Aberdeen 2 - 2 Hibernian

The Dons twice came from behind at Pittodrie to earn a replay at Easter Road next week. Aberdeen dominated the first half but found themselves a goal behind after a blunder by Langfield allowed Sproule an easy tap in. Brewster and Maguire came on at the interval and the veteran striker grabbed his first goal for the Dons to level the tie. Hibs regained the lead through Killen and the Edinburgh side appeared to be in control before Brewster set up Nicholson for a dramatic late equaliser.

Aberdeen kicked off yet Hibs were first to threaten when they awarded a soft free kick in the opening minute, but fortunately the Dons defence coped well. Two minutes later Mackie beat the offside trap but as Lee Miller cut inside Mackie delivered long and the chance was gone. A late flag in the 4th minute denied Killen, but Langfield blocked the effort in any event. Severin then made an ambitious effort from distance in the sixth minute but McNeil gathered comfortably. At the other end Anderson and Hart denied Sproule as the game moved from end to end.

Whittaker then tested Langfield in the 9th minute but the keeper saved well while at the other end a Severin shot was blocked by Lee Miller. Foster then went close with a low drive in the 15th minute and the keeper could only block the effort and turn it round the post for the first corner of the game. The set play came to nothing as McNeil comfortably plucked the ball from the air. Three minutes later Mackie was released on the right but under pressure the striker failed to get any power in his shot. In the 20th minute Mackie had Jones and McNeil in all sorts of trouble outside their penalty area and he was unbelievably penalised for the challenge when it looked as if the keeper had crashed into the striker.

Aberdeen should have taken the lead in the 24th minute but were denied by a great double save from McNeil. First Dempsey split the defence with a great pass to Mackie, but the keeper blocked his shot before the ball fell to Nicholson on the edge of the box and the keeper dived full length to his left to turn the ball away. A tame effort from Dempsey on the half hour mark failed to test McNeil then three minutes later a clever reverse pass from Foster just failed to release Miller. The Dons then won a double corner and Severin should have done better with the second as he volleyed well over from the edge of the box.

A low cross from Nicholson in the 36th minute missed everyone then a minute later a Miller header scraped past the post with the keeper scurrying across his goal. Hibs then took the lead in the 43rd minute. Sproule had went close with a low drive that was collected by Hibs wide on the right. The ball came back into the middle and a weak Whittaker shot was spilled by Langfield allowing Sproule to net with a simple tap in. Hibs finished the half on the attack and they won their first corner kick deep in injury time.

Calderwood made a double change at the interval with Brewster and Maguire replacing Dempsey and Considine. It was Hibs who threatened first however when a shot was deflected over the bar in the 46th minute winning Hibs their second corner of the match. The corner was cleared and Aberdeen threatened three minutes later when a Maguire cross was sliced for a corner. The 7,905 crowd were getting behind the Dons now as the atmosphere was notched up. Shiels collected the first yellow card of the match in the 54th minute as Aberdeen continued to threaten.

Calderwood's substitution paid dividends in the 58th minute when Brewster swooped to head home a Mackie cross and claim his first goal for the club. It was now a real cup-tie as both teams looked to get forward. Mackie almost closed down McNeil as he delayed a clearance before Hibs won a corner in the 68th minute. The ball fell tamely into the arms of Langfield but his quick clearance failed to release Mackie. A good run from Severin a minute later was wasted when a 1-2 with Miller failed to open up the Hibs defence.

Aberdeen were now depleted at the back with Mackie, Miller, Brewster and Maguire all on the field and they were exposed in the 72nd minute when Hibs regained the lead. A cross from Stewart was well finished by Killen as he beat Anderson to the ball and gave Langfield no chance with his drive. Beuzelin then went close a minute later as Hibs looked to finish the tie. Lovell replaced Miller in the 76th minute as Calderwood made his last change. Hibs were once again awarded a soft free kick 30 yards out but Langfield gathered easily from Murphy's effort.

Hibs were in control of the match by this stage, but Severin had a shot blocked in the 81st minute before the midfielder collected a yellow card three minutes later as Benjelloun went down as though he had been shot from the stands. Aberdeen then won a free kick wide left in the 87th minute and Jones was forced to clear Nicholson's cross for a corner. A minute later Brewster cushioned a Severin cross down into the path of Nicholson and he fired the ball into the net for a dramatic equaliser. There were three minutes of injury time but neither side could grab a winner and the two sides must do it all again next week at Easter Road.

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Match Stats:

		Dons	Hibs
Goal Attempts		10	9
On Target		8	7
Corners		6	7
Possession		47%	53%

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