Aberdeen 3 - 2 Celtic

Fresh from winning the Club Academy Scotland Under 18 Elite League on Friday afternoon, three goals after the 85th minute mark at Pittodrie on Monday meant Aberdeen Under 18’s incredibly came from two goals down to run out as 3-2 winners against Celtic.

Just as they have done all season, this young team never know when they are beaten.

Two goals down after 84 minutes, it looked like the young Dons incredible campaign would end in defeat in a dead rubber tie, but Findlay Marshall inspired the fightback with a 86th minute goal. Substitute Joseph Teasdale was the hero for his side after netting in the 93rd and sensationally the 98th minute to give the team their perfect ending.

After writing their own chapter into the AFC history books with a league title sealing victory against Rangers at their Auchenhowie training base, the Young Dons were rewarded with a showpiece fixture at the home of the Dons to round out their campaign.

In a rollercoaster season that saw ups and downs a-plenty, early red cards and comeback victories, not to mention the bitter feeling of cup final heartbreak and eventually jubilation soon after, Monday nights clash was a rare occasion where nothing was at stake – but the Champions were looking to go out on a high.

Its fair to say they managed to do exactly that.

Lead Coach Scott Anderson selected an unchanged XI for the curtain closing clash against Celtic at Pittodrie. Fresh from his history making debut at Easter Road just the day before, Fletcher Boyd complimented the swashbuckling attack of Fraser Mackie, Cammy Wilson and Alfie Bavidge for the final time in 2023/2024.

Aberdeen started how they intended to go on at Pittodrie and forced Rice into a strong save after just two minutes. A team move culminated in Mackie flicking a ball through to Boyd whose first time effort was turned away. From the corner, Timothy Akindileni header took a nick off a Celtic body and went behind. The second corner produced a chance for Alfie Stewart to try his luck at goal, and he came close: a combination of Rice and the bar prevented an early opener.

The visitors were quick to show they were at Pittodrie to do more than make up the numbers and had an early chance of their own after space in the Dons backline was exposed. Dargie drove towards goal and tried his luck, the Celtic number seven denied by the feet of Rodrigo Vitols.

By the 15-minute mark it was an open contest with chances continuing to fall at both ends. Celtic again came close via Dargie, up the other end an outstretched Findlay Marshall came close to getting on the end of another well worked move after Aberdeen won the ball high into the Celtic half.

The visitors continued to grow more and more into the game and after a few chances went abegging they did eventually open the scoring. A slack ball from Lewis Carrol was cut out by Turley and as he raced into the penalty box a mistimed sliding challenge from Akindileni was enough to convince the referee to point to the spot. Dargie stepped up and sent Vitols the wrong way, Akindileni was booked as he continued to plead his innocence.

The visitors were really in the ascendency at Pittodrie and on another day could have had a few goals to show for their efforts by the half hour. Dargie was continuing to look a real threat down the right flank, he danced around Hamilton and Akindileni to set up a strong chance for himself, and the Dons had Vitols to thank again.

Unfortunately Celtic did eventually get the second goal they were looking for not long after. Ure’s deflected effort wrong footed Vitols and found the back of the net and presented the young Dons with a mountain to climb if they were to end the season with three points.

On the stroke of the 45th minute Mackie did exceptionally well to fashion a chance for himself out of very little inside the box, eventually pushing a shot from close range into the body of Rice. The rebound fell to the feet of Bavidge, the forward unable to sort his feet out and Celtic survived the scare.

The young Dons ended the half relatively strongly and were unfortunate not to have a goal to show for their efforts, but ultimately it was Celtic who went in at the break with a comfortable advantage.

Half-time, Aberdeen 0 Celtic 2.

Cooper Masson was introduced at the interval, he replaced Fraser Mackie as Scott Anderson looked for a way back into the game.

Aberdeen looked to have every right to be aggrieved after Marshall was adjudged to be offside after meeting Hamilton’s arial flicked pass, as he headed down an inch perfect cross-field ball. It looked to be a good chance for the Dons, with the Aberdeen midfielder bearing down on goal.

Celtic were soon back, coming on strong at Pittodrie. The already booked Akindileni would have had his heart in his mouth after clattering into Pickford and conceding a foul, the free-kick was eventually swung into the box but well dealt with. Not long after Vitols was again being kept busy, Turley forced a routine save out the keeper.

Bookending the Celtic chances were more dangerous Stewart corners. The first had to awkwardly tipped to safety by Rice, another one was more whipped into the six-yard box and met by the head of Marshall, but another chance fell wide of the mark.

Just after the hour Teasdale was introduced to the action, he replaced Boyd.

Teasdale came close to making an instant impact, his shot inside the area was blocked courtesy of some brave Celtic defending. Wilson slashed at a rebound, again blocked by a sliding green and white body.

The pressure was mounting and from the corner Bavidge’s back-post header looked goal bound, only to be denied by another leaping Celtic block.

An industrial but fair challenge from Masson spearheaded a dangerous Aberdeen counterattack as they continued to look for a route back. The ball broke to Bavidge who was able to drive forward and feed the ball into Hamilton who linked up smartly with Marshall, but yet again it was just missing that final piece of the puzzle that could send the ball over the white line.

Wilson soon made way, Ellis Clark his replacement for the final 20 minutes.

The Dons defence was carved open by a through ball that sent Ferns hurtling towards Vitols, again the stopper did well to deny Celtic a third goal, opting to use his feet again.

Hamilton swung an effective looking cross into the heart of the visitors penalty box as the game began to wind down, Bavidge’s header again over. Following the missed chance, Christovie Kondolo and Dylan Ross replaced Hamilton and Kai Watson.

Ross’s impact was immediate as he assumed set piece duty, the full-backs corner was knocked down by Carrol and emphatically slammed home by Marshall.

Suddenly Aberdeen were in the driving seat and more set pieces were wreaking havoc as the game entered its closing stages. Stewart’s deep dead ball wound up right in the heart of the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ and Bavidge saw a glancing chance grace the side of the post and fall wide.
The Young Dons did what they had managed to do all season: dig deep and go to the end. Their efforts were rewarded with a 93rd minute equaliser through the substitute Teasdale who latched onto Akindileni’s header to take the ball down and fire past Rice. 2-2!

However, would you believe it, they weren’t done yet. Practically out of nowhere Teasdale was alert and caught Rice off his line from the touchline, and the substitutes looping effort found its way over the keeper and into the back of the net to send the young Dons tonto as Teasdale was joined by the whole squad in celebration that was matched in passion by the noise of the Main Stand full of Aberdeen fans who had got behind their team the whole night.

As they had done all season, a young, exciting group had kept going, their efforts more than rewarded.

It was the perfect ending to a league season that had twist after twist, a 30-game tale where the recurring theme was that of not giving up until it was truly over.

Captain Alfie Stewart was soon presented with the trophy, and he was able to proudly lift it aloft and he was joined by his delighted team-mates as they celebrated a special victory to mark the end of a special campaign.