CELTIC 8 HAMILTON 1
LETHAL Leigh Griffiths netted a hat-trick as Celtic ran amok against hapless Hamilton to move six points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the Premiership.
The Parkhead fans enjoyed an eightsome reel as their favourites turned up the heat on a cold evening at Parkhead.
Ronny Deila’s men were three goals ahead inside 10 minutes as they raced towards victory. The only surprise was that Griffiths was not among the first three goalscorers!
Here’s how the Hoops’ goal parade worked out.
ONE: There were only four minutes on the clock when the unmarked Mikael Lustig headed in a perfect free-kick from Stuart Armstrong.
TWO: Four minutes later, Nir Bitton slammed in a right-foot shot from 30 yards into the top right corner after a neat pass from Callum McGregor.
THREE: In the tenth minute, Thomas Rogic staged an action replay as he fired in a left-footed effort from the edge of the box that took a slight deflection with ex-Hoops keeper Michael McGovern helpless.
FOUR: Inevitably, Griffiths got on the scoresheet in the 22nd minute when he latched onto a pass from Gary Mackay-Steven and lashed a drive into the bottom left-hand corner of the Accies net.
FIVE: Griffiths struck again in the 33rd minute when he netted from close range after service from Rogic.
SIX: Substitute James Forrest, on at the interval for Rogic, got in on the act in the 53rd minute when he hammered home a right-foot effort after being set up by Scott Allan, who came on for Jozo Simunovic.
SEVEN: Griffiths completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute as he thumped an effort low into the bottom right corner.
EIGHT: A minute from time, Allan set up Callum McGregor for the eighth as he finished with a low drive.
The Accies’ crumb of comfort came from Eamonn Brophy when he left Craig Gordon helpless with a low drive in the 73rd minute.
Overall, it was a marvellous display from jet-propelled Celtic and it was just as well for Accies that keeper McGovern was in fine form. If it hadn’t been for the former Parkhead rookie, the scoreline could have been even more.
Enjoy Geo’s pics below.
TEAM: Gordon; Lustig, Ambrose. Simunovic (sub: Allan 46), Izaguirre: Bitton, Rogic (sub: Forrest 46); McGregor, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven; Griffiths (sub: Cole 72)
