Stephen Glass labels Craig Gordon 'unbelievable' after Aberdeen beat Hearts at Pittodrie

The Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass offered fulsome praise of Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon following the clubs’ meeting at Pittodrie.
Craig Gordon in action for Hearts at Aberdeen.Craig Gordon in action for Hearts at Aberdeen.
Craig Gordon in action for Hearts at Aberdeen.

Marley Watkins struck a spectacular goal to level the scores before Lewis Ferguson’s header secured a 2-1 win for Aberdeen. John Souttar’s penalty late in the first half gave Hearts the interval advantage.

Glass was delighted seeing Watkins score for the first time since returning to the north east, adding that he needed to produce something special to beat Gordon.

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The Scotland No.1 denied Ryan Hedges in the first half and Christian Ramirez in the second with two excellent saves.

“It’s great for Marley to get off the mark, he took it really well,” said Glass. “We can talk about Craig Gordon if you like. Two saves, Hedges in the first half and the one off Ramirez, I don’t know how he saved it.

“That is an unbelievable goalkeeper so for Marley to stick it past him with that finish brilliant. Even when I told him he wasn’t going to be on the pitch against Rangers [in midweek] he was massively disappointed but we want him to be on the pitch long-term.

“We had half an eye on this game because we want to protect him. He has shown what it means to be back here when he knew it was a possibility and he has shown why he was loved the first time. Performances like that help. We are delighted with him.”

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Asked about Aberdeen’s second-half penalty claims and Hearts substitute Andy Halliday’s late red card for a challenge on Ferguson, Glass replied: “I haven’t seen any of them back.

“The one Ramirez hits I have been told by the linesman that his hands were by his side, I don’t think so. The other ones I don’t think are penalty kicks and the red card is a red card.”

The Pittodrie club are now into the Premiership’s top six after taking seven points from nine in the last week. “It is a good week’s work against three teams at the top end of the league,” said Glass.

“We were reminded of that plenty but I think the ability of the players, the quality they have shown, the mental toughness with the pressure that was on them, to come through that I am delighted for them.”

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