Aberdeen 2 Hibernian 1

Last updated : 30 October 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Aberdeen climbed to fourth in the SPL after Scott Severin's stoppage-time thunderbolt settled a thoroughly entertaining encounter against Hibernian.

The visitors will feel slightly aggrieved, particularly as they battled for most of the second half with only ten men after Chris Killen picked up two yellow cards.

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood made one change to the side that swept to a comfortable win over Dundee United last weekend, with Zander Diamond replacing the injured Jamie Smith.

In what appears likely to be his last match in charge, Mark Proctor, Hibs' caretaker boss, replaced the suspended Scott Brown and injured David Murphy with Stephen Glass and Dean Shiels.

Five minutes in, Michael Stewart dispossessed Severin and drove at the Dons defence before putting Merouane Zemmama in on goal, but the diminutive Moroccan checked his run allowing Michael Hart to clear the danger at the expense of a corner.

At the other end, minutes later, Darren Mackie flashed in a great cross which was only just missed by Lee Miller at the near post.

Ivan Sproule's lightening pace was evident when Russell Anderson misjudged a Stewart throughball and the winger sprinted clear, only to screw his 12-yard effort the wrong side of the upright.

The visitors were very much on top at this stage with the movement of their front three severely testing Aberdeen's centre-backs.

The hosts worked their way into the game and almost snatched an unlikely lead three minutes before the interval.

Zibi Malkowski spilled a Hart cross under pressure from Miller and the ball dropped to Clark, whose first-time effort flew just wide.

The visitors took the lead just after the break when Zemmama caught Diamond in possession.

He drew Anderson before slipping the ball across to Killen who had the simplest of tasks to knock the ball beyond Jamie Langfield from ten yards.

Aberdeen drew level just nine minutes later when Miller finally netted his first goal for the club.

Gary Dempsey's short ball into the big man saw him take a neat touch to spin away from Jones before cracking a low shot into the corner of the net.

Hibs were reduced to ten men after 65 minutes when Killen collected his second red card of the season when he recklessly went in high on Gary Dempsey.

On 67 minutes a cleverly worked free-kick by the home side saw Barry Nicholson find Severin, who drove in a fierce shot from 16 yards which flew wide of the post.

Severin must have thought he'd made the vital breakthrough on 81 minutes.

Jones only managed to clear a Chris Maguire corner as far as Severin, whose volley was brilliantly parried by Malkowski.

As the home side drove on in search of a winner, a Clark cross found the head of Nicholson who, with the goal at his mercy, somehow failed to find the target with a headed effort from six yards out.

As Aberdeen pushed forward Hibs almost caught them on the counter attack. Jay Shields got beyond Hart to fire in a low shot that was well held by Langfield.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Severin took a pass inside from Clark before turning away from Kevin Thomson to unleash a tremendous left-foot drive which rocketed beyond the despairing reach of Malkowski from 30 yards.