1996-01-14: Aberdeen 1-2 Celtic, Premier Division

BYLINE:Ian Broadley

DUTCH dazzler Pierre Van Hooydonk crowned a dramatic second-half fightback asCeltickept their title dream alive at Pittodrie.
Two goals in the space of five second-half minutes transformed a match the Dons had largely dominated until that point.
The strikes by John Collins and Hooydonk extended the Parkhead side's unbeaten run to 17 games – and lifted them back within five points of arch-rivals Rangers with a game in hand.

But a thrilling game was overshadowed when referee Mike McCurry was hit by a missile apparently thrown from the South Stand, where the home fans were seated.The Glasgow official needed treatment for a head wound fromCeltic'sdoctor Jack Mulhearn before he could continue.
Trouble
Police immediately moved in among the Dons supporters to ensure no further trouble, but the Pittodrie side now face an SFA probe into the incident.
Aberdeentook command from the start and ex-Celt Joe Miller should have put them ahead inside two minutes.
Teenager Stephen Glass delivered a penetrating cross which was missed byCeltickeeper Gordon Marshall.
That left winger Miller with a gaping goal – but incredibly he scooped the ball wide from inside the six-yard box.
Celtic'sbest chance in a one-sided first half came six minutes later when youngster Simon Donnelly released Phil O'Donnell with a superb defence- splitting pass. But the midfielder rattled the post when he had a simple task to beat home keeper Mike Watt.
Aberdeen'sgoal was down to two more blunders by Marshall. First he failed to come off his line when striker Billy Dodds broke through, forcing Peter Grant to concede a corner. The pair had a heated exchange, then Marshall took a swipe at Grant as he walked away.
Worse was to follow when Marshall completely missed Miller's corner kick and the unmarked Dodds headed in his tenth goal of the season.
Then young Glass surged past defenders John Hughes and Tom Boyd and Marshall only managed to block his thunderbolt with his legs.
Aberdeencontinued to pile on the pressure and Grant keptCelticin the game with an astute clearance when Dodds look certain to deliver a second goal.
Celticnever looked like a side which has put together the best run since they won the double eight years ago – and their much-vaunted midfield never won the crucial battle in that area.
But just before the interval, Dutch hitman Van Hooydonk came close for equalising with a volley which went narrowly over the bar.
Boss Tommy Burns' half-time message clearly got through to his players becauseCelticshowed greater urgency after the great for the title challenge.
In the 50th minute O'Donnell left Paul Bernard trailing in his wake before picking out Collins with a precise cross. And the unmarked Scotland star fired home the equaliser.
Superb
Aberdeenimmediately brought on striker Duncan Shearer for Joe Miller, but fell behind before he could make any impact.
In 55 minutes German international Andreas Thom ripped openAberdeen'sleft flank, checked back before finding Van Hooydonk – and the Dutchman drove in his 16th goal of the season.
Thom should have added a third goal, but shot wide after creating a superb opening.
ThenAberdeenmounted a late surge which saw captain Stewart McKimmie hit the bar from 35 yards.
Sub Shearer completely missed the rebound and their last chance of salvaging a point disappeared.
Three players were booked – Shearer and Dean Windass ofAberdeen, along withCeltic'sTosh McKinlay.

BYLINE:Ken Gallacher

THE drama unfolding at the top of the premier division this season remains as intense as ever this morning.Celticcontinued their run of success againstAberdeenat Pittodrie yesterday to push themselves back to within five points of champions Rangers in the two -horse race for the title.
This was their third league victory against the Pittodrie club this season – a hat trick of results that could prove to be vital when the championship is eventually settled.
Again, it was not only the three points which were important to the hugeCelticsupport yesterday, it was also the manner in which Tommy Burns' team achieved the result.

This time they fought their way back into the game after being a goal behind at half-time, trailing to a header from Billy Dodds.It seemed that they were in need of some running repairs at half-time and that is exactly what they were given by manager Burns. It was a differentCeltic, a more incisiveCeltic, a more confidentCeltic, who appeared after the interval.
Within 10 minutes of the restart they were in front – and they remained in front until the game ended.
Last week Raith Rovers manager Jimmy Nicholl suggested that the St Patrick's Day clash at Ibrox between Rangers andCelticwould be a title decider.
He insisted that was no-one else in the league could stop the relentless drive of the Old Firm, and the weekend results – particularly this one at Pittodrie – hae underlined those views.
This wasCelticstretching their unbeaten run to 17 games, while 24 hours earlier Rangers had racked up 20 games without loss.
Already the Ibrox clash is looking as if it will be the immovable object meeting the irresistible force ….
Yet, in the first half yesterday, the television audience must have sensed that perhapsAberdeencould make an important intervention. There were suggestions of that, particularly after they had gone in front after 18 minutes.
TheCelticdefence had looked uncomfortable in the run-up to the goal. A misunderstanding between Peter Grant and Gordon Marshall, which led to angry words between them, allowedAberdeena corner on the left.
Joe Miller struck the ball across goal and Marshall, perhaps still unhappy, missed the ball completely as he left his line and there was Billy Dodds to send a header beyond the keeper and into the net.
Seven minutes later Stephen Glass moved between two defenders and sent in a shot which Marshall stopped with his legs.
Celticdid not recover their earlier impetus – Phil O'Donnell had hit a post with a shot in nine minutes – until close to half time. A spell of pressure led to Paul McStay sending a shot dipping over the bar and then Pierre Van Hooydonk volleying an effort high after a John Hughes header had given him the opening. However, Glass showed up the frailities in thatCelticdefence in 44 minutes when he took advantage of another Marshall-Grant muddle and dropped a shot on to the roof of the net with the keeper back-pedalling furiously.
Then came theCelticrevival, sparked first of all by a goal from John Collins in 50 minutes.
O'Donnell had made one of his typical runs to move behind the defence on to a through ball from Simon Donnelly. He gathered the ball and then crossed to the far post and there was Collins, on his own, and able to blast his shot into the net.
Five minutes later the comeback was complete. Andreas Thom ran away from John Inglis down the left and sent a menacing low cross into the penalty box. There was the Dutchman, an Hooydonk, to smash in a low shot for his sixteenth goal of the season.
Aberdeen'scredentials were now being seriously examined and the team, collectively, simply could not match up to the demands being made.
No doubt, they will point to a glorious 30-yard shot from captain Stuart McKimmie which smacked against the bar in 79 minutes, and the miss by substitute Duncan Shearer from that rebound.
ButCelticwere almost always the team in control for the second 45 minutes.
The double strike effectively killed off any hopesAberdeenmay have harboured of a first victory against the Parkhead men this season.
There was a late flurry from them, three corners in the closing minutes, but they could make nothing of any of them andCelticnow look towards their game at Tynecastle which could cut further into the lead which Rangers hold over them.
Aberdeen, of course, are long out of the championship challenge. They have the League Cup to keep them happy, and the Scottish Cup to look forward to.
But, on the evidence of this season, they must hope they can avoidCelticin that tournament otherwise they may finish as one of the trophies on view at Parkhead. Their record this season againstCelticis dismal.
There were bookings yesterday for Dean Windass and Duncan Shearer ofAberdeen, and for Tosh McKinlay ofCelticin a game which brought little trouble on field.