SPL Wednesday April 21st

Celtic 4

Aberdeen 0

1:0 Larsson 16
1:1 Prunty 56
1:2 Zdrilic 90

Att: 51,000
MIB: Ian Brines

Celtic: Marshall Varga McManus McNamara Agathe Lambert Lennon Petrov Wallace Larsson Sylla

subs
Smith for Agathe 45
Balde for McNamara 49
Miller for McManus 67

The end of an amazing home record. It's hard to be over-critical when we look at it in the grand scheme of things, but the antics of some of the players tonight must have had Martin O'Neill blowing a fuse.

A goal up in the first half thanks to a regulation strike from Larsson of the kind we've come to take for granted over the last seven years, the equaliser had a sense of inevitability about it in keeping with the general post-competitive season malaise which seemed to spread alarmingly quickly throughout the team once they had gone ahead. Celtic players were popping up in parts of the pitch they'd previously only heard about and there was a distinct feeling of practice match about proceedings by the time it was 1:1.

The leveller came courtesy of a breakaway. When the ball was played wide to an Aberdeen forward galloping down Celtic's right wing, Jamie Smith was found wanting in his tracking back duties (in a way that Agathe seldom is). The resulting shot was parried by Marshall but only as far as Brian Prunty - it had to be him didn't it? - who stuck it away. The subsequent celebrations were almost laughable under the circumstances but it did show that this was far from a meaningless game for the young Aberdeen players.

The winner came in the 90th minute, an uncharacteristic one to give away under OFM and most definitely reminiscent of the Sieve of old. With the clock running down and a precious undefeated home record to be protected - not to mention cherished and nurtured - a cavalry charge was in full swing when a long punt which was not so much hopeful as hopeless sailed most of the length of the pitch to land out of the night sky in Celtic's half with only Lambert anywhere near it. It took the kind of bounce that wouldn't have been out of place at Murrayfield and we watched the resultant calamity unfold in shocked disbelief.

OFM's team selection made it clear from the start that he was giving those on the fringe of things another chance to stake a claim for a new contract. With the possible exception of McManus, none of them did themselves any favours when it comes to striking a bargaining position. Sylla, in particular, was playing like somebody who can already hear his taxi revving up. Momo fans (or fan) might argue that he isn't being played in his proper position. But two years down the line it appears that nobody's quite sure what his proper position is. Maybe the stand?

Of course it could all be part of a cunning plan to give the board a practical demonstration of the need for a stronger squad. Still, it's a pity to have come so close to breaking another record only to chuck it away. Try imagining going the next 77 home games unbeaten.