Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Aberdeen’s Premiership problems continue with 2-0 loss at Hibernian

Leading scorer Bojan Miovski has a penalty saved as Aberdeen lose 2-0 to Hibs as failure to bounce back from Euro group stage action strikes again.

Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski misses from the penalty spot during a cinch Premiership match between Hibernian and Aberdeen at Easter Road Stadium,.Image: SNS
Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski misses from the penalty spot during a cinch Premiership match between Hibernian and Aberdeen at Easter Road Stadium,.Image: SNS

Aberdeen’s damaging inability to balance European demands with Premiership commitments struck again as they lost 2-0 to Hibernian in Edinburgh.

Manager Barry Robson and his squad have struggled to find a solution to competing in both Europe and the Scottish Premiership this season.

In the seven matches immediately following a Thursday Euro match during this campaign the Dons have only won once.

The Dons created enough chances to beat Hibs, hitting the woodwork twice and Bojan Miovski had a penalty saved.

But the bottom line is another defeat.

In the search to solve the conundrum of balancing Europe and domestic demands, Robson heavily rotated his squad this week.

He made seven changes to his starting line-up for the Europa League 2-2 draw at HJK Helsinki on Thursday with many key first team players rested for the Hibs clash.

The Dons boss then made eight changes to the side at Easter Road – but the same problem continued.

Hibernian’s Will Fish celebrates scoring to make it 2-0 with his teammate Jair Tavares (L). Image: SNS.

This cannot be termed a Euro hangover because only three players who started in Finland started against Hibs.

Aberdeen languishing in bottom six

Aberdeen are languishing 10th in the table, eight points behind fifth-placed Hibs – albeit the Dons have two games in hand.

The struggling Dons have won just three of 13 Premiership games this season.

Last season manager Robson led the Dons to seven straight Premiership wins to ascend from the bottom six doldrums to secure a third-placed finish and European group stage qualification.

The challenge this season is to deliver another third-placed finish.

With seven remaining league matches remaining before the Premiership winter shutdown on January 2 Robson will have to deliver another extended winning streak similar to last to re-ignite the bid for third.

Hibernian's Dylan Vente (R) scores to make it 1-0 against Aberdeen in the Premiership at Easter Road. Image: SNS
Hibernian’s Dylan Vente (R) scores to make it 1-0 against Aberdeen in the Premiership at Easter Road. Image: SNS

Hibs take route one to the first goal

Hibs created the first opportunity after just 70 seconds when Martin Boyle raced onto a long ball upfield from defender Will Fish.

It caught out the high Aberdeen-back line and allowed Boyle to break into the penalty area but his low drive was saved at the near post by Roos.

That direct route over the top was an early warning, but it was one that was not heeded by the Dons defence who continued to hold a high line.

It back-fired as Hibs grabbed the opener in the 17th minute when defender Slobodan Rubezic was caught beneath a David Marshall goal-kick which dropped to Boyle.

Clean through on goal Boyle squared a pass wide of Roos to the supporting Dylan Vente who rolled into an empty net from 12 yards.

Hibs were left to sweat during a VAR check for offside, but the goal stood.

The Dons have lost all six league games in which they have conceded first this season.

Hibernian’s Dylan Vente scores to make it 1-0 against Aberdeen in the Premiership at Easter Road. Image: SNS

Aberdeen defence ripped apart again

Aberdeen were left exposed defensively yet again as a slide-rule pass from Joe Newell found Jair Tavares on the left.

Tavares’ drive from a tight angle beat Roos, flashed across the face of goal and inches wide of the far post.

Hibernian's Rory Whittaker and Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie battle for possession in a Premiership match at Easter Road. Image: SNS
Hibernian’s Rory Whittaker and Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie battle for possession in a Premiership match at Easter Road. Image: SNS

In the 37th minute Shinnie won possession from Rory Whittaker and drove into the box before squaring a pass across goal to Miovski.

The striker’s attempt was pushed onto the near post by Marshall.

Following a scramble for the loose ball another Miovski shot was blocked before the striker passed to McGarry who blasted over from 12 yards.

Aberdeen claimed for a penalty just before the break after Ester Sokler went down under pressure from Rocky Bushiri in the box.

Referee Willie Collum and the VAR officials decided there was nothing in the challenge.

Aberdeen denied by the woodwork

Aberdeen had the ball in the back of the net early in the second half via a McGarry shot when latching onto a Clarkson effort that hit the post.

However the goal was chalked off for Ester Sokler impeding keeper Marshall who dropped the ball in the lead up to the disallowed goal.

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson during the Premiership match against Hibs at Easter Road. Image: SNS

The woodwork denied Aberdeen a leveller in the 63rd minute when Miovski met a Clarkson cross on the run and unleashed a volley from six yards.

It cracked off the inside of the post. The ball looked to be bouncing towards Sokler yards out but Fish managed to scramble clear off the line.

Against the run of play Hibs made it 2-0 when Fish rose highest to meet a Boyle corner to head home from five yards in the 70th minute.

Aberdeen were awarded a penalty in the 77th minute when a flick by Miovski hit the hand of Lewis Stevenson.

Leading scorer Miovski’s low penalty was saved by diving keeper Marshall to his right.

Aberdeen were left regretting missed chances as the fine margins in football brutally hit home.

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson looks dejected against Hibs. Image: SNS

ABERDEEN (5-3-2): Roos 6; Devlin 6 (Milne 72), Gartenmann 6, Rubezic 5, Jensen 5, McGarry 6 (Hayes 72); McGrath 7, Clarkson 6, Shinnie 6 (Barron 79); Sokler 6 (Duk 66), Miovski 6.

Subs: Doohan, Gueye, Polvara, Duncan, MacDonald.

HIBERNIAN (4-4-2): Marshall 7; Whittaker 6, Fish 7, Bushiri 6, Stevenson 6; Campbell 6 (Doidge 79), Levitt 6 (Jeggo 79), Newell 7, Tavares 6 (Molotinikov 83); Boyle 7, Vente 7 (Youan 72).

Subs not used: Wollacott, Hanlon, Harbottle, Delferriere, Landers.

Referee: Willie Collum

Attendance: 16,592

Man-of-the-match: Martin Boyle (Hibs)

Conversation