Aberdeen 3-1 Hibernian

By Julian Taylor

Lee Miller wheels away in delight after netting Aberdeen's equaliser

Aberdeen moved above Hearts and into the SPL top six with a well-deserved win over Hibernian at Pittodrie.

Hibs went ahead against the run of play with a superb 23rd-minute Steven Fletcher strike, but Lee Miller headed the Dons level nine minutes later.

Chris Clark scored from a deflection a minute after the break as the visitors failed to match Aberdeen's industry.

Derek Young sealed Hibs' fate in the 85th minute with a low 25-yard shot with the Dons in total control.

Interview: Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood

Interview: Hibernian manager John Collins

It was a disappointing performance from Hibernian and this setback now leaves them five points adrift from second-placed Rangers.

Aberdeen were hoping to get back to winning ways after the 2-0 Uefa Cup defeat against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.

The Dons made changes for the visit of the Edinburgh outfit with Jamie Smith, Jackie McNamara and Zander Diamond all absent.

Club captain Scott Severin was only named as a substitute, with Barry Nicholson, Clark, Lee Mair and Chris Maguire all handed starts.

Hibs, meanwhile, made three alterations to the team that fought back to draw 2-2 at home to Dundee United.

Guillaume Beuzelin, Thierry Gathuessi and Mickael Antoine-Curier came in, with Rob Jones and Alan O'Brien not in the squad and Ross Chisholm dropping to the bench.

Hibs were surprisngly off the pace in the early stages and Aberdeen enjoyed plenty of possession as they looked to pierce the visiting defence.

It took 22 minutes for the Dons to carve out their first chance. Michael Hart's cross found Miller, who knocked the ball invitingly to Nicholson, but the latter couldn't keep his header down.

Steven Fletcher had earlier fired the Hibees in front

At the time it looked costly as the Hibees went in front.

A searching pass by Merouane Zemmama easily cut through the Reds rearguard to find Fletcher, who proceeded to turn Mair inside out before clipping an angled left-foot shot past Jamie Langfield.

It was an exquisite finish by the Scotland Under-21 striker to shock Aberdeen.

Relief for the home side arrived in the 32nd minute, with Miller using his physical presence to net the equaliser.

Ricky Foster played Clark into space on the left and the midfielder's weighted far-post cross was an open invitation for Miller to power the ball home.

The goal sparked a confident push from the Dons, orchestrated in particular by Clark, and Jimmy Calderwood's men carried their positive play beyond the break, although their second goal was somewhat fortuitous.

Nicholson laid off a free-kick into Clark's path just outside the penalty area and his powerful drive appeared to come off Gattheussi in Hibs' defensive wall to spin beyond Yves Ma-Kalambay.

Zemmama was replaced by Filipe Morais for Hibs, but the Dons were hungry and Ma-Kalamby made a smart save from a close range Clark swipe.

Morais fired a shot over as the visitors looked for a reprieve but it was Ma-Kalamby who continued to be the busier of the two goalkeepers, making a good save from Dons substitute Severin's volley.

Young capped a good afternoon's work for Aberdeen with a raking angled shot which Ma-Kalamby could not prevent from skidding into the net at his near post.

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Aberdeen: Langfield, Hart, Mair, Byrne, Foster, Nicholson, Touzani (Severin 67), Clark (De Visscher 79), Young, Miller, Maguire (Lovell 67). Subs Not Used: Soutar, Considine, Jonathan Smith, Aluko.

Booked: Young, Touzani.

Goals: Miller 33, Clark 47, Young 86.

Hibernian: Ma-Kalambay, McCann, Gathuessi, Hogg, Murphy, Zemmama (Morais 55), Beuzelin (Shiels 76), Kerr, Stevenson, Fletcher, Antoine-Curier (Benjelloun 55). Subs Not Used: McNeil, Donaldson, Chisholm, Joneleit.

Booked: Kerr, Gathuessi.

Goals: Fletcher 24.

Att: 10,110

Ref: C Thomson