Partick Thistle 0-5 Celtic

Celtic blew Partick Thistle away this evening with a virtuoso performance, which really needed to be seen to be appreciated.  They passed perfectly on the Partick pitch and should have been ahead before Leigh Griffiths got the party going with an 18th minute penalty.

By that time, Emilio Izaguirre hit the post and Tomas Cerny made a fine save from Patrick Roberts.  Thistle defender Callum Booth tried to stop Roberts but mistimed his tackle to concede the penalty.

Griffiths was on fire in the first half and beat three players inside the box before crossing for Tom Rogic, who lunged to make a slight contact on the ball, but it was enough to knock it against the inside of the post.  Firhill held its collective breath as the ball ran along the line before turning inside the net at the opposite post.

Leigh then setup Callum McGregor but Cerny saved again.  Thistle were struggling to get onto the ball but Lindsey should have done better with a header from an Erskine cross but the ball landed in Craig Gordon’s arms.

Goal of the night game three minutes before the break.  James Forrest cutback for Roberts, who fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards.
Thistle probably thought they were passed the worst but Callum McGregor got his customary goal on 82 minutes when his shot from the edge of the box hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced half a meter over the line and out, but the assistant referee correctly indicated the goal.

Tom Rogic was clean through with the keeper to beat twice late in the game, but substitute Thistle goalie, Ridgers.  Tom couldn’t get enough on his header but the Thistle defence gave possession to Patrick Roberts on a plate.  The England Youth international jinked before curling a memorable goal beyond the despairing keeper.