Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A RED RUBBER
Griffiths rescues a late draw as Celts huff and puff again in front of goal in story of their season
LEIGH GRIFFITHS showed he can still make an impact at Celtic as his last-gasp equaliser stopped Aberdeen sealing their immediate European return.
If Stephen Glass’s Dons had held out they would have been in Europe but they have fallen six behind third-placed Hibs.
Griffiths has a contract option which Celtic have still to activate but he came up with the goods last night. That decision on his future will fall with the new boss.
The big pre-match question was whether Celtic skipper Scott Brown would start against his future employers.
He did but it was his future apprentice Lewis Ferguson who left him and Celtic in the shade before Griffiths stepped in at the death to snatch a point.
It was another nightmare night for interim Celtic boss John Kennedy on the back of their weekend Old Firm defeat in the Scottish Cup but at least his side kept going right until the end.
Aberdeen started brightly as Ross Mccrorie’s cross from the right was headed towards goal by Ferguson but Scott Bain
managed to tip it out and Callum Hendry’s follow-up was diverted wide by Jonjoe Kenny.
The Dons suffered a blow as Dean Campbell fouled Odsonne Edouard and the French striker fell awkwardly on Mccrorie’s leg. He returned after treatment but minutes later had to limp off, replaced by Calvin Ramsay.
Aberdeen took the lead as they exposed Celtic’s ongoing set piece Achilles heel in the 18th minute.
Niall Mcginn swung in a corner and skipper Andrew Considine powered a header to the back post where Ferguson reacted first and forced the ball home from close range.
It was like a game of basketball but it wasn’t going all the way of these particular Hoops. Edouard found Kenny and then ran on to his low cross but fired wide.
The out-of-sorts Frenchman then got on the end of Turnbull’s cross and should have scored but instead he shot straight at Woods. Aberdeen came out after the break and dropped back and invited Celtic on.
It almost proved costly when Edouard headed down Kenny’s long diagonal for Turnbull to run on to in the box but he stabbed his shot against the bar.
Celtic continued to push. Turnbull was lucky to escape with a yellow as he kicked out at Mcgeouch but Celts levelled as Griffiths ghosted in to nod home Mohamed Elyounoussi’s cross in the last seconds.