Aberdeen secured their place in the top six of the Bank of Scotland Premier League by defeating Hibernian - thanks to a stunning Scott Severin goal.

The former Hearts' midfielder capitalised on a loose defensive header from Chris Hogg following a Ferne Snoyl corner in the 21st minute and executed a fine volley which found the corner of Zbigniew Malkowski's net.

Hibs' best opportunity came in the 32nd minute from a Derek Riordan free-kick, but Jamie Langfield thwarted the striker with a good save at his far post.

Match-winner Severin was the first to try his luck in the fourth minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but under pressure from a clutch of defenders, he pulled his effort just wide.

Eight minutes then elapsed before the next chance arrived, when after a clever interchange with strike partner Steve Lovell, Stevie Crawford curled an effort towards goal from 20 yards which was easily saved by the Hibs' goalkeeper.

The visitors were slow to start and offered little in attack, with an ambitious Riordan free-kick from 30 yards after 16 minutes all the Easter Road side could muster before Hibs fell behind to a wonderful strike from Severin five minutes later.

Snoyl's corner was headed up into the air by Hogg and Severin showed excellent technique to strike the ball full on the volley past the helpless Malkowski to score only his second goal of the season.

Hibs' response was another Riordan free-kick from distance which this time drew a fine save from Langfield, before five minutes before the break Lovell wasted a good opportunity to test Malkowski when he could only shoot tamely at goal from 18 yards.

Three minutes into the second period an inswinging cross from Snoyl on the left gave Lovell the chance to send a volley from 10 yards towards goal, but Malkowski was well positioned to make a comfortable block.

Hibs were unfortunate not to score when Riordan's goalbound overhead kick struck Kevin McNaughton on the six-yard line and rebounded to Steven Whittaker who placed a right-footed effort just wide.

With 11 minutes remaining, Aberdeen should have gone 2-0 up when Jamie Smith's cross presented Lovell with a great chance only six yards out, but somehow the striker ballooned his effort over the crossbar.

That miss almost proved costly as with time running out a long throughball from Hogg completely opened up a static Aberdeen backline.

Steven Fletcher had made a clever run in behind Zander Diamond to connect with the pass, but his side-footed effort was beaten away by Langfield to keep the Dons in the lead.

Aberdeen finished on the front foot and were unlucky not to score a late second when a shot across goal from Lovell was hacked off the line by Gary Caldwell.

Teams

Aberdeen Langfield, Diamond, Anderson, McNaughton, Clark,Smith, Severin, Dempsey (Griffin 87), Snoyl (Foster 90),Crawford (Mackie 70), Lovell.

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Stewart, Considine, Macauley.

Booked: Dempsey.

Goals: Severin 21.

Hibernian Malkowski, Shields (Dalglish 70), Caldwell, Hogg,Murphy, Whittaker, Konde, Thomson, Fletcher,Riordan (Konte 66), Benjelloun.

Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Glass, McCluskey, Darren Smith,

Lynch.

Booked: Thomson, Konte.

Att: 14,110

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).