Gers beaten as title hopes dashed

Nacho Novo was sent off with 10 minutes to go after Lee Miller and Darren Mackie had both scored for the Dons and news had filtered through of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's winner at Tannadice.

The destination of the trophy was always in Celtic's hands because of their superior goal difference but it was a disappointing night nevertheless for a Rangers team who had not so long ago harboured hopes of an historic quadruple.

Their target now is a win over Queen of the South in Saturday's Scottish Cup final at Hampden to add to the CIS Insurance Cup won at the same venue back in March.

Rangers had twice denied their bitter rivals on the final day of the season in recent years, clinching the title on goal difference in 2003 and then against all the odds in 2005 when the helicopter carrying the SPL trophy famously changed direction.

This time, there would only be thoughts of what might have been this season as they prepared for the long journey back to Glasgow as Celtic claimed their third consecutive championship for the first time since the 1970s.

Aberdeen opened the scoring when Miller nodded home from a Barry Nicholson cross after 63 minutes.

News then began to filter through that Vennegoor of Hesselink had scored for Celtic. And, just to make Rangers' night even worse, they fell further behind after 77 minutes.

Mackie latched onto a cross from the right and lashed a low shot past Alexander to snuff out any lingering hope Rangers had left.

A red card for Novo seconds later summed up the Ibrox club's miserable night when he was sent packing for an over the top challenge on Duff.