Barry Robson a happy man as Aberdeen see off Hearts

Posted Sunday, December 10, 2023 by PA

Aberdeen boss Barry Robson claimed his side had finally got the reward their performances deserve after they came from behind to take all three points in an entertaining cinch Premiership match-up with Hearts.

Robson’s side had started slowly and when Lawrence Shankland headed the visitors ahead it was no less than they deserved. But that goal seemed to kick-start Aberdeen, and they were level through a close range Bojan Miovski effort early in the second half.

The game looked to be heading for a draw until Leighton Clarkson turned home from six yards in the second minute of injury time to lift the mood at Pittodrie with a 2-1 win.

Robson said: “I said to my players that they’ve been hard done by at times this season but you can’t complain, and we got what we deserved.

“Over the last three games we’ve had 57 shots and it’s just needed a bit of luck to put the ball in, but they deserve it. They’ve been performing really well at times and not got the rewards they’ve deserved.

“We had to tweak how we wanted to play to deal with the conditions, but we got better as the first half went on. It was a difficult game and the second half performance – if we continue to play like that we’ll be OK”.

Hearts Head Coach Steven Naismith felt his side had beaten themselves and called for his players to show more bravery in the face of adversity.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” he said. “We started really well, really confident and to be so far ahead and then sit here after a defeat is extremely disappointing. We beat ourselves if I’m honest.

“We ended up getting bullied and that’s what’s cost us. As Aberdeen went more direct, we just didn’t deal with the first contacts enough, we didn’t deal with the second balls enough and we didn’t win enough 50-50s.

“If you want to be successful, you have to deal with that in Scottish football”.