There are few moments as exciting in the game as scoring a dramatic late winner, particularly one which settles a nerve-wracking, tight encounter, and that being the case, the Dons went into the international break on an undoubted high.
It had become a much repeated condition to Aberdeen’s outstanding start under Jimmy Thelin that he had not come up against the most demanding of opposition in his first few months, and there is no doubt the fixture computer was kind, allowing the Swede to ease into his new role. But he and his team have risen to every challenge put in front of them, and that was never more evident than against Hearts last Sunday.
Ahead early on, the side stumbled, and the visitors grew in confidence, going in front as the game moved into its final quarter. At that stage, they deserved their lead, but that was when we got another glimpse into the make-up of Thelin’s Dons.
The heads did not go down, rather, the players seemed re-energised. Nicky Devlin’s quick leveller was hugely important, as was the sending-off of Jorge Grant, but from 2-2 onwards there was only ever going to be one winner.
The atmosphere inside the sold-out stadium was utterly electric, the supporters as pumped-up as the team, and the decibel level was off the scale when Ante Palaversa smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Luis Lopes finally began to make amends for his ridiculous behaviour over the summer when setting up the Croatian – although he still has much to do in that respect – and the scenes at the final whistle were magnificent, fans and players alike seemingly reluctant to leave. They knew it had been a special afternoon.
No-one could now say that Aberdeen had not now been tested. They had plenty thrown at them, rode their luck a bit at times – last season’s Lawrence Shankland would probably have netted a hat-trick – but showed all the characteristics of a good team, and had the desire, the will, and determination to push all the way to the very end.
When the season kicked-off against Queen of the South in mid-July, it would have been incomprehensible to imagine the Dons might be where they are.
Thirteen successive victories is a phenomenal run, and they are within touching distance of the club record set by Eddie Turnbull’s side between October 1970 and mid-January 1971.
That was my first full season as an Aberdeen supporter, and I remember it well. I attended all the home games, and my old Dad even took me to some of the away fixtures, including a first ever visit to Celtic Park, which was a real eye-opener in so many ways! A Joe Harper header was the stuff of dreams that day, and sent us back up the road with thoughts of lifting the title.
The current crop of fans will be of a similar mindset if Jimmy Thelin can pull off another win when the Premiership resumes in the east end of Glasgow next weekend.
Other than during the glory years under Sir Alex Ferguson, the Dons will rarely have been better placed for that particular challenge, and you just know Celtic will be all fired-up for it. It is a confrontation I am already eagerly anticipating.
Two more defeats expected for national team
What will in all likelihood turn out to be a tortuous Nations League campaign for Scotland resumes tonight in Zagreb with our third match, against Croatia.
That will be followed on Tuesday by Portugal’s visit to Hampden, and even the most optimistic of the Tartan Army will struggle to envisage anything other than two more defeats for Steve Clarke’s side.
If so, that would bring the national team’s current run to an eye-watering one win in sixteen, and that, a 2-0 success against Gibraltar.
Given the withdrawals and selection issues, it will be a patched-up team put out, but even at their strongest, the Scots would have struggled with these fixtures.
The only positive right now is the inclusion of three Dons, Nicky Devlin, Jack MacKenzie and Kevin Nisbet. Nicky and Jack in particular deserved their call-ups, and I hope the in-form pair get some game time.
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