Source: Team_Talk
Benjelloun bags pen to save Hibees
Benjelloun scored from the spot after Zander Diamond was adjudged to have handled Alan Gow's cross.[LNB]Anthony Stokes had earlier pulled one back for the home team after first-half goals from Michael Paton and Steven MacLean had given the visitors a two-goal advantage.[LNB]Hibs struggled to get their passing game going in the early exchanges and it was Aberdeen who were more satisfied with their opening.[LNB]With 17 minutes on the clock, Hibs had the ball in the net when Stokes rifled in Liam Miller's pass but the striker was adjudged to have strayed offside.[LNB]Two minutes later, home manager John Hughes had to be spoken to by referee Craig Thomson after speaking out of turn on the touchline.[LNB]Hibernian then carved out their best opportunity of the opening period from a free-kick.[LNB]Sol Bamba managed to redirect John Rankin's set-piece into a crowded goalmouth but Dons goalkeeper Jamie Langfield got across to block Ian Murray's right-foot effort.[LNB]However, it was then the visitors who made the breakthrough in the 24th minute.[LNB]Charlie Mulgrew's long free-kick was knocked on by McDonald and Paton stretched out his leg to divert the ball past a stunned Graeme Smith.[LNB]Both sides had to survive penalty claims which were more in hope than anything else.[LNB]First, Derek Riordan appealed as his progress into the box was halted by what he thought had been Mark Kerr's outstretched arm.[LNB]Then, at the other end, goalscorer Paton went down after the slightest of touches from the covering David Wotherspoon.[LNB]Only a minute later, however, Aberdeen were two goals to the good.[LNB]Paton sent in a speculative shot which recent signing MacLean got his head to and the ball looped over a bemused looking Smith.[LNB]Hughes reacted to his side's first-half showing by withdrawing defensive midfielder Kevin McBride and introducing attacker Merouane Zemmama.[LNB]However, it was Aberdeen who threatened first after the interval when free-kick specialist Mulgrew curled his shot from a set-piece over the bar in the 48th minute.[LNB]Zemmama's first involvement saw the little Moroccan earn his side a corner after 49 minutes and from his delivery a ricochet from Bamba spun agonisingly over the bar.[LNB]A minute later, however, Hibs were back in the game.[LNB]Riordan's long ball was flicked on by Colin Nish and Stokes' early shot caught out Langfield on its way to the back of the net.[LNB]The home side had their tails up but Miller miscued his shot from the edge of the box as the hard-pressed Dons defence hung on.[LNB]Bamba almost got a touch to Riordan's corner and then Nish denied the defender a free header as his own nod down was held on the line by Langfield.[LNB]Hibs went with a five-man attack as they brought on striker Benjelloun for full-back David Wotherspoon with 19 minutes remaining.[LNB]The pressure almost paid off in the 75th minute but Riordan was twice denied by blocks in the Dons defence before being removed in favour of recent signing Alan Gow.[LNB]It was Aberdeen who almost grabbed the next goal when Paton surged inside a couple of challenges and crashed his shot off the underside of the crossbar with Smith well beaten.[LNB]Substitute Stuart Duff then beat the offside trap and Smith 30 yards out but his left-footed shot was weak and the chance was wasted.[LNB]They were left to rue the missed opportunity as Hibs equalised with only three minutes remaining.[LNB]Diamond made his error and Benjelloun netted from the spot to complete a superb comeback.[LNB][LNB]
