Hearts concede two late goals to lose to Aberdeen in their Premiership opener

Hearts’ miserable summer continued as they conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 to Aberdeen in their William Hill Premiership opener at Pittodrie.

Wouter Vrancken and the Jambos looked on course for a much-needed victory after a turbulent few months as they led through Oisin McEntee’s first-half goal.

But just as they looked to be closing out a first win at Pittodrie for more than a decade, Lewis Mayo equalised in the 90th minute before Kevin Nisbet won it for the Dons with a stoppage-time penalty after Stuart Findlay was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

It was a third consecutive defeat for Belgian Vrancken, who has endured a chastening start since replacing Derek McInnes in June.

Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson, whose side had built up some momentum by winning each of their four Premier Sports Cup group-stage matches, pitched Chris Cadden straight into his starting line-up a day after he joined from Hibernian.

There were five changes to the Hearts side that lost Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier at home to Sturm Graz, with goalkeeper Beau Reus and Laurent Mendy handed their debuts and Sabah Kerjota – more than a year after joining – and Amadou Ba-Sy given their first competitive starts.

In what was their first league match since being pipped to the title by Celtic in May, the 1,600-strong travelling support could be regularly heard singing anti-Scottish Football Association songs in protest at the contentious calls from officials in the closing matches of last season that they felt cost them dear in their quest for glory.

Following a summer of transition and a 6-0 aggregate defeat by Graz that had done little to improve the mood of the fans since that agonising end to the last campaign, there was a