WORTH THE WAIT
Two penalties and a sending-off help Goodwin get his first win as Dons boss
THE excruciating wait for a win is over. And in a quite simply bonkers race to reach the top six, Aberdeen still have time to salvage some sort of pride from their eventful season.
It has taken Jim Goodwin until his fifth game in charge of the Dons but finally he has a victory to savour. This was Aberdeen’s first in the Premiership since Boxing Day.
Lewis Ferguson’s penalty cancelled out Calvin Ramsay’s own goal in the first half before the Dons midfielder converted another spot-kick to put the Pittodrie side ahead after the break.
On a disastrous day for Hibernian, defender Ryan Porteous saw red for denying Ross McCrorie a tap-in which led to the second penalty — a decision which visiting boss Shaun Maloney plans to appeal.
Aberdeen’s victory was wrapped up with 10 minutes remaining thanks to Vicente Besuijen’s stunning strike. The sight of Marley Watkins returning from injury and immediately claiming an assist added gloss to this triumph.
And so to that damn table. Goodwin’s 10th-placed side are just two points below the top six with two games to go before the split. Their next fixtures are a match against Dundee at Dens Park before a home clash with Ross County.
Hibs lost their grip on fourth spot and are now two points behind Dundee United, who have jumped up through the congested pack.
‘I’m very pleased,’ said Goodwin. ‘I’m delighted to get that first win, it has been a long time coming. And it means, as a group, we still have a chance to make amends for the season.
‘The players are an honest group, they don’t need told what has happened hasn’t been acceptable for a club of this size. We’re in a position we shouldn’t be in with the quality we have in the squad.
‘We’ve got time, we’ve got a couple of games to put it right if everything goes in our favour, albeit we are relying on other teams to do us a favour.
‘We still believe we have a chance and we won’t give up — we’ll keep trying.’
The Dons nearly made the breakthrough inside 10 minutes. Connor McLennan met Besuijen’s cross at the back post only to see Hibs goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski, starting ahead of the injured Matt Macey, make a save. The rebound fell to Christian Ramirez but the visitors scrambled the ball behind.
Hibs’ opener arrived 10 minutes later as Ramsay’s attempt at the back post to deal with Chris Cadden’s cross from the right resulted in the Dons full-back diverting the ball into his own net under pressure from Josh Doig.
The hosts were level, however, eight minutes before half-time. Connor Barron’s shot from 25 yards looked harmless but the ball struck Rocky Bushiri’s arm just inside the box. The defender — back for Hibs after suspension — appealed but referee Alan Muir was unmoved. Up stepped Ferguson to blast the spot-kick beyond Dabrowski.
The Aberdeen midfielder almost turned the game around in spectacular fashion six minutes after the restart when his cross from the left looked to have caught out Dabrowski but the keeper tipped the ball over the bar.
This game exploded midway through the second half as the Dons took the lead. Barron swung in a free-kick from the left and David Bates’ header crashed off the bar. As McCrorie tried to meet the rebound, Porteous wiped him out.
Muir flashed a red card to the Hibs defender as the visitors raged and Ferguson was spot-on again, sending Dabrowski the wrong way.
‘The game changed with two decisions,’ said Maloney. ‘For the first penalty, the ball hits Rocky’s knee before it hit his arm. The rules mean it shouldn’t be a penalty.
‘It was definitely a penalty with Ryan but he made a genuine attempt to win the ball, so he shouldn’t be red-carded. The two decisions change the game.
‘At the moment, I think I will appeal it (Porteous’ red). We’ll look at it on Monday but for me it was incorrect. It’s disappointing because it has a big effect on the game.’
Aberdeen were suddenly buzzing having gained the advantage. Ferguson sensed a hat-trick but his shot from 20 yards was deflected behind. From the corner, Bates headed just over the bar.
There was a welcome sight for the Dons when attacker Watkins came off the bench to make his comeback from injury following his absence since Boxing Day.
And the cheers got even louder within two minutes when Watkins’ delivery from the right was met first time by Besuijen, who unleased a superb effort high into the net from the edge of the box. Game over.
Hailing Ferguson after he missed his previous penalty in the defeat at Hearts earlier this month, Goodwin added: ‘He does deserve special mention because it takes a lot of courage to step up there in front of a big crowd having missed your previous penalty.’ ABERDEEN (4-3-3): Lewis; Ramsay (McGeouch 78), Gallagher, Bates, Hayes; Ferguson, Barron (Polvara 89), McCrorie; Besuijen (Jenks 90), Ramirez (Ruth 87), McLennan (Watkins 78).
Subs (not used): Woods, Considine.
Booked: McCrorie, Bates.
HIBERNIAN (3-4-3): Dabrowski; Bushiri, Porteous, Doig; Cadden, Campbell, Newell (Henderson 82), Stevenson (Hanlon 82); Wright (Mueller 61), Melkersen (O’Connor 82), Jasper. Subs (not used): Mitchell, Doidge, Doyle-Hayes, Hauge, MacIntyre.
Booked: Newell, Campbell, Stevenson, Henderson. Sent off: Porteous.
Referee: Alan Muir. Attendance: 15,321.