GLASGOW: Celtic look on course for the biggest ever winning margin in the top flight of Scottish football following a thrilling 5-2 win over Aberdeen that moves them a massive 30 points clear of the Dons in second place.
Scott Brown and Kris Commons both scored a double as the Hoops gained revenge on Aberdeen, who inflicted their only league defeat of the season back in March.
Celtic skipper Brown opened the scoring in the 25th minute before Niall McGinn capitalised on a defensive mistake to level the scores three minutes later.
Brown restored the lead just before the break and Anthony Stokes added a third in the 53rd minute. A tremendous strike from Shaleum Logan reduced the deficit three minutes later but a Commons double put Celtic out of sight.
Despite the defeat Aberdeen have booked their place in the Europa League qualifiers although Motherwell moved to within a point of the Dons with a 2-1 win over St Johnstone.
“I thought we were great -- it was five but it could have been a lot more,” said Celtic manager Neil Lennon.
“We gave Aberdeen a goal to start with as well but our reaction to that was fantastic. We are playing very well at the minute and I think we are providing plenty entertainment as well.”
His Aberdeen counterpart Derek McInnes was furious at being denied a penalty when his side were 3-2 down.
“I think it takes a massive effort and performance from everybody to beat a team of Celtic’s quality and we were always in the game today,” McInnes said.
“We were disappointed in the first two goals as I thought they were too easy from our point of view but the pivotal moment was at 3-2 when we should have had a penalty kick.”
After Commons twice came close it was Brown who eventually opened the scoring for Celtic. The captain broke into the box and then drilled a low left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. Their lead was short-lived however as a horrendous defensive mistake allowed McGinn to equalise in the 28th minute.
The Northern Irishman capitalised on Adam Matthews’ miss-placed pass to round keeper Fraser Forster and tap the ball into the empty net.
Celtic came close to regaining the lead when Virgil van Dijk connected well with a Commons free-kick but Jamie Langfield got down well to save before Peter Pawlett fired just wide for the Dons.
The sides looked to be heading into the break level before Brown got his second of the match in the 44th minute. The Celtic midfielder collected a cut-back from Stokes and blasted a low shot under the despairing Langfield.
Aberdeen started the second half brightly and former Celtic midfielder Barry Robson tried his luck with a fierce long-range effort that stung the palms of Forster.
However, it was Celtic who further increased their advantage in the 53rd minute. AFP
