough finally came in 68 minutes.

Snoyl scampered into the box and his shot was pushed away by Gordon. Scott Severin pounced on the rebound and his cutback was met by Pressley who turned the ball into his own net. It was kamikaze stuff and the home side could have lost another if Snoyl had got more on his effort after outmuscling Webster in the box.

Straceny was then booked for persistent fouling and it was his only real contribution in a dismal 37-minute display before he was hooked for Michal Pospisil.

Hearts screamed for a penalty five minutes from time but referee Ian Fyfe was bang on to wave away their claims as Griffin had used his shoulder, not his arm, to control the ball in his area.

Things got even worse for the Jambos faithful when Clark's shot took a wicked deflection off Hartley and wrong-footed Gordon.

Boos roared around Tynecastle at the final whistle and some supporters shouted abuse at Romanov in the directors box as their hopes of catching Celtic took another massive dent.

ref watch

IAN FYFE did well to keep a lid on this firecracker. Sensible with his cards and bang on to snub Hearts' penalty claim. Rating: 8/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail