Goal blitz sinks reds at Pittodrie.

Only five days ahead of the Dons eagerly anticipated European tie Aberdeen suffered their heaviest home defeat under the stewardship of Jimmy Calderwood. It had been so different at the start as Aberdeen forced Celtic on to the back foot. Mackie missed an open goal in the 12th minute and when Nicholson was forced off the field Celtic took advantage of the ten men and opened the scoring against the run of play. For the remainder of the half Celtic took their chances while Aberdeen squandered there own. Goals from McGeady and McDonald made it 3-0 at the break. The two combined two minutes after the break to make it four and even though Miller pulled one back for the Dons, Barry Robson scored with his first kick in a Celtic shirt to make it a comfortable 5-1 win for Celtic.

Aberdeen kicked off and in the first minute Maybury fired in a deep cross and Derek Young headed wide with the Celtic defence looking on. Aberdeen continued to press forward and Mackie was causing problems. Walker fired well over from the edge of the box with only two minutes on the clock but after such a positive start it was Celtic who won the first corner in the 5th minute and McManus headed cleanly over but not surprisingly referee Thomson awarded a second corner. From the subsequent set play Naylor fired wide of the target. Two minutes later McNamara made another clean challenge and Thomson was quick to award the free kick to the visiting side.

A shocking challenge on Derek Young by Vennegoor of Hesselink finally won a free kick for Aberdeen and the Dutchman was lucky to escape a caution. The Aberdeen goal had a lucky escape in the 11th minute when Brown looped a header off the upright with Langfield beaten. At the other end Mackie should have given Aberdeen the lead when Young did really well on the left and cut the ball back to Mackie who fired wide of an empty goal from only six yards out. Nicholson then picked up a knock from another unpunished late challenge and he was unable to continue and must now be a worry for Thursday night.

With Aberdeen down to ten men Celtic took advantage and scored against the run of play when a McGeady cross was missed by the Dons defence and Nakamura had plenty of space to fire in the opening goal. Aberdeen tried to hit back quickly, with Foster now on the pitch, but Miller was caught offside. Celtic were awarded another soft free kick in the 20th minute but this time the Dons defence were alert and cleared the danger. Aberdeen should have levelled in the 23rd minute when a floated Walker free kick was worked back across goal but Foster headed the ball over the bar with the defence at sixes and sevens.

A McGeady cross caused problems in the 28th minute but Bus did well to put Vennegoor of Hesselink off. A minute later Aberdeen came so close to levelling when Miller played a great pass to Mackie and the striker was unlucky when his shot beat Borac and bounced off the far post. Scott McDonald was having trouble staying on his feet and was having little difficulty winning free kicks. Celtic doubled their advantage in the 34th minute when McGeady stepped inside and fired into the far corner of the net. Aberdeen drove forward again minutes later and as Severin threw the ball into the box Diamond was clearly held down. No decision was given and seconds later McDonald fell over to win a free kick and clear the danger.

A probing run from Foster won the Dons a corner in the 40th minute but they failed to create a chance from the set play. The game was over in the 43rd minute when Walker felled McDonald inside the box. There was little argument with the penalty award and Walker earned himself a yellow card for his troubles. McDonald sent Langfield the wrong way to make it 3-0. Aberdeen had yet another chance to score deep in injury time when Miller set up Foster on the left and the wide player made an absolute hash of his chip and it went well over the bar. This was hardly the preparation the Dons were looking for ahead of the Munich visit.

Aberdeen had to defend early in the second half and Celtic went further ahead in the 48th minute. A brilliant bit of play by McGeady created the space and McDonald had the easiest of tasks to head in from close range. A poor Langfield clearance was almost punished a minute later before Considine replaced Diamond and another worry ahead of the midweek match. Celtic had a fair shout for a penalty in the 51st minute when Vennegoor of Hesselink went down, but play was surprisingly waved on. A free kick in the 55th minute was far too easily gathered by Borac and a minute later Langfield denied Nakamura a second goal when he tipped the effort over the bar. The keeper then made a better block to deny McDonald a hat trick.

Celtic were totally in control now and Langfield was called into action again in the 58th minute as he blocked a Vennegoor shot. Another Dons free kick failed to produce a chance then Samaras replaced McDonald just after the hour mark. Aberdeen did finally pull a goal back in the 62nd minute when Miller drilled the ball into the net after Mackie had an effort blocked. The Dons injury worries reared their head again when substitute Foster had to go off injured and was replaced by Maguire. McGeady earned a yellow card in the 69th minute and should have earned himself a second yellow with his protest. The Dons free kick was poor allowing Celtic to break quickly and Derek Young earned a caution as he stopped Samaras in his tracks.

The midfielder picked up a nasty knock in the process and the subsequent free kick was easily held by Langfield. Aberdeen then went close in the 73rd minute when Borac was forced into a save from a Bus header. Celtic won another soft free kick on the edge of the D and substitute Barry Robson, who had been on the pitch for less than a minute beat Langfield with his first kick in a Celtic shirt. Derek Young was back on the pitch by now but he was clearly injured and contributing little. Langfield made another fine save from McGeady in the 77th minute and seconds later Robson almost scored direct from the corner.

An incident in the 84th minute summed up the Dons day when Severin stepped forward and fired a low shot that was blocked by Darren Mackie. Aberdeen then won a corner but Walker failed to get the ball past the first defender and McGeady broke and should have scored but pulled his effort wide of the goal. Aberdeen had one final chance when Josh Walker fired wide of the target but the final whistle brought relief. Aberdeen couldn’t have anticipated a worse preparation foe midweek and with Celtic to visit on cup duty next month a lot of hard work will be required if the Dons are to keep their cup interests alive.