Aberdeen 1-3 Celtic

By David McDaid

McDonald made it 19 goals for the season at Pittodrie

Scott McDonald scored a brace as Celtic came from behind to win at Aberdeen and move four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Chris Maguire gave the home side the lead on 22 minutes with a header from Charlie Mulgrew's free-kick.

With seconds remaining of the first half, Andy Considine headed into his own net to level for Celtic.

And, with 20 minutes left, McDonald fired in a fine first-time shot before sealing the win in injury time.

When the top six was decided, Celtic must have been disappointed that another trip to Pittodrie beckoned given the Dons' undefeated record at home since October.

Aberdeen's team-sheet, minus their regular forward pair of Lee Millar and Darren Mackie, may have given Gordon Strachan's side encouragement, but Chris Maguire proved to be a more-than-ample deputy.

The striker's energy and movement caused problems for the visitors and he was presented with a wonderful opportunity to give the Dons the lead with less than five minutes played.

Celtic's captain Stephen McManus was caught out by Charlie Mulgrew's chip, but Maguire could only lob the ball wide with Artur Boruc advancing from his goal.

Marc Crosas was at the heart of the most of the visitors' early play and it was the Spaniard who began a move culminating in Aiden McGeady curling an effort just past the post with the outside of his boot.

As play swung from end to end, Boruc palmed away a tricky Sone Aluko strike then, after the ball was launched high up the field, Jamie Langfield had to block at the feet of McDonald.

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Celtic, with a zonal-marking system that has been vulnerable at set-pieces all season, failed to attack Mulgrew's free-kick in the 22nd minute and Maguire took advantage to head the Dons in front from six yards.

Seconds after the restart, Maguire again forced Boruc to save, before Scott Severin blasted wide from the resultant corner in acres of space at the back post.

With half an hour played, Langfield, who was excellent throughout, produced a fantastic one-handed save to claw Paul Hartley's net-bound strike away to safety, before again blocking from McDonald as Celtic tried to get back on level terms.

And, just as it looked like the Dons would take a lead into the break, the Dons' keeper was beaten by a cruel deflection, as Considine flicked Gary Caldwell's header into the net with seconds of the half remaining.

Early in the second period, Boruc was relieved to watch a clearance deflect wide off Maguire after the Pole had raced out of his box.

At the other end, Langfield tipped first Lee Naylor's deflected strike then Hartley's header over the bar.

The Aberdeen forwards were finding space in behind the Celtic back line and, had Tommy Wright pulled the trigger sooner, he might have reclaimed the lead for the home team, but his hesitancy allowed Caldwell time to recover and clear.

The Dons were left ruing missed opportunities on 72 minutes, when Hinkel fed McDonald and the Australian's accurate first-time shot squeezed inside Langfield's near post.

And, in injury time, McDonald struck again with a low drive when he latched on to Shunsuke Nakamura's through-ball with Dons defence napping.

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:

"I'm disappointed as I thought we dominated the first half, we had the best chances, went deservedly 1-0 ahead, and we could have gone three up.

"We gave away a sloppy free-kick - although I thought it was a strange decision by the referee - and they score with a minute to half-time.

"In the second half we weren't getting close to them and their good players started to play because we gave them time.

"Scott McDonald's always dangerous. But even their goals we've got to be disappointed as we didn't put pressure on them like we did in the first half.

"In one way I was pleased with the performance, especially with six players out who might have been in your starting line-up."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:

"Aberdeen were first to the bouncing ball and played the conditions well. It looks fantastic out here on the pitch, but you don't realise the swirling wind.

"They had a chance where Maguire lobbed it over and one at the back post in the first half.

"In the second half we got first to the bouncing ball and then played some good football.

"Scott McDonald's performance was as good a striking performance as you'll ever see.

"The first half when we weren't playing well he held the ball up, he came short, made chances.

"In the second half he was a constant threat, and as the longer the game went on his fitness level was phenomenal."

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Aberdeen: Langfield, Foster, Severin, Considine, Mulgrew, Duff (Pawlett 78), Kerr, McDonald, Aluko, Wright (Paton 74), Maguire.
Subs Not Used: Bossu, Vidal, Mair, Stewart, Crawford.

Booked: Pawlett.

Goals: Maguire 22.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, McManus (Loovens 50), Caldwell, Naylor, Nakamura, Hartley, Crosas, McGeady (Maloney 90), Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, O'Dea, Flood, McCourt, Ferry.

Booked: McDonald.

Goals: Caldwell 44, McDonald 72, 90.

Att: 14,752

Ref: D McDonald.

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BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Aberdeen's Jamie Langfield 7.64 (on 90 minutes).

• Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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