Lead Down To Two After Loss To Aberdeen At Pittodrie

Aberdeen (2) 4 Celtic (1) 2

Celtic's lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League was cut to two after a Zander Diamond double strike gave Aberdeen the win at Pittodrie on Sunday morning.

The match had been back-and-forth until that point, Aberdeen's Gary McDonald heading the ball over substitute keeper Mark Brown (Artur Boruc picking up a groin injury in the pre-match warm up) in the 24th minute.

Scott Brown equalised within a minute after McGeady's cross was dummied by Scott McDonald, leaving Brown to side-foot the ball into the net. Within six minutes, the Dons were back on top, Mark Kerr crossing the ball over the

Celtic defenders to Stuart Duff who had no problem whooting the ball past Brown from 16 yards out.

Celtic started the second half well, and were unlucky not to have equalized in the 60th minute when a Hinkel cross rebounded back off the far post, falling to Paul Hartley who fired the ball over the bar.

In the 73rd minute, Scott McDonald equalised with a fine header from Barry Robson's cross, but Gary McDonald scored two more in the span of five minutes to leave the visiting fans despondant.

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan rued the missed opportunities, but more so the defending of set-pieces during the game: "The consolation is that my team played well, made chances, showed great determination and great character, while the two goals we scored were absolutely fantastic.

"If they play like that for the rest of the season, I will be happy. If they defend like that at set-plays, I will be a worried man.

"The thing that let us down is that they scored four goals from four free-kicks and we have to see if there is a common denominator there and eradicate it.

"I feel sorry for Mark Brown, because he has not had a save to make and has not been able to show his ability."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen's first win against the Bhoys at Pittodrie since 2001, means that the have won six home games in a row and advanced them into third place ahead of Dundee United, who lost against Motherwell that morning.