Aberdeen 0-1 Hearts

Jimmy Calderwood's side had not lost at home since Motherwell left the Granite City with all three points on September 15.

But when defender Duff's poor control allowed Nade to go through on goal in the 55th minute, the striker remained composed to send a shot past Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield.

Hearts created a number of good opportunities during an entertaining encounter, but for all their impressive attacking play they still had to rely on Steve Banks producing a brilliant late save to keep out a powerful drive from Richard Foster.

The away side may have struggled away from home in recent weeks but Hearts made their intentions clear inside two minutes, only for Nade to carelessly roll his effort wide from close range.

Aberdeen retaliated when Jamie Smith collected a pass from Foster and tested Banks with a powerful shot which was comfortably saved.

Scott Severin then headed over when well placed following Jeffrey de Visscher's corner, as Aberdeen slowly grew in stature.

Yet it was Hearts who blew another great chance to break the deadlock when Nade's cut-back found Andrius Velicka stationed only six yards from goal, only for the striker to connect poorly with the ball and allow Jackie McNamara to make a crucial block.

Aberdeen suffered a blow as Derek Young and Scott Severn both had to leave the field of play due to injury in a short space of time, with Chris Maguire and Duff sent on as replacements.

Between those substitutions Hearts once again caused the Aberdeen defence to panic when Nade and Velicka linked up promisingly again.

Velicka's header was poor though and Langfield made a routine save in the home goal.

An acrobatic overhead kick from Velicka just before the interval was far more dangerous, but Langfield produced another good save.

Hearts continued to look brisk up front following the restart and when Saulius Mikoliunas clipped a delightful pass over the top of the Aberdeen defence into the path of Velicka, the striker blasted a cross-cum-shot towards goal which Langfield pushed wide.

However, the goalkeeper was left cruelly exposed when Nade scored.

The former Sheffield United man pounced on some poor play from Duff, who was making his first appearance for the Dons since leaving Dundee United earlier this month to sign a short-term deal at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen thought they had quickly equalised when Maguire crossed for Miller to push the ball past Banks, only for assistant referee Charlie Smith to raise his flag for offside.

Hearts remained determined to attack whenever possible and Velicka cut inside Andrew Considine before launching a shot which cleared the bar.

Ricardas Beniusis then easily brushed off the attentions of Foster and turned the ball back to fellow substitute Audrius Ksanavicius, whose shot was blocked by the right foot of Langfield.

In the 79th minute, Mikoliunas was harshly cautioned for simulation after De Visscher appeared to trip the midfielder inside the Aberdeen penalty area.

The game swung from end to end in the closing stages, Beniusis seeing his well-struck effort saved by Langfield, before Foster's 25-yard shot was kept out by an outstanding stop from Banks.

Referee William Collum added on five minutes of injury time, but Aberdeen could not find an equaliser.

Hearts even came close to doubling their advantage right at the death when Langfield saved well from Ksanavicius.

Teams:

Aberdeen Langfield, McNamara, Diamond, Considine, Foster, De Visscher, Severin (Duff 33), Nicholson, Young (Maguire 28), Miller, Jamie Smith (Lovell 68).

Subs Not Used: Soutar, Mackie, Jonathan Smith, Bus.

Booked: Considine.

Hearts Banks, Neilson, Berra, Karipidis, Goncalves, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Stewart, Mikoliunas (McCann 85), Nade (Ksanavicius 67), Velicka (Beniusis 75).

Subs Not Used: Basso, Wallace, Ivaskevicius, Thomson.

Booked: Berra, Mikoliunas.

Goals: Nade 55.

Att: 14,000

Ref: W Collum (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com