Champions hit a flat spot
Slack Celtic held at home once more as Killie dig deep for a share of the spoils
HAVING made commendably short work of scything through the long grass of Tynecastle, Celtic, curiously, endured a night of supreme frustration on their own pristine green acre.
Even accounting for the understandably experimental nature of Brendan Rodgers’ side ahead of the forthcoming Scottish Cup final, there was a flatness to the Parkhead men that has become all too familiar of late around these parts.
While Kilmarnock rarely looked likely to add to the victory they claimed against the champions earlier in the season at Rugby Park, nor could Rodgers justifiably claim his side were due more from this distinctly low-key contest.
It brought up a seventh draw of the season in the league at Celtic Park and means Celtic can now only reach 85 points this season, a long way behind the 106 they accrued a year back. It’s worth noting that, for all his obvious unsuitability to the job, the muchmaligned Ronny Deila managed 86 in his final campaign in charge.
Truthfully, Kilmarnock pretty much had Celtic where they wanted them all night. Jack Hendry may have been culpable of profligacy with a routine header six yards out in the dying embers of the game but rarely were Steve Clarke’s side overly stretched.
The Ayrshiremen were deserving of the point which ends a run of three straight defeats and continues the narrative of a truly remarkable campaign. They might even have sneaked it had Aaron Tshibola been on his toes to meet Greg Kiltie’s low cross early in the second half.
Frozen out since his elbow connected with Alfredo Morelos’ chin at Ibrox in March, the inclusion of Jozo Simunovic was the eye-catching inclusion in Rodgers’ starting side but by no means the only one.
Hendry deputised for Mikael Lustig at right-back, Calvin Miller relieved Kieran Tierney on the left, Stuart Armstrong started ahead of Olivier Ntcham with Patrick Roberts unusually asked to fill the centre-forward role in the absence of all three strikers.
Shorn of Jordan Jones, Rory McKenzie and Kirk Broadfoot through injury, the Kilmarnock side fashioned by Clarke was no more familiar.
With both sides already assured of their respective league positions, first and fifth respectively, this was a game that might well have had an end of season feel to it.
Celtic, though, have the small matter of the Scottish Cup final on Saturday week. And, for their part, it was imperative Kilmarnock didn’t slip to a fourth straight loss to blot the copybook of a hitherto excellent campaign.
Killie’s policy of containment in the early stages went to plan. Miller did find himself advanced and in space but his cross landed closer to the stand than the feet of Roberts.
Tshibola’s up-and-under not only got the visitors up the park, it offered Eamonn Brophy a sniff of the target. A needless barge on Kristoffer Ajer put paid to that idea.
Kilmarnock’s level of organisation was such that signs of frustration were evident in Celtic early in the contest. Chances proved to be rarer than hen’s teeth.
Armstrong’s incisive pass to James Forrest was one of the few to find a chink of light. The winger’s composure in the area wasn’t at the level it so often has been this term, though, and a swarm of red jerseys crowded him out.
For all Rodgers’ side inevitably enjoyed the bulk of possession in the opening half hour, it was largely passive and played out in areas where Kilmarnock were happy for them to have it.
Scott Sinclair gradually grew into the contest. Having fired narrowly beyond the far post with an angled shot that evaded Jamie MacDonald’s grasp, he sprung a fine one-two with Callum McGregor. Stephen O’Donnell rode to his side’s rescue just as Sinclair opened his body and took aim.
The former Swansea winger started the second half like a man with a point to prove. His turn to evade Scott Boyd was exquisite and reminiscent of his best days of last season. Armstrong was perfectly positioned to meet his cross but MacDonald reacted smartly to palm the ball away.
Not only did Killie ensure such openings were a rarity, though, they fashioned one or two decent ones of their own. Frankly, only Tshibola will know how he failed to fire his side in front as the hour mark came up.
O’Donnell’s pass from the right touchline caught Miller sleeping. Kiltie fired the ball across the sixyard box where Tshibola, at the very least, had to work Scott Bain. Somehow, he skied it. Sensing the game was going nowhere fast, Rodgers looked to his bench and introduced Tom Rogic and Tierney.
The Australian’s impact was immediate. Sending a peach of a 40-yard diagonal from right to left to eliminate the visiting defence, Sinclair looked set to see the whites of MacDonald’s eyes. At the most inopportune moment, though, the winger’s touch let him down.
With 13 minutes remaining, only Tshibola’s positioning on the post prevented Hendry breaking the deadlock with a header from a McGregor corner. Quite how the defender failed to hit the target after a delivery from the same source 60 seconds later, only he shall know.
Ewan Henderson, younger brother of Liam, made his Celtic debut from the bench and did enough to suggest we’ll be seeing more of him.
Collectively, however, the champions didn’t do enough to merit more than a share of the spoils. CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Bain 6; Hendry 6, Ajer 6, Simunovic 6, Miller 5 (Tierney 68); Brown 6, Armstrong 6 (Rogic 68); Forrest 5, McGregor 6, Sinclair 6; Roberts 5. (Henderson 81). Subs not used: De Vries, Ntcham, Johnston, Kouassi.
Booked: None. KILMARNOCK (4-1-4-1): MacDonald 6; O’Donnell 6, S Boyd 6, Findlay 6, Taylor 6; Dicker 6; Kiltie 6 (Burke 87), Tshibola 6, Mulumbu 6 (Wilson 90), Brophy 6; (K Boyd 77) Erwin 6. Subs not used: Fasan, Greer, Simpson, Cameron. Booked: None. Man of the match: Stephen O’Donnell. Referee: John Beaton.