Heckingbottom admits Hibs blew chance of historic Pittodrie win

Hibs head coach Paul Heckingbottom was left to rue a string of second half misses by striker Christian Doidge which cost the Easter Road outfit their first win in more than seven years at Pittodrie.

Hibs boss PLaul lHeckingbottom passes on instructions to his players at Pittodrie this afternoon. Pic: SNS

A goal ahead through Ryan Porteous, Doidge was three times left one-one-one with Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis but was unable to beat him, with Heckingbottom admitting the £350,000 signing should have laid the ball off for midfielder Scott Allan to double his side’s lead.

Instead, Hibs were punished, Sam Cosgrove heading home the equaliser five minutes from time, his side down to ten men by that stage after Curtis Main was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Stevie Mallan, and then down to nine in added on time when Lewis Ferguson was also sent off.

A frustrated Heckingbottom said: “I can’t believe it. We’ve been hearing all week how difficult a place this is and our record here and we should have been coming back down the road having put that to bed.

“Christian was so determined to get a goal he had the blinkers on and didn’t see Scott to square it to him. It’s disappointing not to get the three points our performance deserved. It could have been three or four and no-one could have said any different.

“We were strong with everything Aberdeen threw at us. We created chances but have only come away with a point.”