Celtic moved to within goal difference of securing the Scottish Premier League title by opening up an 18 point lead with six games remaining after a two goal victory over St Johnstone at Celtic Park today. Second half goals from Georgios Samaras and an own goal by Chris Millar settled the game which looked even for long spells.
Samaras has been like a player reborn in recent weeks and continued in the same manner today. From the opening minutes of the game he thundered down the left wing using pace and skill at close quarters to strain the St Johnstone defence.
Gary Hooper could have done better when Anthony Stokes fed him early on but his chip was collected by St Johnstone keeper Allan Mannus. Once play stopped referee Salmond booked Maybury for his foul on Stokes as the Celtic striker played the ball forward for Hooper but despite therefore acknowledging the offence, the ref failed to pull play back after Hooper failed to gain any advantage.
Kris Commons is still looking for his first goal of the season and twice came close today. In the first half Stokes held the ball inside the box until Commons arrives to shoot from 8 yards but he knocked the effort narrowly wide. In the second half a swerving shot was on target for the top right corner of the net before Mannus got a touch.
Liam Craig was St Johnstone’s principle threat and he brought a good save out of Fraser Forster from a free kick midway through the first half. Celtic struggled to create much in the opening period but Michael Lustig crossed from the right wing but found no takers despite running along the six yard line.
Celtic should have taken the lead a minute from the break. Commons sent in a free kick, Samaras missed a header and Mannus blocked but Charlie Mulgrew was on hand the head the rebound, only to see his effort cleared off the line.
Cillian Sheridan and Francisco Sandaza both had good headed efforts to open the scoring early in the second half but neither found the target.
Celtic stepped up the pace just after the hour after Ki and Matthews replaced Stokes and Lustig. Scott Brown saw a shot from inside the D saved.
The opening goal arrived on 66 minutes after Georgios Samaras was involved in a couple of scuffles. The Greek international was grounded inside the box and was then shoved off the ball within seconds of getting back to his feet, again inside the box but the referee didn’t see it. Samaras clearly took exception to this treatment and a moment later shielded the ball using his body until he was dragged to the ground.
It looked like a feisty play by Samaras who was clearly animated. When Kris Commons swung in the resultant free kick Samaras rose and headed back across goal and into the net.
St Johnstone pressed forward looking for an equaliser and might have got one had Adam Matthews not made a last ditch interception to turn the ball behind for a corner. With St Johnstone forward for the set piece Celtic broke quickly. Commons carried the ball forward, and with everyone one else on the field running at full pace, he took a second before sending a 60 yard pass across field to Ki. Ki moved inside before playing the ball out to Samaras on the right. Samaras crossed for Hooper but the ball was turned into the net by Millar.
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wycombebhoy on 1 April, 2012 at 18:45 said:
Thanks. So they have bitten the bullet and learned some sense this time round.
Top Corner
Superb!!!!!!
HAIL HAIL
sftb
“We cannot take much of this too seriously. Neil does not read CQN to find out how to run a team or who we should sell or buy. Frankly, neither you nor I nor most other CQNrs have a football resume to allow us credibility in these roles.
That is why the people who are Celtic coaches and scouts have earned those posts in a competitive working environment rather than on a blog.”
Right, don’t take it seriously, then. Team selection, tactics, players – this is what obsesses some football fans. It’s fun and it’s interesting.
(Secretly devastated NL doesn’t read my team selections)
up_over_goal
the bold rahman
bit slow on the uptake
must’ve just received his instruction now from the ludge
breaking news….grass is green
haha
Enrico Dandolo nicked my Crusade on 1 April, 2012 at 18:50 said:
Save winning game for later. Sorry. Last week and the previous Sunday proved that a bird in the hand is always worth two in the bush.
Evening all.
What time is the Kilmarnock game and are the tickets being sold at Celtic Park?
up over goal
i`m secretly delighted he doesn`t :¬))
TopCorner
It’s Sunday and he hasn’t had his injection yet.
Workman like performance today, Lustig did OK, Sammy was excellent, good to see Kris Commons back. Did anyone else see the guy selling jelly & icecream in London Rd?
kevinlasvegas on 1 April, 2012 at 18:29 said:
Correct …..NEIL CAN DO NO WRONG …….. HE IS ME, AFTER ALL, INDEED, HE IS ALL OF US ……. A TRUE CELT, IN EVERY WAY
HAIL HAIL TO YOU ……. !!!!!!!!!!!!
ianinascoli
am stunned the tickets are not 50quid, 60quid and the like
bunch o shysters
rip off conmen
PFAyr
:-) Getting Neil to agree with my TS will be a red letter day for this blog.
IanBhoy929 on 1 April, 2012 at 18:55 said:
Jelly and Ice Cream? Superb! :)))))))
Eric
Interesting to read Walter Smith talking about Celtic deserving to win the league, he went on to say its not just the team that is put on the park that wins the league, its rest of the club that is a big part of it too. He said his first couple of league wins, we were weak financially and rangers where strong, he said rangers are now weak and Celtic stronger so that management plays its part in putting a league winning team on the park.
I agree with him, so when we and others press for titles to be stripped from the tax dodgers, if it is proved they had 2 contracts, we can point out even Smith agrees its not just the football on the park that wins leagues, its the club management too.
Murray loses first set 6-1 dropping serve twice.
Djokovic has been impeccable and imposing.
I too thought lustig done fine, I think he is adjusting and looks good.
Given a run he will overlap and get further up the wings,this I thought was his only flaw, not overlapping.
To be fair if the senior more regular squad members play with a element of fear can anyone blame a new recruit for not bursting forward, time is on Lustigs side.
Hopefully next week we will ditch the fear and go out and grab the title then we can give the fringe players a run, I am particularly looking forward to seeing M’Geoch getting a run, he looks like he has a bright future!
See administrators pleading that they be treated as a special case and be allowed to play in Europe next season.
What was it I posted a couple of weeks ago about regardless of their wrongdoings people moving heaven and earth to have them appear in Europe?
Bhoy67 on 1 April, 2012 at 17:50
that is just a wonderful post
thankyou big man !
I didnt see a lot to complain about today St.Johnstone are a well organised and are hard to break down they also have a threat up front. Celtic worked hard to break them down but they did break them down and kept a clean sheet best for me today Sammi, Broonie,Forster but there were no obvious failures.We now require one point to become SPL Champions and yet some bhoys are having a go at Lennies tactical knowledge and also his back room teams effectiveness I say get a grip open your eyes Lennie and his staff are doing a great job and before you hang our strikers out to dry have a look at Andy Carrol a 35 Million pound striker now if we had paid that for any of our two I would agree with the moaning come on Bhoys wake up and smell the coffee.H.H.
We played better in the second half. Samaras and Brown were the best performers, Sammy frightens the life out of defenders, decision making is an area he could still work on, but otherwise brilliant.
The referee, what on earth was that about, over ruling the linesmen. clear penalty, twice on Samaras, then Samaras was fouled, and continued to be fouled for almost a minute before the ref blew. Just plain bad refereeing.
One point until the league is delivered, Neil Lennon, you deserve all the credit that will come your way,. I know the MSM won’t give it, we however will.
Niamh
sorry, spelling mistake
woops
From RTC poster
Anyone see what lennon said to the hvn on twitter…..hvn goes enjoy your title party the day….oh wait.
Lennon replys see you in europe next season…oh wait.
Really wish they would refer to him as Neil.!!!! But HEY HO
HAIL HAIL
JFH
Wake up and smell the Champagne, not for you Charlie!
just watching the SS highlights
i really despise Walker
dobber
Watch the goals here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fQxRon8aYU&feature=player_embedded
PF ayr, I agree with you fella wee Walker spouts some amount of rubbish and is annoying to listen to.H.H.
Sftb
From the number 12 bus through toryglen +1 – Neil saw what didn’t work, changed things more than once, tea won comfortably.
S
Andy Walker is a disgrace, I can’t understand why so many ex and I mean ex celts show disdain for Celtic!
Didn’t we give him a job twice?
Tea/team. You get the idea. Blast these council sponsored potholes.
S
TopCorner
A wee bridy tells me you could be moving to Dubai? True?
EN
TopCorner on 1 April, 2012 at 18:26 said:
thai tims today at school on sammy goal
Thanks so much for that link TC.
Such a refief from the total and utter crap which has been spouted on this blog today. I think some folk on here are never happier than when they can jaw jaw about the failings of this or that player or front speculation as fact.
Standards on here are generally high but today is a pathetic exception.
Even Paul was poor with this: “Gary Hooper could have done better when Anthony Stokes fed him early on but his chip was collected by St Johnstone keeper Allan Mannus. Once play stopped referee Salmond booked Maybury for his foul on Stokes as the Celtic striker played the ball forward for Hooper but despite therefore acknowledging the offence, the ref failed to pull play back after Hooper failed to gain any advantage”
Clearly the ref called it right by allowing a CLEAR advantage to accrue. That Gary fluffed it is not the refs fault. In fact his booking of the St J player should be applauded as excellent refereeing.
Yours grumpily
Well done the Celts.
Three points. That’s all that matters.
quonno on 1 April, 2012 at 19:03 said:
See administrators pleading that they be treated as a special case and be allowed to play in Europe next season.
What was it I posted a couple of weeks ago about regardless of their wrongdoings people moving heaven and earth to have them appear in Europe?
*******
If they do, I don’t think Stuart Mc.Call will be too pleased.
He was quoted on Friday to be focussing on third place and a shot at the Champions League.
Murray survives two break points in 3rd game of second set. Leads set 2-1.
Grinding rallies and extensive court coverage from both players.
keep reading blog and open this one (copy paste)
in another window…its grand…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1qxJPzjObI
Thomthetim
McCall certainly looked as if he was trying for third place rather than second place yesterday. Can’t think why.
Game was flat, crowd flat and nervy but we got 3 points. We win league next week nuff said!
I was gutted that the bus let us off at 11.45 and the Five Ways didn’t open till 12.30.
Ridiculous!