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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Árd Macha on 1 April, 2012 at 21:20 said:
You are absolutely correct in this assertion.
That is why I think Celtic will oppose it as strongly as possible.
I don’t believe they will get back into the SPL, no sport would be sustainable under those circumstances.
Titanic in hitting an Iceberg shock – ITV3
Thers a lot of allegations on here tonight. I hope the alligators are proud of themselves
bourne –
Sounds good although likely to be driving that day anyway.
Jobo
No Apologists
Fair play to you.
Never doubted your commitment.
I agree with you re today.I booked day off tomorrow.
Look forward to exchanging posts in the future.
Take care.
HH.
Does anyone know when the post split fixtures are published ?
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 1 April, 2012 at 21:39 said:
That’s easy answered.
They are not any more detached from the party, but at this stage in the season what of any value is to be gained by criticism? The answer to that question is – nothing.
Plenty of time to analyse what’s right and what’s wrong after the party and up to the end of the next transfer window. :)
Eric
Had a good day out in the sunshine today.
While Celtic were comfortably beating St Johnstone my first born who is now 15 was playing in the Scottish Cup semi final. After a nail biting encounter where his team took the lead twice only to be pegged back they scored with only a minute left of extra time to make the Scottish Cup final. Hutchison Vale 2 – 3 Antonine Blacks.
Most exciting game I’ve seen all season although I accept that may have had something to do with my personal stake in the outcome. 2 teams trying to play football played in (mostly) a good spirit, plenty of chances and both teams desperately wanted to win. Outstanding entertainment in a sun drenched Broxburn. Roll on 13th May at the Excelsior for a repeat of last years final against Tynecastle.
Enrico
But are they only identified as being remote because they are being negative after being disappointed by the performance ?
I see that as being highly inaccurate and devisive unless they are all well kent friends…which may be the case
Annoni
Just my opinion that the remoteness lessens the feeling the establishment will seek to exploit every means and opportunity to harm us. Yes, I recognize that that it’s a sense of entrenchment but if you don’t feel it, you become more inclined to join the criticism without contemplating that you are adding to the voice of our opponents, when they hardly need new recruits to their numbers. My conclusion may be wrong of course.
Quickdraw on 1 April, 2012 at 22:01 said:
Congratulations and good luck to your boy and his team and enjoy your day.
:)
Eric
Quickdraw on 1 April, 2012 at 22:01 said:
Had a good day out in the sunshine today.
does your boy play u15s ?
ive watched Antonine a couple of weeks ago at Morton .
excellent excellent team
Bundoranbhoy. Not tonight. But next week sounds good.
Ard macha, no probs pal. Me too.
Praecepta, as soon as possible please.
Jobo, glad youre enjoying bb. Got starts series 2 tonight- hope you can get into it.
Sanna
Night all. Batton down them hatchets when The Thunder Rolls!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxsvlPwKN20
Sixteen roads to Golgotha on 1 April, 2012 at 21:50 said:
agree totally, get players out and in before pre-season starts
we need a pre-season, but not at expense of euro-qualifiers, though the champians route is not as demanding, so i am optimistic we can reach the group stages
Doc is Neil Lennon on 1 April, 2012 at 21:55 said:
If need be we should go to the highest court in the land and to Europe if necessary. I fear that the football rules and regulations are ambiguous enough for the SPL Board to circumvent for commercial gain.
Árd Macha
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 1 April, 2012 at 22:02 said:
I didn’t disagree. My only gripe is timing of criticism. Quickdraw’s boy is one game away from lifting a major trophy. Would he have come across as an extremely proud and excited dad if he’d sat down and picked over the mistakes that were made, why goals were conceded, etc?
Eric
Quickdraw on 1 April, 2012 at 22:01
Congratulations! I help run a youth football club (Giffnock Soccer Centre) and, despite having so many teams, although we have won a few regional cups, I dont think we have anyone in a final far less win it
I ran the u19s until last year and i think we played Antonine years ago but cant remember the result, although i do recall it was a good footballing match. As I type, though, i remember that one of our 1994 teams managed to beat Antonine in the regional final 3 or 4 years back
Good luck in the final!
SPL trophy on Sportscene has red, white and blue ribbons on it.
Maybe someone should tell them…?
Goodnight all, sweet dreams!
jobo
Watched BB season 1-4 over a erm quiet period in Feb and March its just superb
viewing and I hardly watch the telly cause its crap. I put it right up there with the Soprano’s and that is some going. Different from the Soprano’s but it’s up there.
I would advise anybody on here to get on it.
ITN National news bulletin no mention of Celtic moving to within one point of the league.
EPL and Andy Murray only.
jamesdoleman
I added coments on your blogs
first time you posted them
where are they ?
murray win or lose
By the way it was the good celts on here that put me onto Breaking Bad
Árd Macha on 1 April, 2012 at 22:09 said:
I can see it going down the legal road if the 10 want to try to force a Newco into the SPL.
Court of Arbitration in Sport perhaps?
There are a lot of hurdles for them to jump, not least the fact they could end up fighting among themselves for the right to head the Newco.
There may even be more than one Newco.
Can you imagine, “we’re the Huns.” “Naw we’re mair Hunnish than you!”
Awe Naw & no apologist
I would not expect everyone to have the same opinion. It would be odd not to have pessimists & optimists.
What I struggle with is the unrelenting nature of some of the negative positions expressed. It seems to me (and it is but a personal impression) that much that has happened to our club, our manager, our supporters & our players this season has not been taken into account enough by some contributers.
To give an example. Falkirk were praised (rightly) for the style of their performance against us and also that they had raised their own players. Considerable comment was made (again rightly) at the young ages of the players. Not many of the MSM pointed out that the average age of the Celtic team was even less. Similarly when RFCIA played DU the other week praise was made of the several v young RFCIA players and that it was one of the youngest teams they had ever put out. Once again the average age of the team was still less than the Celtic side!
We have a young team, still bonding, unsettled by injuries and changes & unused to the situation they find themselves. There is much potentail but still some way to go. The young men could do with encouragement rather than grudging surly applause.
Thanks Eric and others for the good wishes.
St Stivs – yes he plays under 15s. The 2 guys who run the team are outstanding. Not only have they got them playing some good stuff on the ball they’ve instilled an iron will to win but most importantly he has never enjoyed his football more, he even enjoys training. He was training with a few pro-youth teams last year and they wanted to continue that without actually signing him. Going to Antonine was the best decision he ever made – although at 15 there’s not a lot of competition in the good decision category!
I was at that game in Greenock a few weeks ago. The guy who scored the first 5 (five) goals that day is cup tied and ineligible but that doesn’t seem to affect them.
Sorry, I’ll drop the proud dad act now.
NatKnow – “We welcome the paper-chase…” on 1 April, 2012 at 22:10 said:
For the last time in history.
No apologist
Fair enough and although I too cannot fathom the negativity especially today I cant back you up on that one.
For years on here I have had many tell me that things have been improving. I remote me …never saw that. But I have not been subjected to what they have…an advantage me thinks
I think we are far too quick to ostracise our own especially those unlike you who have been lucky not to miss a game since 1990 … Doesnt make us feel any better.
I think it shows they care enough to be Watching and commenting. Apart from the obvious hun interloper I am ok with it.
I am also on your side and empathise with OUR discrimination that YOU experience every day. But regardless of how much you try to stop me. I am not going to stop ;-);-)
HH
Doc is Neil Lennon on 1 April, 2012 at 22:18 said:,
Good call.
I’d forgotten about the ‘splitters’ possibility.
Árd Macha
Neveralone
Well said.
no apologist
You should post more often,
take some pressure of me
Three points is like sex: when you’re young, it doesn’t matter how, you’ll take it!; when you’re 20-35 you’re refining ,enjoying, experimenting and fancy yourself as an expert; 35+, you’re grateful!!
Ard Macha
How are you keeping ?
Hope all is well with you and family.
croppybhoy on 1 April, 2012 at 21:48 said:
Now that’s what you call ‘hitting the nail on the head’ ……. Good man …. HH
Neveralone
My own sentiments most articulately presented. I’m not seeking to demonstrate that anyone else’s opinion is less valid than mine, I’m simply suggesting that constant criticism from our own fuels the purpose and enthusiasm of our opponents and assists their belief that we are not entitled to any view which contradicts theirs’.
Enrico
So we have to worry about what we write in case a family member is lurking ????
The league was won weeks ago for some of us ask my liver .. and on top of two poor results is it really such deploreable behaviour guys????
What did Lenny say to Murray in the ibrokes tunnel?
HH