Thibault Klidje and Elie Youan were on target as high-flying Hibernian held on to claim a 2-1 Premiership win away to Aberdeen.
Hibs maintained their strong league form and managed to take maximum points for the second successive match, despite Marko Lazetic closing the gap in stoppage time for the Dons for the second week running.
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin made three changes to the side that started their record European defeat against AEK Athens in midweek, with Ante Palaversa, Gavin Molloy and Kevin Nisbet starting.
The visitors were sure to provide a stern check on the Dons’ improved home form, with the side who started the weekend in third place unchanged from their 4-0 win over Livingston last time out.
Aberdeen could have been in front after just three minutes at a soggy Pittodrie as Jesper Karlsson’s corner fell to Molloy on the six-yard line, but the defender could only tap the ball home.
Thibo Klidje opened the scoring in Pittodrije
And the home side created an even better chance with a flowing passing move that ended with Adil Aouchiche disappointingly dragging a shot wide of the target when the Sunderland loanee really should have found the back of the net.
Hibs began to gain a foothold in the game and Josh Mulligan pulled a goal back after 20 minutes as the game went from end to end.
Karlsson and Chris Cadden traded half-chances at either end, before an offside flag brought play back when Karlsson’s shot appeared to be blocked by a Hibernian hand.
But it would be the visitors who broke the deadlock. Stuart Armstrong was cleared all too easily in the middle of the pitch, leaving the home defense exposed, and Mulligan crossed the ball for Klidje to fire into the bottom right corner.
Marko Lazetić scored a late consolation for Aberdeen
The Dons looked to hit back before the break, but Armstrong and Auchish failed to trouble goalkeeper Raphael Salinger.
But Hibs came close to doubling their lead shortly after the break.
Klidje again found himself in behind the home defense and was denied first by Dimitar Mitov and then Mats Kneseter’s knee, before Kieron Bowie’s follow-up was deflected off a sea of bodies.
Aberdeen tried to fight back with substitute Leighton Clarke, forcing Sullinger into a full low defense.
Martin Boyle was spared the reds of an offside flag when he failed to connect with a free header from three yards, but Hibs should have gone 2-0 up with 10 minutes remaining as Josh Campbell hit the post after a mistake by Jack Milne.
Aberdeen raced around the park and Lazetic will be disappointed that he hit his chance straight at Salinger when he should have equalised.
Hibs had a third goal ruled out by VAR
As the Dons threw men forward in an attempt to equalise, they were hit with a superb strike as Euan ran half the length of the park on his own to round Mittov and come home second.
Campbell thought he had put the game beyond doubt when he headed home in stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out for offside and Aberdeen quickly moved up the field to knock in what proved to be only a consolation through Lazetic.
Managers
Jimmy Thelin from Aberdeen:
“The game started well and we created some chances but we missed them and allowed Hibs to create more.”
“They had the momentum and while the second half was quite open, Hibs were more competitive.
“We didn’t do enough to show our fans we were back on track or competitive enough to deserve a better result today. The energy we needed wasn’t there.”
“We have a long way to go as a collective, but also as individuals we have to grow – and the way we defend situations has to be much, much better.”
“I am responsible for the results and we have to do better. We lose too many individual battles in games, regardless of systems and players.
David Gray from Hibernian:
“It was quite a strange game towards the end, because with a few minutes to go you think it’s 3-0 and it’s comfortable, then it’s not a goal, then you lose a goal and the last 30 seconds you defend.
“During that, the challenge was to come back with back-to-back wins after a bit of a reset with the international break and I thought the players were fantastic today – we deserved to win.”
“Within that, there were big moments in the game – Aberdeen have maybe the best chance of the game early in the first half and they don’t take it and then we take our first big chance.”
“If we were a little more clinical, it might have been an easier afternoon.”
“As an away and collective team performance, it was very good.”