'Dons have been getting away with defensive frailties'

It's been a challenging return to domestic duty for Aberdeen with five points dropped in the two games played since and it is about to get tougher.

The Dons' have been left to lament poor first half performances and late drama as St Mirren inflicted a first league defeat on Jimmy Thelin before 2-1 and 3-2 leads were tossed away in stoppage time as Hibernian claimed a point at Easter Road.

Aberdeen's slow starts are not new and neither are late concessions albeit the latter was an issue before Thelin took the reins however if his team is to build on their magnificent start to the league campaign he will have to get to the bottom of it.

The Dons have scored 20 goals in the second half of matches compared to eight in the opening 45 minutes and quite why they are making such sluggish starts is something that will have left Thelin scratching his head with a trip to Tynecastle and a visit from Celtic in their next two games.

The late calamity in Leith also highlighted defensive frailties which they had been getting away with before these two games. They have only kept one Premiership clean sheet since the 1-0 win at Ross County at the end of August with their defensive record now poorer than Rangers and Dundee Utd’s.

The Hibs' goals from Nicky Cadden and Rocky Bushiri reminded Dons' fans of recent season capitulations against County, Rangers and St Mirren and it tainted Ester Sokler's glorious strike which looked to have won the game.

They now have their two least favourite fixtures ahead of them. A return to Edinburgh to face Hearts on Sunday, where they haven’t won in 12 visits since 2017, before the champions go to Pittodrie on Wednesday having not lost to the Dons in the last 27 meetings.

However, 32 points from their first 13 games remains an outstanding return as Thelin tries to get things back on track in Gorgie.