LOVELL MATCH HAS HEARTS BROKEN

A Steve Lovell goal was enough to give the Dons victory in a physical 90 minutes against a Jambos outfit which played the final quarter of the game with 10 men. Ghanian midfielder Layrea Kingston was shown two red cards at Pittodrie and Hearts collected another six yellows.

In the build-up to this game, Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood had bemoaned the fact that Aberdeen had failed to open the scoring in any of their previous home games against the big three. Defeats by Celtic, Rangers and Hearts on this trio's previous visits to Pittodrie this season all featured the visitors scoring first - forcing the Dons to chase the game and leave gaps in defence.

In their previous visit to Pittodrie, Hearts grabbed three breakaway goals, leaving the Dons gaping in disbelief - especially as that home performance was one of the best of the season. But the best team does not always win.

However, there can be no doubt that the best team won this game - even if there was only one goal in it. Make no mistake, the Dons created all the chances, with home goalkeeper Jamie Langfield a virtual spectator for the entire 90 minutes.

There has been so much written about Hearts again this season that it almost seems as if there is nothing left to say on the gradual dismantling of a Jambos squad that achieved a second-place finish in the SPL last season as well as winning the Scottish Cup.

Hearts may have been tied with the Dons in third place before the game but this Jambos team is a pale shadow of the class of 2006.

Much has been made of the rapid removal of the Scottish spine of the team by club owner Vladimir Romanov.

But the imports of last season are also being phased out - as was demonstrated by the absence from the Hearts starting 11 of Takis Fyssas, Michal Pospisil and Edgar Jankauskis.

In their place are new faces such as Kestutis Ivaskevicius, Linas Pilibaitis and Tomas Kancelsku. No, I don't know who they are either. They are complete unknowns in Scotland and, on the evidence of this game, are poor replacements.

Kancelsku, in particular, looked out of his depth at right back against Jamie Smith. The Dons winger gave his opponent a torrid time down the left flank with the Hearts full back's only defence being to push Smith over at every opportunity.

Kancelsku's approach to the game was shared by his team-mates and three home players - Barry Nicholson, Chris Clark and Richard Foster - had to leave the field for treatment in a bruising first half.

In stark contrast to the ever-changing face of Romanov's Hearts team, the Dons are a model of consistency and Jimmy Calderwood has merely tinkered with the side in pursuit of success. Craig Brewster is the only new face in the Aberdeen side since they last played Hearts.

With illness ruling out Aberdeen's leading scorer Darren Mackie, Calderwood gave the 39-year-old Brewster a starting berth. In Brewster's case, what the old legs lack in pace the football brain more than compensates for and the veteran proved to be an excellent foil for Steve Lovell - and a real nuisance to the visitors.

Brewster brings strength and cunning to the Aberdeen side and players can gamble on getting forward safe in the knowledge that the silver-haired target man will be able to hold possession and bring the midfielders into play.

The method worked perfectly as early as the seventh minute, with Brewster laying the ball off wide right to Barry Nicholson who delivered an excellent pass which put Lovell clear. The Englishman took a touch before firing across Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon and into the net from 14 yards.

Hearts replied with a direct physical approach, but their cause was not helped when midfielder Kingston was sent off by referee Steve Conroy for a second bookable offence less than 20 minutes into the second half. Conroy showed Kingston a second red after the match.

Kingston was the best player for the Maroons, but was guilty of several over-zealous challenges and he could have no complaints about his two yellows, the second coming from a high challenge on Nicholson which ended the Aberdeen midfielder's involvement in the game.

With Kingston's departure went Hearts's hopes and the Dons should have added to their lead.

Hearts applied some late pressure in search of an equaliser they did not merit, but Dons skipper Russell Anderson marshalled his side with his customary composure.

The Dons still harbour hopes of catching Rangers and winning a Champions League qualifying place - but yesterday's win for Walter Smith's side in the Old Firm derby means Rangers are once again seven points clear of Aberdeen.

Just which European club competition Aberdeen have hopes of playing in next season should become clearer in the next seven days.

Tomorrow's trip to Motherwell is followed by another huge test at Ibrox on Saturday.