Exactly one year ago this weekend, Aberdeen’s unexpected bid for the title unraveled after a disappointing 2-1 loss to St Mirren. Now, the question looms whether this recent defeat will similarly affect Hearts’ momentum moving forward.

There’s no cause for alarm just yet. Hearts have diligently earned their four-point lead at the top of the Premiership standings.

Successful teams typically handle setbacks with resilience, as exemplified by Celtic and notably Callum McGregor’s performance just last evening.

For Hearts to sustain their title aspirations—one defeat shouldn’t shake their confidence—they must elevate their game.

While their effort was commendable, the quality was lacking this time. Such off days occur. Although Hearts have had moments this season where they haven’t dazzled, they’ve generally managed to secure victory. However, this match proved to be a challenge too great.

Winger Topi Keskinen (right) celebrates scoring in Aberdeen’s 1-0 victory against Hearts 

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin is showing signs of turning the tide at the Pittodrie club

This performance was full of endeavour, but just not enough quality. It happens. There have been other times when Hearts haven’t necessarily set the heather alight this season, but more often than not they’ve found a way to get over the line. This proved to be a step too far.

If anyone was going to stop Hearts in their tracks, it was always likely to be Aberdeen. Trips to the Granite City have been fraught with danger for the Tynecastle side in recent years.

It doesn’t seem to matter what the form book says. Pittodrie is not a happy hunting ground. Indeed, you have to go all the way back to May 2016 for the last Hearts victory up here, when Derek McInnes happened to be in the home dugout.

Abiola Dauda scored the winner that day. Top marks to anyone who remembered that.

The search for the next win goes on. And, make no mistake, Aberdeen were well worth this one.

Jimmy Thelin has been a man seemingly on the brink of the sack since the first ball was kicked this season. Results and performances haven’t been anywhere near good enough.

But there are signs that the tide is slowly starting to turn. That’s 13 points from a possible 18 now. It wasn’t too long ago the Dons were rooted to the bottom of the table.

This encounter was frantic early on, with referee David Dickinson copping a fair bit of stick for letting a couple of crunching tackles by the visitors go unpunished. When he eventually did opt to blow the whistle, it was for a soft challenge on Cammy Devlin in the centre circle. As you can imagine, that didn’t help the mood in the home stands.

Stuart Findlay – who scored in the meeting between these sides on the opening day – was first to threaten for the visitors after meeting a wicked Alexandros Kyziridis free-kick on the volley 10 yards out.

His effort failed to hit the target, but he looked a fraction offside anyway.

A set-piece from near enough the same spot moments later ended up at the feet of Harry Milne. He had to adjust his body quickly to get a shot away, only to see it clip the bar.

That flurry of chances seemed to kick Hearts into gear, none more so than Devlin. The Australian spent as much time on his backside as he did on his feet, such was the regularity with which he was sliding into tackles.

However, as he’s done all season, he came out on top in the majority of them. On a day when so many of his team-mates were below par, he can at least hold his head high.

A Hearts counter ended with Pierre Landry Kabore bearing down on goal. Quite why he tried to play in Claudio Braga rather than take the shot on, only he will know.

The Burkina Faso international has something about him. Granted, he isn’t the most elegant player to watch. Indeed, he can look a little clumsy at times.

But he put himself about here and ran the channels effectively. Whether he is a natural finisher is up for debate. He’s certainly no Lawrence Shankland in that regard.

The captain missed out here after picking up a calf injury in training last Friday. Good to know it wasn’t related to any over-exuberant celebrations after playing his part in Scotland’s win over Denmark.

In Shankland’s absence, Braga would have had a tap-in at the back post were it not for a vital touch from Mats Knoester to divert the danger.

The impressive Stuart Armstrong ballooned over at the other end following an intricate move, as Aberdeen made a rare foray into enemy territory.

This was a first-half display the Dons supporters have seen all too often this season. Everything looks decent until they enter the final third. They can be guilty of trying to walk the ball into dangerous positions. It rarely comes off.

Dante Polvara proved that going route one can be the more effective option. Five minutes before the interval, the midfielder went long in search of Topi Keskinen. The Finn’s initial cutback came right back to him, and he made the most of that good fortune, stepping inside before curling a delightful strike into Alexander Schwolow’s left-hand corner.

As we’ve seen before, Keskinen has quality. Consistency has very much been his problem since arriving in the north-east. If he can find that, there’s no doubt he can be a real asset.

The visitors had Aberdeen penned in right from the start of the second period. Kyziridis – who had been kept relatively quiet by Dylan Lobban – started to pick up pockets of space with alarming ease.

Derek McInnes watched his Hearts team show plenty of endeavour, but not enough quality

His chipped ball was played back across goal by Braga, yet Tomas Magnusson’s header from close range was tame.

That was the only moment resembling any sort of genuine quality from Braga, by the way. 

The Portuguese – so often the talisman – was really poor. His booking for a dive inside the box summed up his afternoon.

It wasn’t for want of trying, but Hearts simply looked devoid of ideas. And, on the odd occasion when they got a glimpse of goal, Milne and Knoester were on hand to slam the door shut.

In fact, everyone in red deserved credit for the way they went about their business, particularly as the visitors ramped up the pressure late on. To a man, they were outstanding.

Hearts simply had no answer.