REDS RECOVERY

Hedges is a cut above as Glass hails improving Aberdeen

BY the end of a frozen night in Aberdeen, Stephen Glass was sporting the warmest of smiles. The Dons boss had challenged his players to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle by using the hectic festive-fixture list to make an assault on the top six. They could hardly have made a better start.

Dangerously close to the foot of the table at kick-off, Aberdeen ended the evening level on points with sixth-place Hibernian, who have two games in hand.

Ryan Hedges and David Bates, with his first goal for the Pittodrie club, were the men on the scoresheet against a Livi side that finished with ten men on the park after Jackson Longridge’s contested second-half sending off.

But there was much to like about this fine, attacking performance by Aberdeen, even if Glass believed Hedges could have notched a hat-trick.

‘It was the perfect start,’ said the manager after his side’s third win in 17 matches.

‘We were aiming to take six points this week and we’ve taken three. Now we are looking to finish it off.

‘We’ve got St Mirren here on Saturday and we will be looking for another win.

‘But we were pleased with our night’s work. Ryan Hedges was good tonight but he was disappointed he didn’t get two or three goals.

‘He was in good positions and, if you take the goalkeeper out, the net would have been bursting.’

Glass had made two changes from the side that lost 2-1 at Celtic Park last Sunday.

Out went Jack Gurr and Dylan McGeouch, and in came Jay Emmanuel-Thomas against his old club. There was also a midfield return for Funso Ojo after his controversial red card at Tannadice, where his second booking came after being allegedly assaulted by a Dundee United fan.

Livingston boss David Martindale made two changes from the side that lost 3-1 to Rangers at a snowy Tony Macaroni Arena last Sunday. Longridge and Ayo Obileye came in for Jack McMillan and Cristian Montano.

In a first half dominated by Aberdeen, Scott Brown was first to try his luck at goal but his shot from the edge of the box was high and wide.

Hedges saw his claim for a penalty turned down when his shot appeared to strike Stephane Omeonga’s arm. Livingston raced upfield and Bruce Anderson fired in a shot that flashed wide of the post.

But the goal Aberdeen deserved finally arrived after 23 minutes as Hedges was sent scampering down the right flank.

The Welsh attacker cut inside into the box before firing a fierce low drive past Livingston keeper Max Stryjek.

Hedges should have made it two for the home side before the break when sent into the box by USA international striker Christian Ramirez.

Once more, Hedges cut inside and shot low but this time the ball took a deflection and whistled narrowly past the post.

Marley Watkins saw a tame shot easily taken by Stryjek as the Dons tried but failed to add to their slender lead before the break.

Martindale clearly did not like what he had seen in the opening 45 minutes. He made two changes at half-time with Jack Hamilton and Andrew Shinnie replacing Obileye and Anderson.

But the Lions were fortunate to keep ten men on the park when Longridge was only booked for an out-of-control tackle on Ojo.

It would prove a temporary reprieve for the West Lothian side as Longridge picked up a second booking from Napier for fouling Hedges.

That meant the end of the evening for the sacrificed Alan Forrest — and for Livingston as an attacking force — as he was replaced by James Penrice.

And it was game over 15 minutes from time when Jonny Hayes swung over a deep cross from the left. He perfectly picked out the unmarked Bates, who volleyed past Stryjek.

The defeat saw Livingston drop into 11th place but Martindale insisted his side should never have been reduced to ten men.

‘I didn’t think it was a yellow card at the time and I’m even more sure after watching it back,’ sighed Martindale.

‘Hedges cleared the ball and he kicked Jackson on the calf.

‘I think the referee was pulling his card out from the start from the way he ran over. But it was an extremely, extremely, extremely soft second yellow card. From then, the game was done.

‘I can’t appeal it because it was a yellow card. If Funso Ojo can’t get his yellow card (at Dundee United) overturned then I’ve got no chance!

‘But I have to take responsibility for the way we played in the first half because I think I got the shape wrong and we were lucky to go in one down.

‘We got battered in the first half and then the sending off killed the game for us.’

ABERDEEN (3-4-3): Lewis 7; McCrorie 7, Bates 7, Hayes 7; Ojo 7, Brown 7, Ferguson 7, Hedges 8 (Samuels 85); Emmanuel-Thomas 7, Ramirez 7 (McLennan 84), Watkins 7 (McGinn 80). Subs not used: Woods, Jenks, Gurr, Campbell. Booked: None. LIVINGSTON (3-4-2-1): Stryjek 6; Parkes 6, Obileye 4 (Shinnie 46), Fitzwater 6; Longridge 5, Omeonga 6, Holt 6, Devlin 6; Forrest 6 (Penrice 64), Bailey 6; Anderson 4 (Hamilton 46). Subs not used: Maley, McMillan, Panayiotou, Sibbald. Booked: Longridge. Sent off: Longridge. Man of the match: Ryan Hedges. Referee: Craig Napier. Attendance: 6,295.