Hibs strengthened their claim on a third placed finish yesterday and in the process condemned Derek McInnes to what could prove to be a costly defeat.
A Martin Boyle goal in each half gave the Leith outfit a much deserved three points in a game where Aberdeen struggled to threaten and looked bereft of creativity.
“At the moment it’s just another victory for us,” Jack Ross said at full time, playing down the significance of the five-point gap his side now have over Aberdeen.
“Hibs as a club haven’t been in this position often enough in the last 20 plus years so, we’re driven to try and succeed in that respect. Today, there’s no added significance other than just winning against a good side and a club that have consistently been where we want to get to.”
While Ross tempered the match’s significance, with third place offering so much to Scottish clubs this year, it was certainly important. Extra revenue from European competition would be a commodity at the best of times, let alone following a season without gate receipts.
Easter Road was the destination of McInnes’ debut match in charge of Aberdeen.
In the intervening years in between that match in 2013 he has provided a model of consistency season upon season that was so sought after prior to his arrival. But murmurs of discontent have increased in the past couple of seasons, in a season where the armchair season ticket holder has seen only 31 goals in 27 Premiership games.
Jack Ross is of course at a far earlier stage in his managerial cycle at Hibs than McInnes but, this match felt similarly Important for reasons beyond the points. Big games have been Hibs’ undoing under his stewardship, who have let themselves down in key moments this term.
The need for a result led both teams to attack from the off which resulted in an end-to-end affair. The visitors looked better than they had done in midweek and Hornby at times offered an indictor as to how good he could be for Aberdeen, with his ability to stretch the game and play as a target man offering good variation. Despite early promise, they struggled to create much of note however and Lewis was the far busier of the keepers in the first-half.
Chris Cadden should have given his side the lead inside five minutes. Greg Leigh, who looked shaky in midweek, tripped as he tried to play the ball back to his goalkeeper which presented Cadden with a one-on-one, but Lewis spread well to save. He would also keep out Martin Boyle from a tight angle.
Hibs broke the deadlock deservedly on 25 minutes. Boyle struck home a penalty low into the corner after Ferguson had fouled Jamie Murphy. The winger gave Ferguson the drop of a shoulder, who left a trailing leg to concede the spot-kick.
Murphy came close to assisting Boyle from open play minutes before the break, but Lewis was again on hand to save from close range after the Australian had been slipped in on goal. Aberdeen introduced Callum Hendry as they tried to offer more at the top end of the pitch in the second period, but in doing so left more space for Boyle and co to exploit. Against a back three not known for their pace, Boyle looked a threat every time Hibs turned over possession.
And midway through the second-half, Boyle would make it 2-0. Lewis Stevenson’s first involvement off the bench was to play the ball down the side of the Aberdeen defence and Boyle, having timed his run perfectly, opened up his body and put the ball through Lewis’ legs.
Aberdeen came close when a Matty Kennedy cross was met by Hornby and clipped the crossbar. Aside from that they couldn’t carve open the hosts.
“I do think trying to reinvent our front line at the end of January has been difficult,” admitted McInnes in response to his side’s misfiring’s.
“We get these boys for a reason {Hornby, Hendry and Flo Kamberi}, we get them because they’re not playing. When you sign loan signings in January, unless your spending money, you very rarely get boys that are up to speed.
“Last time we were here we won with {Ryan} Hedges and Scott Wright tucked in behind Marley Watkins. It was really fluid with a lot of speed about us. We’re working hard to address that forward line.”
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