James Maddison’s stoppage-time winner ensured Rangers suffered a miserable return to Pittodrie as Aberdeen claimed a dramatic 2-1 Scottish Premiership win, yesterday.

The Ibrox side had not visited the Granite City in four-and-a-half years but the time had done little to quell the animosity between the sides.

The Dons support mercilessly lapped it up as winger Johnny Hayes stroked the home side ahead 22 seconds into the second half. But the Irishman’s foul on Lee Wallace teed up Andy Halliday to level from the penalty spot with 13 minutes left.

Just as Gers thought they had claimed a point, substitute Maddison curled home an unstoppable free-kick to send Mark Warburton’s team crashing into the bottom half of the table.

The week running up to the clash had been filled with scare stories predicting a return to the worst excesses of this fixture.

And those ominous predictions proved correct when the opposing fans had to be separated by a line of police and stewards as objects rained back and forth early in the first period.

Warburton said referee John Beaton cost his side a point after awarding the free-kick which led to Aberdeen’s dramatic winner.

Warburton tried to play it diplomatically after the match but could not hide his annoyance at Beaton’s big call.

He said: “I thought the referee handled a difficult game very well. He did a really good job up to that point, but to give that one there is frustrating beyond belief.

“I will be careful what I say about the free-kick. Everyone saw the ball move. The fourth official on the sidelines saw the ball move and made a comment... and yet a free-kick is given.”

Results
Aberdeen-Rangers - 2-1
Hamilton-St Johnstone - 1-1