WILLIAMSON’S COMMENTS

"I thought we had a very solid [penalty] claim. Gary burst into the box and was checked. We’ve seen them given and it was disappointing we didn’t get it."

"Their strikers worked hard as well. We kept plugging away as you have to do at home. We forced them onto the back foot although there was always the danger they could hit us on the break and get that killer second goal."

EVENING NEWS

"Creative flair missing as Hibees fail to excite "

BOBBY WILLIAMSON insisted before this match that the team which faces Livingston in the CIS Cup final in 13 days’ time could well differ significantly from the side which took on Aberdeen in their last outing before the big day out at Hampden.

And having seen those he chose for this particular fixture huff and puff their way through 90 minutes, the green and white army which is set to march on the national stadium will certainly hope that is the case.

While the effort and commitment of Williamson’s team couldn’t be faulted, it seemed as if they were, perhaps, inadvertently holding something back.

THE SCOTSMAN

"Hibs fluff lines in dress rehearsal"

IF BOBBY Williamson intended this match as a dress rehearsal for the CIS Cup final, he will have a fair amount of thinking to do before he takes his team to Hampden on Sunday week. The Hibs manager put out what looked like his strongest available side, only to see it stifled with comparative ease by a composed Aberdeen defence.

After seeing his team lose to Scott Morrison’s early strike, Williamson said he was "not even thinking about the cup final - I’m thinking of this game", and refused to answer questions about what is, unless a friendly is arranged shortly, Hibs’ next match. The desire to escape from two weeks of hype and speculation in the countdown to the tie with Livingston may be understandable, but the means of doing so was suspect, for no coach, not even a dogged empiricist such as Williamson, looks at each match strictly in isolation.

SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

"Aberdeen have final say "

IF THE whole world is a stage and a bad dress rehearsal really is the perfect omen for a flawless production, Hibs fans should be stocking up with Alka Seltzer because the CIS Cup will be theirs. If, however, all that superstitious nonsense is just that, then Livingston will be rubbing their hands because, on this form, Hibs will serve up little to trouble them in the final.

The Hibs manager, Bobby Williamson, admitted after the match that his team could probably have played all night without scoring, which means the result was rarely in question from the fifth minute onwards, when Aberdeen took the lead.

In a scrappy game that lived down to its billing as a bottom six tussle, anyone previously unacquainted with the qualities these Hibs players undoubtedly possess would struggle to believe that Williamson’s side have triumphed over both halves of the Old Firm this season with dazzling displays which ensure that their place in the Hampden showdown is absolutely merited. 

SUNDAY MAIL

" DONS HERO PUTS FIRE IN THEIR PELES "

However, Hibs boss Bobby Williamson will have more to think about after watching his side's final 90 minutes before their CIS Cup Final appearance.

They had plenty of the ball but their lack of a cutting edge won't have caused Davie Hay and Allan Preston watching in the stand too many worries.

SUNDAY HERALD

Newspapers on the morning of the game had reported Tom McManus’s desire to play himself into the CIS Insurance Cup final team on his 23rd birthday, but Aberdeen’s stubborn backline gatecrashed his party. The player himself felt he had done quite well in the 72 minutes he had on field, and was given a decent reception from both his manager and the Hibs fans.

BBC NEWS ONLINE

Scott Morrison's first goal for Aberdeen gave the Dons victory over Hibs at Easter Road.

Morrison's goal came after only four minutes and a cracking strike it was.
The youngster lashed the ball past Daniel Andersson in the Hibs goal from 30 yards after Steve Tosh had rolled the ball into his path.

Hibs had plenty possession throughout but were unable to test David Preece in the Aberdeen goal and can have few complaints at the result.

OFFICIAL WEB SITE

"No way through for Hibs"

Another frustrating day for Hibernian yesterday as Aberdeen travelled south from their snowbound home to sunny Leith and then headed off home with all three points thanks to a Scott Morrison strike after 5 minutes. Hibs had plenty of the ball but couldn't create much in the way of goal scoring opportunities, whilst they were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty after Gary Caldwell was blocked as he raced into the box.