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By Thomas DuncanBBC Scotland
Last updated on 10 minutes ago.From the section Scottish Premiership
Leighton Clarkson's winner eases pressure on Aberdeen manager Barry RobsonLeighton Clarkson scored in stoppage-time to cap a brilliant Aberdeen comeback at home to Hearts and ease the pressure on manager Barry Robson.
Clarkson tapped in Luis 'Duk' Lopes' cross after 92 minutes to spark wild celebrations in the Aberdeen dugout and eventually clinch an eighth straight home win against Hearts.
The visitors had the lead at the break when Lawrence Shankland headed in Alex Cochrane's corner.
At that point the mood at Pittodrie darkened with Aberdeen having won just three of their 14 league games, and lost 23 in a row after conceding first.
But the players showed they are still fighting for their beleaguered manager after coming out strongly after the break with fresh intensity.
Jamie McGrath teed up Bojan Miovski to drill in his 12th goal of the season and that only swelled Aberdeen's confidence as they searched for a winner.
Duk came off the bench and made an impact, and it was his pace and composure which set up the winner as he surged away from Kye Rowles and the returning Craig Halkett before crossing for Clarkson to finish.
Hearts had several corners and forced Aberdeen into frantic defending in the final five minutes, but could not find the equaliser and drop two places to fifth as a result.
Aberdeen's second home win of the campaign boosts them to ninth ahead of a big week for the club.
They host Eintracht Frankfurt, who thumped Bayern Munich 5-1 on Saturday, on Thursday in the Europa Conference League before a meeting with Rangers in the League Cup final on Sunday.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 24Roos
- 2Devlin
- 6GartenmannBooked at 59mins
- 5Jensen
- 28MilneSubstituted forMorrisat 73'minutes
- 10Clarkson
- 4Shinnie
- 17Hayes
- 7McGrathBooked at 78minsSubstituted forMacDonaldat 90+7'minutes
- 9MiovskiBooked at 65minsSubstituted forPolvaraat 77'minutes
- 19SoklerSubstituted forHenriques de Barros Lopesat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Barron
- 11Henriques de Barros Lopes
- 15McGarry
- 20Morris
- 21Polvara
- 23Duncan
- 27MacDonald
- 31Doohan
- 33Rubezic
Hearts
Formation 3-5-2
- 28Clark
- 3Kingsley
- 2KentBooked at 65mins
- 15RowlesBooked at 73mins
- 21SibbickSubstituted forHalkettat 71'minutes
- 8NieuwenhofBooked at 33minsSubstituted forDenholmat 72'minutesBooked at 88mins
- 6BaningimeBooked at 64mins
- 51LowryBooked at 41minsSubstituted forGrantat 58'minutes
- 19Cochrane
- 9ShanklandBooked at 90mins
- 77VargasSubstituted forTagawaat 57'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Gordon
- 4Halkett
- 7Grant
- 11Oda
- 17Forrest
- 18McKay
- 22Denholm
- 30Tagawa
Referee:Chris Graham
Attendance:16,064
Live Text
Match ends, Aberdeen 2, Heart of Midlothian 1.
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 2, Heart of Midlothian 1.
Attempt missed. Craig Halkett (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Stephen Kingsley following a corner.
Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Nicky Devlin.
Foul by Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen).
Jorge Grant (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Aberdeen. Angus MacDonald replaces Jamie McGrath.
Stefan Gartenmann (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian).
Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card.
Richard Jensen (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Frankie Kent (Heart of Midlothian).
Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Jamie McGrath.
Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Nicky Devlin.
Goal! Aberdeen 2, Heart of Midlothian 1. Leighton Clarkson (Aberdeen) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Duk.
Attempt missed. Duk (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Shayden Morris with a cross.
Hand ball by Stephen Kingsley (Heart of Midlothian).
Aidan Denholm (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Dante Polvara (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Aidan Denholm (Heart of Midlothian).
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Aberdeen
Squad number24Player nameRoos
Squad number2Player nameDevlin
Squad number6Player nameGartenmann
Squad number5Player nameJensen
Squad number28Player nameMilne
Squad number10Player nameClarkson
Squad number4Player nameShinnie
Squad number17Player nameHayes
Squad number7Player nameMcGrath
Squad number9Player nameMiovski
Squad number19Player nameSokler
Squad number11Player nameDuk
Squad number20Player nameMorris
Squad number21Player namePolvara
Squad number27Player nameMacDonald
Heart of Midlothian
Squad number28Player nameClark
Squad number3Player nameKingsley
Squad number2Player nameKent
Squad number15Player nameRowles
Squad number21Player nameSibbick
Squad number8Player nameNieuwenhof
Squad number6Player nameBaningime
Squad number51Player nameLowry
Squad number19Player nameCochrane
Squad number9Player nameShankland
Squad number77Player nameVargas
Squad number4Player nameHalkett
Squad number7Player nameGrant
Squad number22Player nameDenholm
Squad number30Player nameTagawa
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