Stephen Robinson provides Nesta Guinness-Walker fitness update after late concern, as he says all-new Aberdeen back-four were ‘terrific’ against Hearts
Aberdeen's entire backline in Saturday's Premiership-opening win over Hearts have arrived during the summer transfer window.
Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson hailed his “terrific” back-four, who had “never played together before” in the last-gasp Premiership win over Hearts.
The Dons scored a dramatic double at the death on Saturday evening to kick-off their 2026/27 top-flight season with a 2-1 victory.
It was a reflection of Aberdeen’s dismal 2025/26 season only two members of the matchday squad – subs Dimitar Mitov and Jack Milne – were involved when the Dons beat Hearts on the opening day of last term.
Nine of the 12 signings brought in to bolster March-appointment Robinson’s squad so far this summer were in the starting XI at Pittodrie at the weekend.
The entire four-man backline – centre-halves Lewis Mayo and Dan Happe, left-back Nesta Guinness-Walker and right-back Chris Cadden – have arrived during the transfer window , with Cadden making a quickfire debut after playing for Hibs in Conference League qualifying on Thursday and then signing for Aberdeen on Friday.
Aberdeen’s defence were largely untroubled in the first-half against the Jambos until mistakes, including Cadden being spun by Amadou Ba-Sy, led to Oisin McEntee’s opener.
But they held fast under pressure in the second period before Happe and Mayo combined in attack to draw the Dons level in the 90th minute.
Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet then scored a penalty in time added on to secure an unlikely three points, before celebrating in front of the away fans.
On the showing of his back-four, Robinson described “all four of them” were “excellent”.
He added: “I thought Dan and Lewis were (outstanding)… I thought the whole back four were outstanding.
“Chris Cadden played 30 minutes on Thursday night (in Hibs’ 4-1 win over Kosovan side Malisheva), then drove up the road, had about two hours’ sleep – but he’s got a young baby, so that’s probably normal for him!
“But, as I say – Nesta as well – I thought the whole back four were terrific.
“It’s hard for me to single one of them out.”
Guinness-Walker fitness update
There was a concern for the Dons late in the second period against Hearts when former Northampton Town full-back Guinness-Walker hobbled off, to be replaced by Gavin Molloy.
But Robinson confirmed: “He’s fine. It was just cramp.
“He’s (the signing where it’s been) the longest (period) that he hasn’t played, so it’s a big step up for him.”
First ‘real test’ for Robinson’s Aberdeen
Robinson is content Aberdeen – having come through their four-game Premier Sports Cup campaign unscathed with four victories over lower-league opposition to reach the last-16 – have now faced “a real test”, passing it with room for improvement.
He said: “When you come from off the back of a cup run, you don’t know how good a side you are, because the expectation is you’re meant to win, you’re meant to have 60-70% possession and dominate games, which we did.
“But until you’re put to a real test, like Hearts, you don’t know how good you are. I think there’s a lot of improvement in this squad.
“I think there’s nine new signings, if you include Toy (Toyosi Olusanya), who was a previous loan, that started.
“There’s a lot of, I believe, progress still to be made.”
Aberdeen travel to Dundee for the second round of Premiership fixtures this Saturday, before meeting the same opposition in the League Cup last-16 at Pittodrie the following weekend.
[Source: Press and Journal]
