Bemused Calderwood left to rue 'sucker punches'

HAVING witnessed his team play what was, by his own estimation, definitely their best football of the season so far, Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood understandably found it hard to explain why they lost 3-1 to Hearts yesterday. "We dominated before they scored their first goal," Calderwood said. "Craig Gordon saved them in the first half.

"Then we defended far too deep. Hearts took a big lift from their goal, and we were on a bit of a downer. We were pushing people forward and were caught by two sucker punches.

"If we had got the first goal we'd have gone on to win the game. I don't think there were two goals of a difference in the game."

Barry Nicholson expressed similar sentiments. Dangerous throughout the first half, especially in combination with Darren Mackie, the midfielder was voted man of the match by the sponsors of the SPL game. "Man of the first hour" might have been a more accurate title for the award, though, as, by Nicholson's admission, the pattern of play did change somewhat in the last half-hour. "For the first 60 minutes that was probably the best we've played all season," Nicholson said. "At half-time we all felt comfortable, and said there was no way we were going to lose this.

Taken from the Scotsman