Andrew Considine was an unused substitute the last time Aberdeen won a league game at Celtic Park. Fourteen years on, he was the hero as the Dons ended that 25-game winless run yesterday and secured a fourth consecutive second spot in the Premiership.
With Rangers threatening to pull off a remarkable comeback victory at Easter Road against Hibernian, the onus was on the Dons to hold on to their second-half lead and an impressive defensive effort held firm to preserve the 1-0 victory.
The Dons made two changes from the 1-1 draw with Rangers, with the suspended Scott McKenna and Ryan Christie – ineligible to face his parent club – dropping out. That meant starts for Mark Reynolds in the centre of defence and Greg Stewart as part of a front three.
Celtic, who received the Premiership trophy after the game, made six alterations from the goalless draw with Kilmarnock. Jack Hendry, Jozo Simunovic, Calvin Miller, Scott Armstrong, Patrick Roberts and Scott Sinclair were all removed, with Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig, Kieran Tierney, Olivier Ntcham, Tom Rogic and Moussa Dembele recalled.
Inevitably, the focus was on the hosts given the day of celebration they had planned but the Dons still had their own mission to accomplish.
Matching Rangers’s result at Easter Road would secure a fourth successive second spot and, given the challenge put up by the Gers and a rejuvenated Hibernian this year, arguably their most impressive season under Derek McInnes.
To do that they had to change an unwanted statistic. Aberdeen went to Parkhead having lost their last 25 league encounters. McInnes had won at the home of the champions in February 2014, overseeing a 2-1 Scottish Cup triumph, but a league victory had eluded them since John Stewart’s late winner sealed a 3-2 victory in October 2004.
A great free kick from Stewart, angled across Scott Bain’s goal, came back off the crossbar with the Celtic goalkeeper beaten, as the visitors looked to strike early. Dembele, however, was always likely to be an ever-present danger at the opposite end and was manned up against Anthony O’Connor. He bundled his way past him on 11 minutes and from an acute angle tried to beat Joe Lewis but the Dons number one moved quickly to block the opportunity.
Scottish football is never one to miss an opportunity at schadenfreude and the only thing that could unite both sets of supporters at Parkhead would be the result at Easter Road. When news reached the stadium of Hibs being 3-0 up after 22 minutes both sides rejoiced but Rangers levelling it up before the break rendered any celebrations premature.
On the whole, McInnes’ side had shackled Celtic in the first half. Shay Logan kept Callum McGregor quiet, O’Connor recovered positionally to make some key blocks and Dominic Ball, ostensibly a spare man in the centre of midfield, was able to step upfield or drop into defence if colleagues needed help.
To get a result, McInnes’s more trusted, dependable players would have to contribute decisively. Two minutes into the second half, two of them did. Kenny McLean, playing his last game for Aberdeen, drifted away from Ntcham and found Considine in space in the left side of the area. He wasted little time in picking his spot low past Bain – his fourth goal of the season – before racing towards the pocket of vocal Dons fans.
The performance of O’Connor, also likely his last outing in a red shirt, was a big reason the Dons kept the back door shut for so long, making numerous key blocks and interceptions. Sam Cosgrove’s ability as a hold-up man was also highlighted and it was encouraging to see 17-year-old Dean Campbell, the under-20s’ captain, given the final 25 minutes.
One eye was on the goal-fest at Leith, with Rangers leading 5-4 with 15 minutes to go. The Dons were content to sit in their own half and allow Celtic the ball and aside from Lewis beating away a Leigh Griffiths free kick and Stuart Armstrong’s curler, the visitors held firm for a pivotal victory.
Logan saw red for goading the home fans at full time but that should not take the shine off one of the best Dons performances under McInnes.
CELTIC (3-4-2-1) – Bain 6, Lustig 6, Ajer 6, Boyata 6, Forrest 6, Ntcham 7 (Armstrong 67), Brown 6, Tierney 6 (Sinclair 52), McGregor 6, Rogic 6, Dembele 6 (Griffiths 52). Subs not used – de Vries, Hendry, Simunovic, Roberts.
ABERDEEN (4-4-1-1) – Lewis 7, Logan 7, O’Connor 7, Reynolds 7, Considine 7, Stewart 6 (Campbell 65), Ball 7, McLean 7, Mackay-Steven 6 (May 85), Shinnie 7, Cosgrove 7 (Rooney 72). Subs not used – Woodman, Arnason, Wright, Anderson.
Referee – Craig Thomson 6.
Attendance: 59,048
Man of the match: Anthony O’Connor.