Hearts player ratings vs Aberdeen: An inspiring 8 and concerning double injury blow in battling Dons draw

Hearts drew 1-1 against Aberdeen in their latest Premiership fixture - but have been left to rue injuries to key players in the match.

A few half chances were had by the home team before Stephen Kingsley suffered a nasty-looking injury which took the pace out the game through a delay, and defensive teammate Frankie Kent also came off as injuries mount at the back for boss Neil Critchley. Minutes later, Leighton Clarkson opened the scoring for Aberdeen in the first real attack of the game for Jimmy Thelin’s Dons.

He would have had a double before the half was done were it not for a brilliant save from Hearts keeper Craig Gordon. Sivert Heltne Nilsen’s was also smartly stopped by the veteran before Musa Drammeh restored parity.

Jorge Grant forced a good save late on as he sought a dramatic home winner. Hearts remain bottom of the table as Aberdeen sit in second.

Coming less than 72 hours out from a testing Conference League match at Cercle Brugge, Critchley delved into his squad depth with the likes of Kingsley and Musa Drammeh called upon. Against an Aberdeen side who have lost once this campaign in the league, there was no time for thinking on tired legs in a match that required energy in abundance.

Some fans chanted for Lawrence Shankland to “get to f***” in Belgium amid a penalty miss and tough start to the season, but the Gorgie Ultras he was shooting towards in the first half made sure to let him know that the majority of fans still had his back. Drammeh is a forward who’s got punters off their seats in recent weeks with pace in the forward line, and it was a combination of this front pairing that looked the most dangerous.

Shankland snatched at a couple half chances and the Dons defence looked puzzled at times with what to do with the physical running power of Drammeh. An edge came out the game in a horrible moment, where Kingsley went down appearing in severe pain and clutching his hamstring area, needing a stretcher to get him off.

Then Kent went down, as the back four all of a sudden looked makeshift. With left-back James Penrice also suspended for this one, it left Critchley with a headache not just for the remaining 60 minutes of this one, but longer-term with a packed schedule ahead.

Aberdeen were quick to pounce on this area of the park which had taken a couple of heavy blows, breaking up the park through Shayden Morris and his eventual cross was tapped home by Clarkson. It sucked the win out of Hearts sails and only a really good Gordon save from the goal scorer stopped it becoming two to Aberdeen before the break.

He was needed again as Nilsen’s powerful drive had to be beaten away. The game had hit a lull but if anyone was going to light this up from a Hearts perspective, it was Drammeh, and sure enough he found a leveller just after the hour mark. He nodded home a Blair Spittal cross to provide energy and impetus on the pitch and in the stands.

The ascendency seemed to be with Hearts but tired legs began to creep in. Morris’ pace was a threat all day and a good Adam Forrester clearance prevented an easy goal from one of his crosses. Jorge Grant then came off the bench and almost instantly had Hearts ahead as he combined with Shankland in the box, but it eventually petered out when a big chance appeared to be coming.

Shankland had one final lobbed over the bar and then Grant had another go that was well-stopped by keeper Ross Doohan. Considering the tale of walking wounded that was tallying up, Hearts were the better team in good spells of this game, but they remain bottom and with one win in eight. Next up is Dundee at home next Saturday and here is how we rated the Hearts players.