Hibs kept alive their slim hopes of staying in the Premier Division after Tony
Rougier netted an injury time penalty for the second time in two weeks.
He kept his cool to convert the kick, just like he did at St Johnstone a
fortnight previously.
Aberdeen looked to have grabbed the points with a superb Eoin Jess second half
free-kick.
But the last-gasp equaliser was no more than Hibs deserved after subjecting
Aberdeen to waves of first-half attacks without reward.
Hibs gave new signing Justin Skinner his debut and recalled Michael Renwick
for his first start since November, while Aberdeen started with the 11 which
narrowly lost to Celtic last week.
Hibs started like a whirlwind and immediately pinned Aberdeen back. Defender
Darren Dods almost gave them a sixth minute lead when he half-volleyed over the
bar from 15 yards.
It took Aberdeen 12 minutes to mount their first serious attack and winger Joe
Miller almost gave them the lead when he hit a ferocious drive inches over.
There was controversy in the 17th minute when Aberdeen centre Russell Anderson
brought down Rougier after already being booked in the fourth minute. Hibs fans
were outraged at the referee's decision to let him away with it.
Hibs striker Stevie Crawford missed a great chance in the 21st minute when
Kevin Harper swung over a superb cross from the right which sailed over keeper
Jim Leighton's head only for Crawford to poke wide from inside the six-yard
box.
It was no surprise when Aberdeen manager Alex Miller substituted right-back
Anderson in the 26th minute as he was having a torrid time against a rampant
Hibs frontline.
Brilliant skills from man-of-the-match Rougier in the 35th minute almost set
up Hibs' opener.
From a standing position on the left he skipped past two Aberdeen defenders
before delivering a cross which Crawford headed wide.
A 39th minute Jess effort which sailed 30 yards over the bar just about summed
up the attempts of the Pittodrie side in the first period.
Yet it was a different Dons who came out in the second half after presumably
receiving a stern talking-to from manager Miller.
And they almost stunned Hibs when Billy Dodds headed a Jess free-kick off the
roof of the crossbar.
Then Aberdeen's Brian O'Neill came close in the 53rd minute with a 30-yard
drive which whizzed a couple of inches over.
Hibs goalkeeper Bryan Gunn did extremely well to tip away a superb curling
effort from Joe Miller which was heading for the top left corner.
Aberdeen shocked the huge Hibs support with a wonder goal from Jess in the
68th minute.
The Dons star, who had made his Scotland comeback in midweek, curled a
magnificent 30 yard free-kick round the wall and into the net.
It looked all over for Hibs until referee Gary Mitchell handed Hibs a lifeline
when Aberdeen midfielder David Rowson was adjudged to have handled Crawford's
shot.
Rougier stepped up to stroke home the penalty and save Hibs' day.
Teams
Hibernian: Gunn, Renwick, Boco (Tosh 79), Brebner, Dods, Welsh,
Harper, Rougier, Crawford, Skinner (Dow 57), McGinlay.
Subs Not Used: Donald.
Goals: Rougier 90 pen.
Aberdeen: Leighton, Anderson (Buchan 26), Whyte, O'Neil, Inglis,
Smith, Miller (Gillies 70), Jess, Rowson, Dodds,
Glass (Windass 66).
Booked: Anderson, Smith, Glass.
Goals: Jess 68.
Att: 12,966
Ref: G Mitchell (Arbroath).
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