DEL GIVES HIS DONS THE THIRD DEGREE
McInnes: Stability key to success
Derek McInnes is in no doubt Aberdeen can nail down third place if they star t finding some consistency.
The Dons moved to within one point of Motherwell, whom they face at Fir Park on Friday, with a vital Pittodrie win.
Aberdeen had lost their previous four home league games but came from behind to sink 10-man Hibs thanks to strikes from Andrew Considine and Curtis Main and an own goal from Adam Jackson.
McInnes said: “I’m not interested in how the table looks just now.
“It’s so important we finish third at the end of the season and a club like Aberdeen should be playing meaningful games.
“We have got ourselves in this situation due to inconsistency and if we can mirror what we’ve done and keep winning the next game it will become just as important.”
This victory, allied to dropped points for Motherwel l and Livingston, boosted their hopes of chasing down third place.
McInnes was full of praise for his team and in particular midfielders Lewis Ferguson, Dylan McGeouch and Funso Ojo.
He said: “The scoreline played out as a deserved one in the end. It was a positive second half. “There wasn’t much in the first half but Hibs showed better attacking intent that my boys did. “The intelligence of the team was what impressed me. We carried a threat in the wider areas, got pressure in the box and I’m delighted to win the game. We had it all to do in the second half and the players did it brilliantly.”
The Dons went behind to Christian Doidge’s goal but then turned the screw against 10 men after Steven Whittaker picked up his second yellow card.
McGeouch came back into the starting XI against his old team, with Mikey Devlin dropped as McInnes went for a back three.
Hibs frontman Marc McNulty accepted his two-match ban and that saw Jamie Gullan step in for his first start.
Whittaker also came in after the derby defeat alongside captain David Gray, w ith Stephane Omeonga dropping to the bench.
McInnes and his team were keen to halt their awful home run.
Some intricate passing from McGeouch allowed Niall McGinn to cross but striker Main fluffed a back-heel.
Gullan got his first sight of goal when the bal l smashed off Considine and dropped to him but his low shot was easily gathered by Joe Lewis.
Doidge had a nightmare on his last visit to Pittodrie and the frontman found himself on the end of another gilt-edged chance.
Paul McGinn’s cross picked him out but Lewis managed to get down and claw his effort off the line. Lewis Ferguson continued to drive from the midfield and had solo run that ended with a shot smashed straight at Ofir Marciano before he poked a Connor McLennan cross wide.
Hibs claimed for a penalty but there didn’t look to be anything in it as Martin Boyle went in ahead of Matty Kennedy.
They had another great chance when Ash Taylor and Shay Logan let Boyle’s long diagonal get through to Gullan. The kid’s pace took him clear but he was foiled by the feet of Lewis.
Jack Ross’ men finally took the lead in the 39th minute and Logan won’t want to see it back.
He charged forward but his touch was too heavy as Lewis Stevenson robbed him and found Scott Allan. His pass split open the Dons defence f o r D oi d g e a nd he managed to stick it away f rom a tight angle, while home players and fans desperately claimed for offside.
Whittaker was then carded for a foul on Ferguson before ref John Beaton upset the home team.
The Dons felt Ferguson had been hauled down in the box by Greg Docherty but nothing was given and replays showed they had a hold of each other’s shirt.
The Pittodrie side were given a shot in the arm 10 minutes after the break when Whittaker was given his marching orders after a second booking.
Paul Hanlon had charged out of defence and was brilliantly halted by McGeouch. Ferguson got to the loose ball first before he was caught by the veteran midfielder. After
Whittaker was sent packing, boss Ross sent on Melker Hallberg for Gullan to shore things up.
But Aberdeen put on pressure and it paid off as McGinn’s cross was knocked into his own net by Jackson at the front post.
It didn’t take long for the home side to get in front.
McGinn’s long corner fell to Considine at the back stick and the stopper knocked it home in the 66th minute.
A great piece of ski l l from Ferguson and McGinn gave sub Bruce Anderson a sight of goal but his effort was blocked before on-form striker Main stuck it away.
A third goal of the day as third spot suddenly loomed into sight.