Aberdeen Euro experience 'steep learning curve', says Jonny Hayes

Aberdeen veteran Jonny Hayes reckons they are already learning important lessons during their latest European run.  The Dons registered their first Europa Conference League Group G point following a scrappy 1-1 draw with Finnish giants HJK Helsinki on Thursday. Bojan Miovski was on hand to pounce on a defensive mistake and nod the ball beyond Jesse Ost after Bojan Radulovic had opened the scoring with a powerful shot from six yards out in a hard-fought clash at Pittodrie. Aberdeen's failure to win on home soil has left Barry Robson's men propping up the table, however Hayes has seen enough from the young squad to believe they can still progress to the knockout stage. He said: "Everyone is learning. It’s a young group. There are not many players over the age of 25, 26. Again, part of the club’s DNA is developing young players and playing in Europe will certainly help them learn. "For me, regardless of whether you’re 36 like me or a Ryan Duncan or Connor Barron, every day is about learning. I suppose it’s a steep learning curve for some of the lads who’ve come over and within three or four games they’re playing group stage European football. But I think it’s brilliant. You see people like Bojan who really loves playing on that front. It’s a great opportunity but at the same time we’re not just happy to be here." Hayes, who is in his second spell at the Dons, praised his team's character as they fought back to rescue a point against the current Veikkausliiga champions. He continued: "It’s obviously disappointing not to win the game. But there are still positives to take. I thought we controlled a lot of the game, bar about ten or 15 minutes in the second half when they scored.   "Even then, I don’t think it was a case of us sitting back. In Europe, you know you’re going to come up against a decent level of technical opposition. There will always be spells of a game you can’t control.   "You have to be aware of those times in games and be ready to defend as a team. We obviously conceded and we’ll look back at that to see what we could have done better. But the reaction to get back into the game and then try and win it was good from the boys. "I’ll never be one for celebrating a draw at home but it shows there is a fighting spirit among the group. If you were in the dressing room after, you’d have seen the boys were a bit distraught after not winning the game." Aberdeen created countless chances without really testing HJK goalkeeper Jesse Ost until Miovski's goal and Hayes knows the supporters will have expected a more clinical showing, especially playing at a packed Pittodrie. He confessed: "You can see we got into good areas, put balls in the box, had through passes and the strikers had chances. It just seemed to be we didn’t get the break of the ball or that little bit of luck you need sometimes. Particularly when you know the margins are so fine. "All you want is a set piece to hit off someone’s shoulder and drop. If you look at the goal against Ross County when Richard manoeuvred himself and the ball drops for us, that didn’t happen. Connor and Leighton put in some terrific balls. We got first contacts on them, we just didn’t take our chances. "Of course you can look at the positive that we’re creating chances but, for me, playing at home at Pittodrie we definitely won’t be celebrating a draw." Struggling St Johnstone visit Pittodrie on Sunday as attention returns back to the Scottish Premiership. And Hayes can sense Aberdeen's new-look squad are finally beginning to settle in and gel with another third place finish firmly in their sights, although he insists he hasn't checked the league standings quite yet. "It’s still early days," the 36-year-old admitted. "A lot of teams are still finding their feet. There has been a big turnover of players at a lot of clubs, ourselves included. It’s still about getting into a rhythm but it’s starting to bed in now. You’ve seen a lot of good performances over the last couple of weeks where the boys have really taken to the tactics and been solid defensively, that’s our foundation and you saw that at the back end of last season. "All the little things are starting to add up. Back on the domestic front on Sunday, playing at home again, it goes without saying that we will try and win that game. The fans expect nothing less but it’s another tough game regardless of league position. A lot of teams are fighting and scrapping for every point this year because they see the fine margins of finishing third, fourth, fifth etc and the rewards that come with it. "Everyone will want what we’ve done and Hearts the year before, getting into Europe. There will be a number of teams fighting for those positions. It’s probably why a lot of games have felt a bit scrappy so far."