Barry Robson put Aberdeen bang in the fight for this third spot and put the ball firmly in the court of the Pittodrie board in their managerial hunt.
The chants of “One Barry Robson” rang round Pittodrie, as the Red Army watched their team cut Hearts lead to just four points. Aberdeen will continue the interview process next week but surely Robson has to be front and centre on the back of three wins on the bounce - the first time the Dons have done that in 15 months. The interim boss watched as a Duk double and Mattie Pollock’s first for the club left Hearts on a run of four defeats in the last five.
Robson diplomatically said: "No, I've not spoken to them (the board). It's something you'll need to ask them. Let's just keep winning games. I’ve been with the club a long time. I'm from up here. I’m not bothered about them singing my name, I just want to win football matches for them. I just want them to go home happy.
“Some of those fans have been working all week, they come here and just want to see a bit of excitement and want to go home with their families, with their mates, have a pint and chat about the game. That's what I'm in the job for. I just want them to be happy and enjoy watching their team.”
Aberdeen went into the World Cup break in third. Can they wrestle it back? Robson, however, is refusing to get carried away.
He added: “Let's just keep winning games. You know what I am like, I can only focus on one thing at a time and that's winning football matches and not looking any further. It was a good result for us today and they are a good side.”
Amazingly, eight of this same starting XI had lost 5-0 at Tynecastle, back in January, in one of Jim Goodwin’s final stands as Dons boss. January signings Pollock and Angus MacDonald, while Kelle Roos also came between the sticks, for the first time since he was injured in the League Cup semi-final defeat in January.
The Dons took the lead in the fifth minute and it was a defensive shambles from Hearts.
Barrie McKay all too easily let Graeme Shine cut inside him and put in a low cross that Zander Clark could only get a weak touch on before Kye Rowles tried to hook clear but if fell to Duk and his shot, which could have taken a slight deflection, arrowed past Clark at his near post. Hearts might have been sitting best of the rest but they got nowhere near those levels.
They were second best from the first whistle to the last. The second goal came in the 21st minute.
Pollock’s cross from the right found the head of Duk, one of the smallest men on the pitch, who headed it easily beyond Clark. Hearts had a wild shot over from Michale Smith but offered very little else. Hearts looked lost and slow and pedestrian all over the park.
That was in sharp contrast to Aberdeen who were strong, quick and first to just about every ball. It wasn’t a case of if but when Aberdeen would score again. It came when Leighton Clarkson curled in a free kick from the right and Pollock’s diving header powered past Clark in the 28th minute. Hearts were a shambles and it was looking like a cricket score to reverse the last outing.
Neilson reacted by sending on Stephen Kingsley for Alex Cochrane in the 34th minute. Aberdeen then lost Jonny Hayes through injury and was replaced by Hayden Coulson. A Toby Sibbick error let Aberdeen in again but Clark saved Duk’s long-range effort.
The Hearts defender then raced clear and sent Robert Snodgrass clear but he fired wide, as Hearts showed a bit more fight in the second half. Pollock saw a header saved and then another of his effort’s deflected off the bar. The final whistle saw wild home celebrations. Robson didn’t milk it. He shook Shinnie’s hand and then ran for the tunnel.
The disgruntled Hearts support let their players and staff know, in no uncertain terms, what they had witnessed was simply unacceptable.
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