Aberdeen 0 Hibernian 2

August 19th 2000
Scottish Premier League
Attendance:

Scorers:
Hibernian: Latapy, Paatelainen.

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday 20th August 2000

Hibs Finnish off the job as Dons have another off day

Their chief executive departed in sordid circumstances last week and Aberdeen duly surrendered their unbeaten record in the Scottish Premier League yesterday. But, strange to relate, this was far from being a stroll in the park for Hibernian, nor did the occasion serve as fresh confirmation that the once-granite warriors have turned to blancmange.

Fair enough, the Leith side can enjoy the next few days at the helm of the SPL, and they did provide occasional flashes of the gifts which have yielded a series of exhilarating displays this season to date. But there again, with their rivals reduced to ten men as early as the fourth minute and with Hibs being awarded a soft penalty at the same juncture, one might reasonably have expected the league leaders to thrive in front of a 13,000 crowd.

Yet, if anything, the opposite was true, and although Ebbe Skovdahl’s personnel will be nobody’s favourites to celebrate a Bohemian Rhapsody in Dublin on Thursday, his callow-faced collection of mostly local lads - average age 22 - never shirked this difficult assignment.

Once the bureaucrats had decreed that the Aberdeen goal measurements didn’t contravene the Jobsworth Act, the contest began with the kind of explosive crescendo of conflicting emotions which often embodies meetings between these two clubs. In the green corner, there was delight and barely-concealed gratitude when referee Mike McCurry leapt into the fray at the nearest available opportunity, sent Mark Perry off for deliberately handling Mixu Paatelainen’s sclaffed parody of a shot, and awarded Hibernian a penalty which was dispatched with consumate ease byRussell Latapy, who missed in similar circumstances last weekend against Dundee.

At first glance, these decisions seemed both technically valid and an over-reaction to a fairly innocuous transgression by Perry, but perhaps with Alan Freeland carrying out the duties of fourth official in the stand, Mr McCurry felt it was obligatory to drag himself into controversy.

At that stage, with Skovdahl’s eyes positively bulging and Alex McLeish sporting the satisfied expression of an old Pittodrie stalwart moved on to better times, the Aberdeen supporters seethed with indignation, yet, curiously, given the visitors’ numerical advantage, they seemed content to sit back, suck their opponents’ into the midfield, and wait patiently for the ubiquitous Latapy to release Didier Agathe and Paatelainen on the counter-attack.

It was hardly an adventurous policy, and indeed, with the heavily bandaged Franck Sauzee toiling to bring his usual tricks to the party, Hibs were far from impressive in dealing with the sniping runs of the revitalised Robbie Winters, who gleefully latched on to Darren Young’s service on either side of the half hour and came desperately close to tying matters which, given the lashes of energy shown by Aberdeen’s young pretenders, would have been no more than they deserved.

McLeish demonstrated his concern by replacing the struggling Ulrik Laursen with Scott Bannerman, who was promptly booked for a cynical body check on Winters, but despite their safety at all costs strategy, Agathe should really have increased Hibs’ advantage after 35 minutes, rather than waft weakly into the hands of keeper Ryan Esson. Yet, all the same, as the news filtered through from Tynecastle of Hearts’ plight, the dearth of urgency in the Hibs approach was as mystifying as it was a surprise. Because, even with an extra man, they were lumpen and ponderous.

It didn’t constitute any deep mystery when McLeish made his second enforced tactical switch in the opening half by introducing David Zitelli for his debut. Within a few seconds, his first touch in Scottish football was a tremendous strike from 25 yards, which Esson dealt with splendidly, but it was a lovely, silky entrance though one still felt that the score line still flattered the overly negative Edinburghers.

Oblivious to that, the reassuring presence of Gary Smith at the heart of everything executed by Hibs was a reminder of how often former Dons have returned to haunt their former employers. A model of poise and tireless endeavour, the local newspapers might have proclaimed "Taxi for Smith" at the outset, but this was simply wishful thinking about the man from Rennes whose unstinting commitment proved especially indigestable to Aberdeen.

Smith’s labours were certainly required as the hosts strove creditably to restore parity with substitutre Hicham Zerouali in the thick of their exertions, as Nick Colgan was forced to save at close quarters from Winters and then Philip McGuire. But while you couldn’t really fault the endless efforts of the Young brothers, Darren and Derek, nor quibble with theperspiration oozed by individuals such as Esson, who dragged himself wide to deny Latapy, and the 17-year-old Kevin McNaughton, who showed a maturity belying his age, Skovdahl’s men badly needed a piece of luck to revive their fortunes and it rarely looked like surfacing.

Hibs, mind you, were increasingly lethargic as the moments ticked away, interspersing a series of aimless square passes with a crop of niggling fouls, which brought bookings for both Zitelli and Latapy, with Paatelainen, who relentlessly tugged and elbowed his way around the penalty box, fortunate to escape similar punishment.

Yet, just when it appeared that the game was meandering to a predictable conclusion, Hibs increased their lead with one of those messy affairs, to which Gordon Bennett sold the original copyright. The goal sprang from Bannerman’s initial shot, which rebounded off the post, prior to a prod from Paatelainen which, though agricultural, was sufficient to seal his team’s victory.

Inevitably, that killed off any flickering signs of life in Aberdeen and the climactic minutes were spent with Sauzee and Co mixing showboating with the kind of clever precision which necessitated two fine saves from Esson. Classic, this undeniably was not, but McLeish will hardly be complaining in the circumstances.

The Teams:

Hibernian:
Colgan; G Smith, McIntosh, Sauzee; Laursen (Bannerman), T Smith, Jack, Latapy, O'Neil; Paatelainen, Agathe (Lehmann 70).

Aberdeen:
.

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