By SCOTT MULLEN

AT this time of year normally the only things being handed out are toffee apples, monkey nuts, a handful of fluffy penny sweets and a stern-talking to as a six-year-old Darth Vader tried out his racy gag from Uncle Barry on Granny before a night’s guising.

In footballing terms, Celtic’s players weren’t handed a Ladbrokes Premiership winner’s medal as they boarded the coach back down the road here. However after a couple of tricks and a treat of a goal from Tom Rogic, the Parkhead club left Aberdeen’s door with a 10-point gap over their hosts before reaching November, safe in the knowledge they also have a game in hand to go with it.

This fixture 11 months ago told of a different story. Derek McInnes’ men edged out their visitors in a 2-1 win to move two points clear having played a game less. It was a fiery occasion, just as it was in February when the same scoreline narrowed the gap at the summit of the table to just three. There was a different feeling to this encounter with Aberdeen trying their best to stop Celtic marauding out of sight after just one round of fixtures. The majority of the 17,000 inside Pittodrie would be pleased with the tenacity shown by their team, but ultimately left disappointed as Rogic’s goal on 24 minutes proved decisive.

“What we showed today was that we can win any game of football," said Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic manager. “What it was like in the past, I don’t know. What I know with this group is that they have confidence.

“They can outplay teams, they can outpass teams, they can press teams, and if it’s a fight, they can fight. They can stand up and be counted, be aggressive. We’ve come to some really tough places and won. This week tells you the story really – winning the League Cup semi-final, winning a tough game at Dingwall 4-0, then coming away to Pittodrie and winning that. Today was a really good moment. But it’s only 10 games!"

McInnes could be proud of his players for the endeavour shown and if we’re being honest a late cavalry charge almost yielded a dramatic draw. As much as Aberdeen put plenty into the game in terms of work rate and attacking intent – they continuously played off the shoulder and caused all sorts of problems in the first half – Celtic easily could have racked up three or four more if they had been that bit more clinical.

Aberdeen came flying out the traps in this encounter, no doubt keen to avenge the defeat to Hamilton in midweek but prove to all watching that they were still fit to keep up Celtic. For all their possession and play in and around the Celtic box, Craig Gordon was scarcely troubled. A Shay Logan cross and Niall McGinn shot was blocked on nine minutes by a defender, and an Andrew Considine shot from a McGinn cross spun off a Simunovic leg before skittering into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Marshalled in the midfield by Scott Brown and Stuart Armstrong, the visitors had by far the clearer opportunities. After just four minutes Armstrong burst in on Joe Lewis who did well to pull off a double save to deny him and then Moussa Dembele from the rebound. The 24-year-old Armstrong also spurned a glorious chance from just six yards later on in the half.

But he can take comfort from starting the move that led to the match-winning goal on 24 minutes. It was his sprayed ball out to the right for Mikael Lustig to provide a cross that Shay Logan could only head to Rogic at the edge of the box. The Australian did superbly well to control the ball before guiding a delicate half volley beyond the outstretching Lewis.

The second period saw Celtic presented with a multitude of chances to kill the game off from the outset. Man of the match Lewis produced a stunning save on 49 minutes to tip over a bending Sinclair shot from 20-yards, a stunning 80-yard cross-field pass from Lustig sent Rogic scampering through only for his eventual effort to cannon off the keeper, while on 57 minutes he would deny Dembele and Rogic in quick succession.

The introduction of James Maddison and Adam Rooney from the bench midway through the half did offer Aberdeen a new impetus. Graeme Shinnie should have won the hosts a penalty when he was tugged back by Simunovic, and Gordon pulled off a stunning save to turn an Erik Sviatchenko header over his own bar deep into injury time.

"The referee should give a penalty for the foul on Shinnie,” said McInnes. “Having seen it again, Simunovic pulls him. Shinnie should be rewarded even for his honesty in trying to stay up when Sviatchenko comes across to make the tackle.

"I thought Celtic were hanging on. I applaud them for winning the game and real quality from Rogic for the goal, but disappointed they found that space at the edge. I thought we deserved something from the game.”

Pittodrie may have held its breath at the end, but it would prove only a few frights for Celtic.