THERE have been many four-letter words tossed around when discussing Celtic's season. But, with just six hours of this roller-coaster action to go, the most important one of all could be that fickle favourite, LUCK.

However hard manager Gordon Strachan might try to deny it, it has already played a significant part in the campaign, sometimes in the Parkhead club's favour, other times not.

The 1-0 victory over Aberdeen was an occasion when Lady Luck did smile on the side battling to retain their SPL championship.

Leading 1-0 thanks to a Georgios Samaras goal after 54 fraught minutes, Aberdeen appeared to have scored a legitimate equaliser one minute into stoppage time.

However, before defender Zander Diamond had swept the ball past Artur Boruc and into the Celtic net, referee Iain Brines had blown his whistle.

According to the incandescent Don, the official had decreed that, in beating Bobo Balde and Stephen McManus to the ball in an aerial contest on the 18-yard line, Diamond had used a hand not his head.

Most fans in the ground believed at the time the referee had actually blown for hand ball by Barry Nicholson, who controlled the flick-on with his chest to set up Diamond for his shooting opportunity.

But, comments by Diamond after the match - which will ensure he makes a quick return to Glasgow to face an SFA charge of highlighting a referee's inability to get something so basic correct at a crucial stage not only of a match, but of the season - confirmed the information passed to him by the official was that it was indeed his head-flick which was deemed illegal.

Given that Aberdeen are only in the top six after a dubious linesman's decision in their split-decider against Falkirk earlier this month, it was a case of the boot on the other foot - or hand. Bobo Balde made a return to first-team action for the first time since December Barry Robson battles with Barry Nicholson during a tough 90 minutes at Parkhead Shunsuke Nakamura attempts to set up an attacking move Georgios Samaras (second left) is mobbed by his delighted and very relieved team-mates after his second-half winner

But it was certainly a fortunate break for Celtic who, considering the nerves they had displayed in the closing stages of this must-win match, would have been highly unlikely to repeat the midweek escape act against Rangers when they scored their winner deep into injury-time.

It was not the only lucky moment for Strachan's side during a match which failed to display the expected confidence boost from beating Rangers and thus setting up the opportunity to return to the top of the table with another victory against a Dons side still reeling from crashing out of the Scottish Cup to Queen of the South seven days earlier.

After just four minutes, Scott Severin's shot from a poor headed clearance by Balde beat Boruc, but bounced off his right-hand post, travelled along the goal-line, then rebounded off the other post before dropping back into the grateful keeper's arms.

Of course, such breaks do tend to even themselves out over the course of a season. But, with only four more games to go, there is precious little time for any ying to counter any yang, so every bit of good fortune has to be embraced and capitalised upon.

Celtic have already been dealt a potential blow with the news that Andreas Hinkel is the latest player to succumb to injury at this defining point of the championship.

The right-back limped off at half-time with a hamstring problem to join Paul Hartley, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Lee Naylor on the casualty list.

With Gary Caldwell and Scott Brown also on the sidelines at the weekend through suspension, it meant Strachan had more than half his first-choice team unavailable to him.

Brown and Caldwell will be eligible again for Sunday's game against Rangers, but it will be a race against time to get the walking wounded patched up and ready for Old Firm IV, The Final Showdown.

Teenager Paul Caddis did exceptionally well when he replaced Hinkel, and made one vital last-gasp interception to deny Lee Miller a clear scoring opportunity at the back post.

His forward foraging was also a credit to his education at the club's lower levels, and his composure was a lesson to many more experienced team-mates who appeared to let the anxiety of the crowd affect their decision-making and touch.

So it was more relief than rejoicing when Samaras finally found the net nine minutes after the break. The big Greek striker had seemed reluctant to shoot when in half-decent positions up to that point.

But he did win the free-kick wide on the right which led to the goal. And, when Barry Robson's delivery flew into an area five yards from Jamie Langfield's near post, he got across Andrew Considine to power his header into the net.

Taking the lead should have calmed the nerves and re-energised tired limbs and exhausted lungs.

But, the midweek Old Firm game had clearly taken its toll - both mentally and physically - on those players who had been involved in the draining win over Rangers, no-one more so than Scott McDonald.

Strachan will be grateful he now has a clear week to patch them all up and prepare them for a match they simply have to win, even if they have to rely on a slice of luck to do it.