Neil Critchley future complications when putting Hearts blame game defeat in context as Aberdeen dare to dream

Hearts, who were cheered on by around 23,000 fans, held the advantage of having two supporters for every counterpart from Aberdeen. However, they then had to cope with the very serious disadvantage of playing with ten men for most of the match and then nine for the final, decisive five minutes of extra-time.

Defender Michael Steinwender was shown a straight red two minutes before half-time to turn the tie on its head - or so it was presumed would be the case. Referee John Beaton’s red card quickly emerged from his top pocket as he raced towards Topi Keskinen, who was prone on the turf after Steinwender’s desperate and late challenge as the Aberdeen winger sprinted through on goal. Whether the Austrian had prevented a goalscoring opportunity or not was debatable although Keskinen has scored from some unpromising positions already this season.

Substitute Oday Dabbagh struck a late winner moments after Cammy Devlin had become the second Hearts player sent off, for a second bookable offence after clipping Dante Polvara. While this victory was less about inspiration than perspiration, and even that was lacking for spells, Jimmy Thelin’s side and their supporters did not stint on the celebrations at the end, rightly so.

It might not have been an extra time climax to rival Manchester United v Lyon on Thursday night. It was more a case of Aberdeen grinding their way to victory with Dabbagh pouncing to sweep home a rebound with three minutes left after Craig Gordon had blocked an effort from Jack Milne. They could not risk the lottery of penalties and the possibility of losing a tie where they held a numerical advantage for 75 minutes. Dabbagh’s timely intervention extinguished this unthinkable prospect and allowed the Aberdeen fans to shake off their anxiety.

A Palestinian striker hitting a winner to take his team to a final might be an enchanting story. However, Hearts fans will be forgiven for being unable to appreciate such beguiling details. Dabbagh had already brought out a fine save from Gordon after wheeling in the box to shoot low to the keeper’s left. The fact this was a minute before half-time in extra-time and was only Aberdeen’s second shot on target said it all.

There will be no gloating selfie posted on social media from Thelin of him chewing a cigar on a yacht in Aberdeen harbour in the recent style of JK Rowling. This was not the result of a plan coming together. Rather, it was a case of toughing it out against a Hearts team who were very close to pulling off a remarkable result.

Simply making it to the end of extra-time would have been a major achievement and a much-needed feather in manager Neil Critchley’s cap. Then who knows what might have happened had it come to penalties?

Admittedly, Lawrence Shankland, an automatic choice to be one of their first five takers, had already hobbled off suffering cramp. This might have been the final stage in the skipper’s redemptive arc with the Hearts supporters, who were quick to note the player’s endeavours following his return to the starting line-up. The belted out their Shankland song after just 13 minutes as Hearts pushed Aberdeen back. The Pittodrie side survived through some last ditch defending.

It was therefore slightly surprising when Aberdeen edged ahead after 18 minutes. The manner of the goal summed up Hearts’ season somewhat. Leighton Clarkson’s corner was met by Gueye, whose header bashed back off the bar and down onto goalkeeper Craig Gordon’s knee before rebounding in.

Shankland led by example. He drilled home the equaliser after 28 minutes with the force of someone expelling weeks of pent-up frustration. He has not scored since the 6-0 win over Dundee on the first day of February but was clinical here as he controlled a long, looping cross from the excellent James Penrice with his chest before hitting a shot through Dimitar Mitov’s legs.

Shankland saw both of his attacking foils replaced at half-time as Critchley enacted a hurriedly devised scheme to deal with being a man down. James Wilson and Elton Kabangu were sacrificed after Steinwender’s exit. Defenders Frankie Kent and Craig Halkett were sent on as Critchley re-organised his backline.

Did Hearts fall apart? Well, so the Aberdeen fans gleefully sang at the end although only after reaching the comfort of full-time. It was not a ‘failing apart’-type performance from Hearts. Indeed, the opposite was true.

Complications abound when seeking to place this result in the context of what it means for Critchley’s future. The manager’s fate was viewed by many to hinge on this outcome. The narrative is that he doesn’t win big matches. This was arguably his biggest yet and it’s another loss. But perhaps the narrative has turned again.

Can you really pin the blame on him when a defender is responsible for a reckless challenge just a couple of minutes before half time? Critchley's in-game tactical alterations appeared sound after he was presented with such a dire situation. The manager later spoke about “taking it to the wire with ten men….we could be in a cup final”. He argued that this ought to be added to his credit column along with the top six place he repeated Hearts would have if he had been in situ since the start.

Meanwhile, another lost opportunity in the form of the Scottish Cup was sitting glinting on a plinth above the tunnel. This is what you might have had, Hearts. It was cruelty upon cruelty as the exhausted, bedraggled losers trooped off at the end having applauded the fans, most of whom hadn’t hung around it must be noted. Aberdeen now have the chance to lift the trophy for the first time since 1990 against either St Johnstone or Celtic. Here they go, again.