Source: FOOTYMAD
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 4
It's a long way home after another drubbing in Glasgow The Hampden press room was not as crowded as usual for the game between Aberdeen and Celtic. Perhaps the media knew that the Dons were not going to give Celtic a game. Well, they were half right. Goals at 5, 10 and 20 minutes made me think that the next one would be scored at 40 minutes but Anthony Stokes spoiled the nice pattern by scoring from the penalty mark in the 33 minute. The first three goals were scored by Kris Commons, Charlie Muldrew and Thomas Rogne and they effectively ended the contest, if the first half could be so described. Aberdeen got a goal back in the second half thanks to a header from Scott Veron but they never look like they were going to get another three. There was some light relief to be had for Dons fans in the stand as one well relaxed Celtic fan was giving what he thought was the Aberdeen end all sorts of abuse. He friends waited till near half time to tell him he was gesticulating towards the Celtic end. Dons' manager Craig Brown apologised to the club's fans for their first-half display. He said: "The main message for me is an apology to the fans. We are as upset as they are but we are conscious of the fact it's costly for them to come here. We gave ourselves an impossible task. I think the first goal was fortunate, he looked as though he was trying to cross it. Then we didn't defend high balls and the penalty kick was a penalty kick. You can look at each goal and find fault, it was nothing to do with the shape. The message at half-time was to win the second half. To the lads' credit, we managed to do that and with the chances we had we might have taken it into extra-time. But a fightback is relatively easy, it's hard for a team that's four up to maintain the momentum.'' For his part, Neil Lennon hailed his side's first-half performance. He said: "I'm thrilled. It means a lot to me, obviously, it means a lot to the club and I know it means a lot to the players. The performance in the first half was the best I have seen from a Celtic team at Hampden in my time. They were exceptional. It was very hard to replicate that in the second half. The tempo in the first half was fantastic, they followed on from Wednesday night (the 4-0 win over Hearts), and if they keep that up they are going to be very difficult to stop.'' However, Rogne went off on the hour mark to leave Lennon with a potential crisis ahead of their next game - ironically against Aberdeen, at Pittodrie on Tuesday. Glenn Loovens and Daniel Majstorovic are out injured and both Darren O'Dea and Jos Hooiveld are on loan to leave Lennon hoping chief executive Peter Lawwell can sign another defender soon. Lennon went on: "He (Rogne) was feeling his calf. He may have a calf strain so we'll see how he is tomorrow. The club have been pretty diligent in trying to get a centre-half in. 'That will just reinforce their efforts to get one in who we have identified. We hope we can cross the line. I'm not (optimistic), there are no guarantees about anything at this stage of the season. Clubs want to hang on to their players because they are either going for promotion or trying to avoid relegation or win trophies, so it's difficult."Aberdeen: Langfield, McArdle, McNamee (Pawlett 77), Diamond, Considine, Vujadinovic (Jack 28), Hartley, Young (Magennis 77), Milsom, Maguire, Vernon Subs not used: Howard, PatonBooked: McNamee, YoungGoal: VernonCeltic: Forster, Izaguirre, Wilson, Mulgrew, Rogne (Juarez 62), Brown, Ledley, Baram Kayal (McCourt 73), Stokes (Murphy 79), Commons, Hooper Subs not used: Zaluska, LjungbergBooked: Izaguirre Goals: Commons, Mulgrew, Rogne, StokesReferee: ThomsonAttendance : 38,085 Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is ScottishFitba Net
