Hibernian 1 - 1 Aberdeen

Manager Derek McInnes made one change with a fit again Tommie Hoban coming in for the injured Scott Wright. Options on the bench were increased significantly with Shay Logan returning from suspension and Niall McGinn and James Wilson from injury.

Aberdeen, operating with a back three of Hoban, Devlin and Considine, looked comfortable in the first five minutes as they matched up to the Hibs formation.
The first chance fell to the hosts on six minutes. Space opened up for Paul Hanlon on the left and his low cross was not taken clearly by Joe Lewis. Martin Boyle appeared to have reacted quickest to the rebound but Andrew Considine used his strength to get the better of Boyle. Hibs appealed for a penalty but referee Andrew Dallas correctly waved play on.
On nine minutes good link up play saw May drift into space about 25 yards. The striker dinked a ball into the box looking for the run Shinnie and the captain very neatly got on the end of it. Daryl Horgan then put a shot from wide into the side netting before the home side won the games first corner on 11 minutes which Dons dealt with. Then Lewis Stevenson, who was finding a lot of space on the left, put over a couple of dangerous crosses which again the Dons defended well.
It was quite an open first 15 minutes.
Hibs were still getting too much space on the left and on 16 minutes they very nearly took the lead. Horgan in the central position received a pass from left back Lewis Stevenson and it took a quite brilliant save from Joe Lewis to keep out the shot from the Irish winger. Aberdeen then cleared the resulting corner. 20 minutes in Boyle used his pace to get away from Ferguson and was able to fire in a shot which thankfully never troubled Lewis.
Hibs were on top at this stage but a GMS forward pass very nearly put May in the clear. As it was from the throw-in May was able to get in a cross which found Shinnie and his right footed shot was on target but Ambrose managed to make a block in the six yard box.
On 28 minutes Frank Ross won Aberdeen their first corner and a few minutes later he then won a second. The ball was worked short before GMS found May at the back post and his looping header had Bogdan scrambling back across his line. Then Ferguson had a snap shot on the edge of the area which Bogdan did well to turn the post. The keeper would not have seen the ball till late.
It was better from the visitors who were now asking some questions of the home defence.
Some slack passing on 36 minutes allowed Boyle a run in on goal but Considine forced him wide and Lewis made a routine save at the expense of another corner. More pressure from Neil Lennon?s side as they forced another corner within quick succession, but the Dons defence held firm.
On 42 minutes Aberdeen looked to have been denied a stonewall penalty. On the brake Ferguson and May did brilliantly, Stevie playing the ball back into the path of Ferguson who went over in the box, but the referee waved play on despite the screams from the Aberdeen players and management. Hanlon, who had already been booked, committed the foul and might have faced a red card.
However, on the stroke of half time Aberdeen took a dramatic lead. From a corner the ball went to the back post and May headed it back across goal. Tommie Hoban managed to get a hooked shot away which Bogdan half stopped on the line. The keeper then tried desperately to grab the ball but it appeared to wriggle from under him and Hoban following up was able to prod the ball over the line. It was great perseverance from the on-loan Watford man.

Half Time: Hibernian 0 Aberdeen 1