Three things we learned from Aberdeen 2-1 Hearts

Teenager Aaron Hickey impressed on his Hearts debut.

Hickey caught the eye

Hearts competed well enough in a tough away game but nobody in a white jersey truly stood out. Perhaps the most eye-catching display of the evening for the visitors came from 16-year-old debutant Aaron Hickey. Given the circumstances, with Aberdeen chasing a crucial victory on home soil and Hearts fielding a team of fringe men, it could easily have been a chastening night for the youngster but he looked comfortable from the moment he replaced Jamie Brandon at right-wing-back in the 62nd minute, defending well and passing the ball with confidence.

Doyle back in

This was Colin Doyle’s first appearance since his infamous howler away to Motherwell in mid-February so the Irish goalkeeper will have been relieved to come through the match with a relatively sound performance. Although he looked unconvincing when coming for a first-half cross, he made three good saves after the break and was helpless for Aberdeen’s two goals.

Travelling fans deserve credit

Given the team’s form, the fact they have nothing to play for, and that the game was on a Friday evening live on television at the furthest away venue in the league, the 368 Hearts fans who made the journey to Aberdeen deserve immense credit. They travelled more in hope than expectation but despite their team’s endeavours, they were ultimately left with another disappointing result in a league campaign that can’t end quickly enough.