SUBSTITUTE LEIGH GRIFFITHS’ last-gasp header gave Celtic a 1-1 Scottish Premiership draw against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
In Stephen Glass’ first league game as Dons boss, midfielder Lewis Ferguson put the home side ahead in the 17th minute and came close on three other occasions in the first half while also clearing off the line.
The Aberdeen playmaker also hit the woodwork after the break but Celtic missed several chances and also hit the bar before Griffiths, on for Odsonne Edouard, headed in a Mohamed Elyounoussi cross in stoppage time for a share of the spoils.
Celtic, who have suffered so often this season from set-pieces, conceded from a corner in the 18th minute.
Niall McGinn’s delivery from the right was met by skipper Andy Considine and his header found Ferguson in front of Kenny at the back post and he gleefully knocked the ball in from a yard out.
With the Parkhead side still reeling, a Ferguson header from a Jonny Hayes cross was well saved by Bain down at his left-hand post.
Edouard then passed up two good chances, missing the target with a shot from 10 yards before his close-range volley was stopped by Woods.
Celtic finished the half well on top and Edouard had the ball in the net from five yards only to see the offside flag up.
The visitors started the second half strongly and, in the 53rd minute, Edouard cushioned a header into the path of Turnbull but, with only Woods to beat, he cracked the crossbar with his shot.
Aberdeen should have made it 2-0 soon after the hour mark.
Celtic skipper Scott Brown – who joins the Dons in the summer as player-assistant – tried to block a Hendry pass only to knock it straight to Ferguson but, with only Bain to beat, he hit the outside of the post.
As the Parkhead side kept up the pressure Turnbull then dragged a shot past the far post before Hayes, in a breakaway from his own half, was chased and caught by midfielder Callum McGregor but referee Willie Collum ignored penalty claims.
It looked like Aberdeen were going to hold out but, deep into three added minutes, Griffiths leapt at the back post to nod Elyounoussi’s cross past Woods for a deserved point.
Liam Craig was the man on the spot as St Johnstone claimed a deserved 1-1 draw against Rangers after a double dose of penalty controversy in Perth.
Steven Gerrard’s team thought they had warmed up for Sunday’s Scottish Cup showdown by edging to a narrow win in their McDiarmid Park dress rehearsal following Scott Wright’s first goal for the club.
But referee Euan Anderson – who had earlier performed a bizarre U-turn after overturning a Saints spot-kick award – did then hand the hosts a soft penalty in the third minute of stoppage time which Craig rammed home to seal a point.
It meant Callum Davidson’s men cut the gap on Livingston and a potential European slot to three points with three games remaining.
Rangers will be frustrated at the slip-up but at least their quest for an unbeaten league campaign lived on.
And they will now turn their attention to doubling up on their league triumph when Saints travel to Glasgow for this weekend’s last-eight duel.
Gerrard clearly had an eye on Sunday’s quarter-final as he made seven changes to the team that dumped Celtic out of the last-16.
Skipper James Tavernier was back in a starting line-up for the first time since February after recovering from a knee injury while January signing Jack Simpson came in for his first start.
Rangers grabbed the opener within 10 minutes of the restart after half-time.
Steven Davis got the benefit of the doubt as the ball appeared to brush his arm. The Northern Irishman slotted in Wright, who cut inside and swept a fine right-foot finish past Clark to open his Rangers account.
Saints were unhappy with the decision to play on and were even angrier three minutes later when Anderson pointed to the spot as Borna Barisic and Rooney clashed in the box – only to then change his mind.
The home captain was standing over the spot ready to shoot but was then left stunned as Anderson decided to award a goal-kick instead after consulting with Frank Connor.
Rangers thought they had seen out the danger as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.
But when Roofe tried another needlessly spectacular effort from the half-way line, it handed St Johnstone one last chance and they got their rewards when Simpson barged over Christopher Kane, with Craig making no mistake from 12 yards.
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