Aberdeen 1-3 Hibernian: Martin Boyle shines as Hibs win on the road at Pittodrie

Report as Aberdeen surrendered second spot in the Scottish Premiership to Rangers following a disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Hibernian; Martin Boyle scored one and created two for Elie Youan and Nicky Cadden as the visitors fought back from Topi Keskinen's opener

Saturday 21 December 2024 18:28, UK

Hibernian's uptick in Scottish Premiership form continued with a Martin Boyle-inspired 3-1 victory over Aberdeen.

The striker netted one and created two more for Elie Youan and Nicky Cadden as the visitors fought back from Topi Keskinen's opener for the Dons.

The Dons were refreshed after a free week, and introduced Jack MacKenzie to the starting 11 after injury, one of four changes from the side that drew with St Johnstone a fortnight ago.

Hibs made two changes in attack, with Boyle and Josh Campbell replacing veteran pair Junior Hoilett and Dwight Gayle dropping to the bench.

At a windy Pittodrie, the home side were quick out of the traps with a pair of teasing low crosses setting the scene that they were out to attack, but it would be Hibs who adapted to the conditions better, pinning the Dons back for periods of the first half.

It was the home side who had the first clear sight of goal as Keskinen picked out Ester Sokler, whose effort was blocked by Rocky Bushiri. The defender caught the striker in making the challenge prompting a VAR review, but no penalty was awarded.

The home side took the lead after 14 minutes, Leighton Clarkson sending Keskinen racing away down the left. The winger could have squared for Sokler, but set himself well before lashing into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Hibs responded almost instantly - and directly. Goalkeeper Jordan Smith's long clearance was flicked on by Campbell and, after Slobodan Rubezic had a fresh air swipe in attempting to clear, Boyle unselfishly squared for Youan to slide home from eight yards.

Keskinen was in the mood, and when Aberdeen could get the ball to him, he always looked a danger, sending a superb 20-yard curling effort off the inside of the post after 26 minutes.

But it would be Hibs who gained the initiative as Boyle created a second goal. This time he bamboozled Gavin Molloy before standing up a cross to the back post that the incoming Cadden fired past Ross Doohan 10 minutes before the break.

And Boyle himself netted the third early in the second half. Clarkson's loose pass in midfield was picked off by Nectarios Triantis, who slid a ball through for the Australia international to fire low past a helpless Doohan.

Aberdeen now had the wind to their advantage and though they were pressing for a way back into the game, it took until Sivert Heltne Nilsen's deflected shot spun over the bar for them to register a real effort of note.

Substitute Peter Ambrose should have done better with his header from Nicky Devlin's cross shortly after, and the striker thought he had pulled one back when he latched onto Dante Polvara's superb through ball, but fired wide of the far post.

There was an injury-time melee as Boyle and MacKenzie clashed off the ball, both receiving yellow cards for their part in the shenanigans, but ultimately Hibs comfortably kept the hosts at bay.

The managers

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin:

"Football is a team sport, and mistakes will happen within a game, but you can't get so hurt from a mistake, and that's a sign you're not balanced as a team or covering for each other.

"We need to keep working as a staff and with the players to focus on this part. Some parts of the game were good today, but that doesn't matter if the bad things drop too much and put us in a difficult situation.

"Even when you win a game when it might not be the best performance. We need to improve, we know that, and the only way to do that is to perform in training sessions and in games.

"We're not there yet, but we're on the right path, even if it doesn't feel like it when the results are not coming".

Hibs boss David Gray:

"It's a huge result and a huge performance. Full credit to the players for a 90-minute performance. We started well but lost a poor goal, and then showed massive character to come back into. We played the conditions really well, and to a man I thought every player played exceptionally well.

"The players need to take the credit and confidence from it, but it's not just this week - its been building for a while.

"We knew the atmosphere was going to be the way it was, but we managed the game well and in such a way to quieten the crowd as well. It wasn't a day for pretty football, and the players understood that."