Aberdeen's ailing title hopes put out of their misery by St Johnstone
Aberdeen's ailing Ladbrokes Premiership title hopes were surely put out of their misery by St Johnstone who demolished the Dons 3-0 at McDiarmid Park.
Goals from midfielder David Wotherspoon and striker Steven MacLean gave Saints a well-deserved interval lead with midfielder Liam Craig adding a third in the 55th minute.
The Dons remain eight points behind leaders Celtic and their hapless performance was a perfect leaving present for Hoops boss Ronny Deila, who declared on Wednesday he is departing Parkhead at the end of the season.
Celtic can go 11 points clear when they host Ross County on Sunday, after which both the Hoops and the Granite City men will have four games remaining with a football miracle required to see the title wrested from Glasgow.
Dons boss Derek McInnes gave a debut to 20-year-old defender Michael Rose, in for the injured Ash Taylor, with Andrew Considine replacing Craig Storie but the visitors struggled badly in the first half.
Wotherspoon made his presence felt early in the game with Saints defender Joe Shaughnessy heading his corner from the left off the crossbar in the sixth minute.
And in the 14th minute, after debutant Rose was penalised for a challenge on Graham Cummins 25 yards from goal, the former Hibs midfielder curled his free-kick over the defensive wall and in at keeper Scott Brown's right-hand post.
Aberdeen looked nervy at the back but escaped further punishment.
St Johnstone skipper Chris Millar missed the target with a drive after being sent clear by midfielder Murray Davidson.
And in the 35th minute defender Steven Anderson bundled in a Wotherspoon corner but referee Craig Thomson ruled, generously it appeared, that keeper Brown had been impeded in the packed six-yard box.
However, three minutes later MacLean grabbed the Perth side's second with the slightest of touches after Tam Scobbie's deep free-kick was headed into the six-yard box by Anderson.
Barry Robson replaced Rose for the start of the second-half but the visitors found themselves three down when, after defender Mark Reynolds was dispossessed by Millar, Cummins laid the ball on for the unmarked Craig to fire past Brown.
A dejected and dispirited Aberdeen side could not find a way back as Saints keeper Zander Clark saved a fine Robson free-kick.
Source: PA
