Hearts back on top thanks to Crabbe

james traynor

10 Oct 1991

Hearts 1, Aberdeen 0

IT WAS a relief when the referee, Douglas Hope, finally called a halt to last night's match at Tynecastle.

There had been hardly any football.

Instead, most of the players pounded over the turf trying to make the ball bleed whenever it ran into their paths.

There were one or two players of genuine quality on both sides, but as is the way in premier-division football, they were not often allowed to slow the ball down and provide some subtlety.

Derek Ferguson had one or two moments and touches for Hearts, but that was more than Jim Bett managed for the other side, and that was a great pity.

Bett is the sort of player who can add colour to any match, but he was anonymous for much of the evening, a disappointment which perhaps can be attributed to a hip injury which he picked up in the opening minutes.

The goal which took Hearts back to the top was scored early on by Scott Crabbe, but the Pittodrie side must have left for home wondering what had gone wrong for them.

There is no doubt that when they do play they are the most attractive side in the top division, which is why it is always depressing to watch them on nights like this.

Nevertheless, the Dons still were the dominant side.

Even though they did not reach their own highest standards, they did not deserve to lose.

Hearts manager Joe Jordan is realistic enough to know that his team will have to improve if they are to remain top.

Most of the customers arrived expecting to see a weakened Hearts side, but the two casualties of the weekend's activities, David McPherson and Ian Baird, were in their usual places in the centre of defence and attack respectively.

The sight of McPherson patrolling his defensive beat would have been pleasant for Scotland's manager, Andy Roxburgh, whose squad for next week's vital match in Bucharest was further reduced yesterday afternoon when Maurice Johnston withdrew with an ankle injury.

McPherson's mobility was tested early on as Aberdeen surged forward.

There was much frantic back-pedalling in the Hearts' defence, but Levein, another of Roxburgh's squad members, dispossessed Booth, and then McLaren tackled Grant just as he was about to shoot.

Hearts were first to display any real menace, when Crabbe tried a low, angled drive in the first minute.

Snelders smothered the shot, but his defenders did not heed the warning.

With only 10 minutes gone the Tynecastle side won a free kick, from which McLaren lifted the ball into the middle of Aberdeen's box.

Baird's slight touch carried to Crabbe, whose finish was precise.

Again the combination of big and small up front for Hearts had been decisive, with Baird looking like Gulliver among the Lilliputians whenever Crabbe and Robertson were close by.

This trio's work-rate is remarkable.

While the speed of Crabbe and Robertson, in particular, was stretching the Dons' back-line, an attack in the opposite direction in 25 minutes brought everyone, apart from Snelders, together in Hearts' box.

Aberdeen were awarded a free kick deep on the left, and as Irvine trundled into the danger zone he appeared to come into contact with Levein.

Irvine collapsed and it was like a Scottish League production of West Side Story as the players ran at one another in gangs.

Mason was seen to throw a punch in the direction of Levein.

It was difficult to see exactly who was doing what thereafter, but when order was restored the referee booked Mason, who was fortunate not to have been sent off.

Apart from childish brawling, the players wasted energy in charging around the pitch without any obvious method or direction, but even so Aberdeen were able to keep their opponents pressed back into their own half for long periods.

Hearts, particularly in the second half, were playing a dangerous game.

Grant had two opportunities to equalise, but he was denied on both occasions.

If Aberdeen had attempted to bring more control to their work they might have fared better in their attempts to find the net, but they proceeded as before, although they did stop the game in 67 minutes.

That was only to make a substitution.

Booth went off and Watson took over.

Hearts made a change of their own when they took off Baird and sent on their new man, Ferguson.

The substitution was made while McKinlay was being booked for having obstructed Bett.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, Mackay, McPherson, Crabbe, D Ferguson, Baird, Millar, Robertson.

Substitutes -- I Ferguson, Wright.

ABERDEEN -- Snelders, Mason, Connor, Grant, Irvine, McKimmie, van de Ven, Bett, Booth, Ten Caat, Jess.

Substitutes -- Van der Ark, Watson.

Referee -- D Hope (Erskine).

Taken from the Herald