Aberdeen 0 - 0 Hearts

By Clive Lindsay

Aberdeen and Hearts cancelled each other out as both were denied a third Scottish Premier League win in a row in an entertaining game at Pittodrie.

Hearts had Marian Kello to thank for a point, the goalkeeper saving superbly from Sone Aluko then denying Rory McArdle and Chris Maguire.

Rudi Skacel tested Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield after the break.

But Aberdeen were the more fluent side with Ryan Jack missed a good chance and Nick Blackman had a fine effort saved.

However, the home side were unable to force what would have been their first run of three successive league victories since December 2008.

And it meant that Craig Brown's side failed to move above St Johnstone and Dundee United into seventh place in the league.

It was also a missed opportunity for Hearts, who were seeking their fourth win in a row over the Dons and their third at Pittodrie.

The three points would also have taken Jim Jefferies side above second placed Rangers, who face St Johnstone on Sunday.

With opposite number Brown unhappy at the style of the midweek win over Hamilton, Aberdeen captain Paul Hartley returned to the starting line-up in place of Derek Young, while Andrew Considine came in for the absent Zander Diamond.

The reorganised side started the better and when Aluko sent a left-foot drive curling towards the right-hand corner of the Hearts goal, Kello stretched superbly to turn it over the crossbar.

Aberdeen were reduced to 10 men for almost five minutes while McArdle was bandaged after a clash of heads with Skacel.

McArdle returned and immediately forced Kello into another save, the central defender rising to meet a corner and sending a powerful header towards goal.

Hearts had started without suspended midfielders Ian Black and Ruben Palazuelos, while Lee Wallace, David Obua and Suso Santana dropped out through injury.

So Andrew Driver, David Templeton, Ryan Stevenson, Craig Thomson and Adrian Mrowiec were all drafted in as replacements.

Perhaps as a result Hearts looked disjointed, but they forced a corner and, following a bobbling 15-yard shot from Marius Zaliukas, Hartley was forced to head clear from in front of his own goal.

However, it was Aberdeen who were playing the better football on the rutted surface and, following a fine flowing move, a low Maguire shot came off Kello's legs before being thumped clear by Zaliukas.

Hearts were forced into a substitution after 30 minutes, with Ismael Bouzid replacing Andy Webster to add to the former Rangers centre-half's catalogue of injuries.

Algerian Bouzid was immediately booked for a lunging tackle on Steven Smith.

The visitors remained dogged and a dipping Stephen Elliott drive from 20 yards flew a couple of feet wide.

Hearts were first to threaten after the break, with a powerful Skacel drive forcing Langfield to turn it wide at full stretch.

From the corner, a Zaliukas header flashed over the crossbar.

The Dons remained the more fluent side and when Jack weighted a pass into the path of Aluko, the Nigeria forward sent his side-footed effort straight at Kello from 16 yards.

Kello held a low 18-yard drive from Maguire as Aberdeen pressed for a goal.

Jack squandered a good chance after 75 minutes when he weaved into the Hearts box but fired into the side netting, while David Templeton had claims for a penalty turned down following a McArdle challenge at the other end.

Another superb Kello save to turn wide Blackman's powerful strike ensured that the Edinburgh side, who defeated the Dons 5-0 in their last meeting, completed a fourth game in a row against Aberdeen without conceding a goal.

Taken from the BBC