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Aberdeen move up to third in the Premiership with 4-1 humbling of Hibs

Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski celebrates after making it 1-0 against Hibs. Image: SNS
Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski celebrates after making it 1-0 against Hibs. Image: SNS

Aberdeen delivered an emphatic message in the race to finish third in the Premiership by over-powering rivals Hibs 4-1 at Pittodrie.

Hibs travelled to Pittodrie holding that third spot but Aberdeen grabbed it from the Easter Road side in impressive fashion.

The Reds grabbed the lead in dramatic in first half injury time when a penalty was awarded by VAR for a foul by David Marshall on Duk.

Bojan Miovski’s penalty was saved by the keeper. However following a VAR decision the spot-kick was ordered to be retaken, and Miovski scored.

Striker Miovski netted after the break along with Ylber Ramadani and Leighton Clarkson with Hibs scoring through Mykola Kuharevich.

Goodwin watches from the stands

Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin watched the action from Pittodrie’s Main Stand as he served out a ban.

Goodwin was hit with an eight game ban by the SFA, two suspended until the end of the season, for accusing Hibs’ Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating”.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin gives instructions from the stand during the match against Hibs.

That was subsequently reduced on appeal to five games, two suspended, following an appeal at Hampden on Monday.

Goodwin’s comments about Porteous were made in the press conference after the Dons’ 3-1 loss to Hibs at Easter Road in September.

Defender Porteous had pulled Liam Scales to the ground with the Dons 1-0 up.

Porteous earned a penalty, which was converted, and Scales was sent off in a game-changing incident.

This was the first time Porteous had faced the Dons since that incident.

Aberdeen assistant Lee Sharp was in the dugout, in constant communication with Goodwin.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin takes his place in the stand against Hibs.

Goodwin had already served one game of the ban when he watched from the stands as the Dons crashed 4-0 to Dundee United at Tannadice.

There was just one change to the starting XI that were overrun in a 4-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox last weekend.

Hayden Coulson returned to the starting line-up with Jack MacKenzie dropping to the bench.

Goodwin retains 3-1-4-2 formation

Aberdeen boss Goodwin retained the 3-1-4-2 formation that had been so badly exposed by Rangers.

The Reds faced 36 shots against Rangers, the most by a team in a Scottish Premiership match this season.

Hibs at home is a different scenario to Rangers away and Goodwin decided to go on the attack again.

Aberdeen’s Connor Barron in action against Hibs.

The first opportunity fell to Hibs in the 11th minute when Joe Newell latched onto a Jayden Richardson headed clearance but his 22-yard shot few over the bar.

On the quarter hour mark a cross from Chris Cadden on the right found Mykola Kuharevich at the back post but the striker headed wide.

Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos produced a superb save to deny Hibs in the 23rd minute.

Cadden flighted in a cross from the right that found Ewan Henderson and his flicked 15 yard header was acrobatically tipped over the bar by the Dons keeper.

Hibs were awarded a free kick in dangerous territory in the 30th minute for a foul by Connor Barron on Nohan Kenneh.

Striker Kuharevich fired the free kick just over the crossbar.

Duk denied by goal-line clearance

Aberdeen were denied by a goal-line clearance in the 34th minute when they broke upfield with a lightning counter-attack.

Clarkson started the move by sliding a pass to Bojan Miovski who played in the onrushing Duk.

Striker Duk had powered almost 80 yards upfield to get the pass and dinked a shot over the advancing keeper David Marshall.

However Marijan Cabraja got back to make a vital goal-line clearance.

Hibs’ Marijan Cabraja clears a shot from Aberdeen striker Duk off the line.

Soon after Duk drove powerfully at the defence from the halfway line.

He lost possession at the edge of the Hibs box, then embarked on a lung-bursting 35 yard drive to successfully win the ball back.

Duk’s work ethic and determination were driving the Dons on. It is why he has quickly become a fans’ favourite.

Video refs play their part

The opener came in a dramatic end to the first half.

Former Benfica striker Duk broke in on goal in first half-injury time and keeper Marshall dived at the striker’s feet.

Duk went down and referee David Munro initially awarded offside, which was deemed to be a wrong call.

However video assistant referee Steven Kirkland advised the whistler to reassess the incident.

Referee David Munro looks at the VAR monitor for a potential penalty for a challenge by Marshall on Duk.

After a long delay referee Munro went to the track-side monitor to watch the footage.

He awarded a penalty.

However Miovski’s spot kick was saved by keeper Marshall.

The drama wasn’t finished as then the penalty went to VAR.

And the decision was Marshall had moved off his line before Miovski shot.

Miovski stepped up and, at the second attempt, fired beyond Marshall.

The Hibs players were incensed by both decisions.

Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski scores to make it 1-0 against Hibs.

Half-time: Aberdeen 1 Hibs 0

Aberdeen doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute when Leighton Clarkson swung in a corner from the left.

Miovski outjumped Joe Newell then directed a clinical eight yard header beyond Marshall for his 11th goal of the season.

It was 3-0 in the 60th minute when a clearance fell as far as Ylber Ramadani at the edge of the penalty area.

The midfielder fired a powerful volley into the ground which skipped off the pitch and beyond Marshall.

Overjoyed at his first goal for the Dons summer signing Ramadani jumped over the advertising hoardings to celebrate with the Red Shed.

He was booked for the celebration.

Aberdeen’s Ylber Ramadani celebrates after making it 3-0 against Hibs.

Audacious Clarkson back-heel goal

Hibs hit back in the 69th minute when Mykola Kuharevich fired a right footed shot from close range after latching onto an Elias Melkersen flick.

The goal was checked by VAR for offside but upheld as Jayden Richardson played him on.

It was 4-1 in the 77th minute when Marley Watkins delivered a cross from the right to Leighton Clarkson.

The on loan Liverpool midfielder took a touch and then fired an audacious back-heel beyond Marshall from eight yards.

Aberdeen’s Leighton Clarkson celebrates after making it 4-1 against Hibs.

Full-time: Aberdeen 4 Hibs 1

ABERDEEN (3-1-4-2): Roos 7; Scales 7, Stewart 7, McCrorie 7; Ramadani 7; Coulson 7 (MacKenzie 78), Clarkson 7 (Duncan 90), Barron 7, Richardson 7; ‘Duk’ Lopes 8 (Watkins 73), Miovski 8 (Kennedy 89)

Subs not used: Lewis,  Morris, Besuijen, Milne, Ramirez.

HIBS (3-4-2-1): Marshall 5; Hanlon 5 , Bushiri 6, Porteous 5; Cabraja 6 (Stevenson 81), Newell 6, Kenneh 5, Cadden 6; Henderson 5(Melkersen 64), Magennis 5(Campbell 76); Kuharevich 6 (Youan 82)

Subs not used: Dabrowski, Tavares,  Mitchell, McGregor, Fish.

Referee: David Munro

Man-of-the-match: Duk (Aberdeen)

Attendance: 16,479

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