Aberdeen have been beaten many times this season. Often, not unfairly, they have invited anything from introspection to incrimination. They need have no such worries today.
Whenever a match is lost by such a narrow margin as the inch or so of post which delineated perfection and ruination for Ryan Duncan’s tearjerking penalty, it is only natural to reflect on the smallest actions which could have tipped the balance.
But in all seriousness, Aberdeen, their cramping and exhausted bodies littered across all quarters of the Hampden pitch, could not have given an ounce more of themselves in pursuit of wrestling an unlikely victory from the most astounding, confounding of matches.
Frequent were the moments which felt like the marginal spurning of last conceivable chances, but it is to Aberdeen’s eternal credit that, in all three phases of the game, they simply refused to allow it to end.
It is hard to imagine where the Dons found the emotional and physical reserves to haul themselves up the pitch and drag the match ever deeper into the afternoon: a case in point being Angus MacDonald, not ten minutes after slumping to the floor, drained and aching after another heroic intervention in his own box, sneaking to the opposing back post to complete his and his team’s open-play redemption.
Any laments over what might have been on Saturday, or any other given day during the season had the tanks been so enthusiastically and unquestioningly emptied, should be comprehensively drowned out by applause in appreciation of the effort given and the spectacle provided.
Few and far between this season have been the Mondays on which Dons fans could face work and school with the overwhelming feeling towards their team being pride. There is no doubt that this, although in ultimate defeat, is one such.