Irish Daily Mirror

WINTER OF

Celts’ unbeaten record shows no signs of being stopped

- BY RONNIE ESPLIN

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

CELTIC extended their unbeaten domestic run to 69 games with a 3-1 win over Hamilton at Parkhead last night.

Midfielder Olivier Ntcham put the hosts ahead with a spectacula­r volley in the 12th minute before Danny Redmond produced a stunning equaliser just before the half-hour mark.

That served only to irk the champions and two goals in a minute just before the break from James Forrest and Scott Sinclair had Brendan Rodgers’ men back in control of the Premiershi­p encounter.

Nir Bitton, brought back in at centreback for the hosts, tested Gary Woods with a 35-yard drive in the second minute, the Accies keeper grateful to parry to safety before midfielder­s Stuart Armstrong and Ntcham went close with efforts from distance.

The Frenchman was more accurate when Sinclair played a one-two with Callum Mcgregor down the left before lifting the ball to the back post where, from 12 yards, the 21-year-old lashed a right-footed volley high past Woods with some venom for his fifth goal of the season.

Accies slowly began to edge forward and the home fans were surprised and silenced in the 29th minute when the Lanarkshir­e side levelled.

Bitton was dispossess­ed by Darian Mackinnon and, when the battling Hamilton midfielder then took a return pass from captain Dougie Imrie, he rolled the ball along the 18-yard box where Redmond curled hit high past Hoops keeper Craig Gordon. It took a while for Celtic to respond, but respond they did.

James Forrest collected an Armstrong pass before rounding Woods and sliding the ball into the net.

Barely a minute later, Forrest played the ball across the penalty area to Sinclair and from 16 yards he delightful­ly curled the ball past the helpless Accies keeper for number three.

Partick Thistle 3 Motherwell 2, Hibernian 1 Rangers 2, Celtic 3 Hamilton 1, St Johnstone 0 Aberdeen 3.

 ??  ?? HE’S SCOTT THE SECRET Scott Sinclair makes it 3-1 to Celtic in the win over Accies last night RESULTS: FORREST GAZUMP James Forrest puts Celtic back in front at Celtic Park
HE’S SCOTT THE SECRET Scott Sinclair makes it 3-1 to Celtic in the win over Accies last night RESULTS: FORREST GAZUMP James Forrest puts Celtic back in front at Celtic Park
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