Heart of Midlothian 3 - 0 Aberdeen

HT Score: Heart of Midlothian 3 - 0 Aberdeen

Scottish Cup Fourth Round

Heart of Midlothian scorers: Pospisil (21), Elliot (35), Pressley (45 pen)

04/02/2006 | KO: 15:00

Controversy surrounds Dons exit

Although the score line suggests a heavy defeat this match turned on two controversial decisions from Kenny Clark. Four minutes after Hearts had taken the lead against the run of play Crawford was clearly pulled back as he went to shoot. A stonewall penalty and the Hearts player would have had to walk. Kenny Clark appeared to be the only person in Tynecastle to miss it and ten minutes later the Dons were 2-0 down. Then on the stroke of half time Diamond tripped Pospisil outside the penalty area and Kenny Clark awarded a spot kick and dismissed Diamond. The Dons players furiously surrounded the officials at the interval then continued to battle in the second half but the damage had already been done.

Hearts kicked off and both sides went for it from the start in a cauldron of noise. Hearts won the first corner of the match in the 2nd minute but Severin cleared his lines well and a minute later Crawford and Smith linked well before Webster cleared the danger. Aberdeen were fighting for every ball and were giving as good as they got and in the 5th minute a set play found Severin who headed his effort straight at Gordon. Severin in particular was biting in the middle of the park and two minutes later Foster created a great chance before Pressley bundled the ball clear.

Aberdeen had started strongly but were finding it difficult to get in behind the Hearts defence, but in the 13th minute Langfield stumbled and almost gifted a chance to Johnson. Seconds later Crawford won a free kick and Diamond came in at the back post to head the ball across goal but the ball was cleared. A minute later the Dons won their first corner but again Hearts cleared before the ball was quickly returned and Griffin had an effort blocked. As the game raged from end to end Hearts won another corner and the defence failed to pick up Goncalves as he headed over. Aberdeen broke quickly and Smith unleashed an effort from 30 yards out.

There was a worrying moment for Aberdeen in the 19th minute when Elliot fouled McNaughton and he landed awkwardly. Fortunately he recovered and a minute later Smith broke and had his legs taken from him by Brellier. From the free kick Severin rushed his effort and fired wide then Hearts broke up field and took the lead against the run of play with a magnificent volley from Pospisil. Aberdeen came back at Hearts led by Severin who continued to lead from the middle. Aberdeen then had a stonewall penalty claim turned down in the 25th minute when Crawford was clearly pulled back as he was set to shoot from six yards.

The Aberdeen players were livid with the decision and for the next five minutes concentration appeared to be lost as a series of decisions went against them. Smith then worked his way towards goal but there were no colleagues at the back post to take advantage. Disaster then struck Aberdeen in the 35th minute when Elliot added a second after good work on the left to leave Aberdeen with another fight back from 2-0 down. Aberdeen almost pulled one back two minutes later after a good run from Smith set up Crawford and he drilled his effort inches wide from the edge of the box.

A minute from time Langfield came for a ball and completely missed it forcing Griffin to boot clear. Then in injury time Hearts were awarded a penalty and Diamond was given a straight red card as Pospisil looked set to shoot. The only problem with this was that the challenge looked to have come outside the box but we will have to wait for TV pictures to confirm that. Pressley stepped up to fire in the third for a score line that more than flattered the Tynecastle men. As the half time whistle sounded furious Aberdeen players who had every right to feel aggrieved surrounded the officials.

Calderwood introduced John Stewart for Foster as the second half kicked off with a reshuffled ten men. Aberdeen won an early free kick but Gordon was able to make a comfortable save then a minute later Crawford set up Nicholson but the midfielder scooped the effort well over the bar. At the other end Langfield made a comfortable save from Cesnauskis before Aberdeen won a corner in the 53rd minute and Severin hooked his effort wide and looked to pick up an injury in the process. Five minutes later another good run from Smith produced another free kick but again the Hearts defence cleared their lines.

Aberdeen peppered the Hearts goal again on the hour mark and both Severin and Stewart went close. Kyle Macaulay was then handed his debut as he replaced Griffin in the 61st minute. Nicholas again played another high free kick four minutes later and the home defence lapped it up again. The match continued to move from end to end as the shape of the match changed little from the opening forty-five minutes. Aberdeen should have scored in the 84th minute when Gordon scooped a Nicholson header away and Crawford failed to turn the rebound into the net.

Young Macaulay then went close a minute later but again Gordon smothered the effort. Then in the 87th minute Stewart looked certain to score when Goncalves put in a timely challenge to deny him. At the other end Chris Clark was equally impressive as he denied Wallace. In the final minute Smith picked up a nasty knock and he was unable to continue allowing the second Dons debut of the day as loan signing Ferne Snoyl came on and showed a couple of nice touches in the short time he was on.

Match Stats:

	Hearts	Dons
Goal Attempts	4	4
On Target	1	2
Corners	3	3
Possession	53%	47%

Heart of Midlothian Teamsheet
Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster Beslija, Cesnauskis, Brellier, Johnson, Goncalves, Elliot, Pospisil. Unused Subs: Makela for Elliot (52), McAllister for Brellier (60), Wallace for Beslija (82)