Veteran Hill slows Celtic’s title progress

SO THEY are human after all. Celtic dropped Scottish Premiership points for the first time in 175 days — and the first time at home in 11 months. Whatever will Brendan Rodgers’s side do now that their lead at the top of the table has been cut to a mere 25 points? While Celtic suffered a rare setback on the way to their 48th Scottish title, hope arrived for Rangers in front of new, if little known, manager Pedro Caixinha. They offered the sort of fight which has been absent recently. ‘The players showed a degree of tenacity and grit they’ve been challenged and questioned about for a long time,’ said graeme Murty, Rangers’ caretaker boss. This was fiery, but no Old Firm classic. There was drama to the last and three minutes which neatly encapsulate the topsy-turvy career of Clint Hill, 38, the former Stoke and QPR player. In the 87th minute, the Rangers defender pounced at the back post, slamming in Emerson Hyndman’s shot across goal via a Craig gordon save. Wild scenes ensued. Hill was the hero, heart on his sleeve, veins popping and fists pumping. But scarcely 120 seconds later we saw his other persona. leigh griffiths wriggled clear, Hill was well behind play inside his own box and made a mistimed lunge. Referee Bobby Madden — a villain for much of the afternoon — was unmoved. griffiths was apoplectic. Hill admitted to Rodgers after the final whistle he had ‘got away with one’. Rodgers said: ‘We obviously should’ve had a penalty right at the death. Clint’s a good, honest fella. Everyone saw it apart from the referee.’ Celtic should have capitalised on Stuart armstrong’s thumping opener. Slow out of the blocks, with top scorer Moussa dembele quiet in front of Manchester United’s head scout Marcel Bout, Rodgers admitted his young side lacked regular quality on the ball. armstrong hit the post from a free-kick before fizzing a 35th-minute effort past Wes Foderingham. a magical moment, and Celtic lost control in midfield when he was later forced off with a tight thigh. Rodgers hopes that it is just a niggle, much like this result. Still, it is played four, won three against Rangers for a man who is repairing his image after that inglorious anfield exit. The title and a potential Treble come next.