There are many ways to win a game of football, and it would be hard to construct a run such as that Aberdeen are currently on without exploring at least a few of them. This, indubitably, was a new one.
Observers will often stroke their chins and ponder whether teams have found ‘a good time to score’. Here, without question, Aberdeen picked a truly excellent time to concede.
With the game at 1-1, it could not be disputed that Hearts were its dominant force: it would have been a significant surprise had they not been the side to find its third goal.
However, in doing so with half an hour left to play, the visitors hit the front sufficiently early to allow the afternoon’s dynamic to flip back in the Dons’ direction. Freed from the uncertainty of the tied score, it gave both Aberdeen time to cut the leash, and Hearts the chance to panic after such a horror start to their league campaign.
It also gave the opportunity for yet another wave of the wand in the Jimmy Thelin magic show. So much base metal has been turned into gold under the Swede that there was a sense of inevitability when the prodigal Duk entered the fray, and of course it was he who created the winning goal.
Any doubt that Duk’s physical powers may have atrophied in his elective inactivity were dispelled as he steamed around the outside of Adam Forrester – who had been part of the frantic match for even less time than he – in very much the fashion that had made him beloved in the early days.
The warmth of his reception back into the fold shows that there is no reason that can’t be recaptured with maturity on both sides. We’re all friends together here.
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