Hearts 2 Aberdeen 0

Stevenson's rocket derails Dons

From ROBERT MARTIN at Tynecastle
Published: 08th December 2012
0
RYAN STEVENSON and Hearts got back on the goal trail as they dumped dismal Dons.

John McGlynn’s Jambos had failed to score in their three previous matches.

Stevenson had not found the net at all since returning to the club back in August.

But his spot-kick and a Callum Paterson strike were more than enough to claim the points.

It was Craig Brown who was left with plenty to ponder as his Dons side fired blanks against the men in maroon yet again.

They had not scored against Hearts in their last EIGHT encounters going into this game.

They rarely looked like doing so here in one of their poorest displays of the season.

McGlynn rang the changes after last week’s Cup loss to Hibs.

Out went Paterson, the teenager asked to lead the line for much of the season. Jamie Walker was axed, while Arvydas Novikovas missed out through injury.

In came John Sutton, Gordon Smith and Andrew Driver to form a revamped forward line.

Brown was still without several crocked first team regulars, including Ryan Fraser, who knocked back a new deal on Friday. Joe Shaughnessy did come in for Rory Fallon and he was involved from the off as the visitors took the game to Hearts.

Kevin McHattie did well to block a Jonny Hayes shot with just two minutes on the clock.

And the Irish winger then fired over from long range three minutes later.

Sutton had his first sight of goal soon after but his shot was easily held by Jamie Langfield. Then Russell Anderson sliced a Ryan McGowan cross just wide of the Dons goal.

Langfield had to block a Sutton shot in the 20th minute after spilling a McGowan long throw.

But Andy Webster did well to deny Niall McGinn as he tried to reach Josh Magennis’s cross.

The Aberdeen striker just failed to get a foot on a Hayes low cross in the 24th minute.

At the other end McGowan headed wide from a Driver corner but it was the visitors who went close to breaking the deadlock two minutes later.

Hayes had looked to cut inside and shoot on two previous occasions. He did so again, firing in an effort that Jamie MacDonald had to beat away.

Hearts were carving out plenty chances of their own. Stevenson had a shot charged down then saw a free-kick deflect wide.

It was from the resulting corner in the 31st minute that the Jambos took the lead.

As the kick was about to be taken ref Euan Norris spotted a pull on McGowan by Magennis and he had no hesitation in pointing straight to the spot.

Norris also booked Magennis before Stevenson grabbed the ball and he slammed his penalty high into the top right hand of Langfield’s net.

Stevenson blazed a shot wide soon after but he then needed lengthy treatment after a collision with Shaughnessy.

He looked groggy when he was eventually allowed to come back on to the pitch.

Andrew Considine was booked for a foul on Mehdi Taouil as the half drew to a close.

Stevenson stayed inside at the break and Paterson was brought on to replace him.

And he had a chance to increase Hearts’ lead six minutes after the restart. Driver’s cross was nodded on by Sutton into the path of the teenager.

Paterson appeared to lack composure as he fired well over Langfield’s crossbar.

But that certainly wasn’t the case when Hearts did double their lead in the 53rd minute.

Webster’s long ball set Smith free down the right-hand touchline. The young Jambo slipped as he approached the penalty box, but then so did Shaughnessy.

Smith managed to regain his feet before his opponent and pulled the ball back to Paterson.

This time he kept his head and side-footed the ball in off Langfield’s right hand post.

McGinn volleyed over a minute later as the Dons tried to respond and a Marius Zaliukas slip almost played his side into trouble as he gifted the ball to Smith.

Webster got in just in time to clear the danger and then gave his skipper a dressing down.

Brown threw on Fallon and Jamie Masson for Anderson and Smith in the 61st minute.

Scott Vernon was denied by MacDonald in the 69th minute after Shaughnessy had played him in. And Aberdeen then forced a succession of corners as they looked for a lifeline.

MacDonald held a shot from sub Declan McManus in the 81st minute. But it was all too little, too late from Brown’s side, who now need to lift themselves for Tuesday’s Scottish Cup replay with Motherwell.

Sub Denis Prychynenko almost added to their woes with a free-kick Langfield had to beat away.

And Marius Zaliukas forced the keeper into another decent save as Hearts comfortably saw out the final moments.