The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Partick made to suffer as Hoops show class
CeltiC: Brendan Rodgers’ treblechasing side extend their unbeaten domestic run in emphatic fashion
Celtic were at their best as they thrashed Partick Thistle 5-0 in their Ladbrokes Premiership encounter at Firhill.
The Hoops came racing out of the traps, with striker Leigh Griffiths scoring from the spot in the 17th minute.
Further goals from midfielder Tom Rogic and Patrick Roberts had the game finished before the interval.
Brendan Rodgers’ treble-chasing side cruised the second half and goals by Callum McGregor and Roberts put a more realistic complexion on the scoreline.
They extended their unbeaten domestic run from the start of the season to 45 games to move on to 103 points, equalling the record by the Hoops’ league-winning team of 2001-02.
Celtic will be presented with the league trophy against Hearts at Parkhead on Sunday before they face Aberdeen in the William Hill Scottish Cup final the following week.
Rodgers made five changes, with Scott Brown back from a two-game suspension and Cristian Gamboa, Erik Sviatchenko, Emilio Izaguirre and James Forrest returning to the side.
David Amoo, Chris Erskine and Stevie Lawless came into a Thistle side which had to endure a 90-minute chasing.
The deluge started when Jags defender Callum Booth up-ended Roberts in the box, referee Andrew Dallas pointed to the spot and Griffiths drove his penalty low past Tomas Cerny and into the corner for Celtic’s 100th league goal of the season.
The Scotland striker then created the second in fine style in the 26th minute, waltzing into the Thistle box and cutting the ball across for Rogic to bundle the ball in from close range.
With four minutes of the first half remaining Roberts, on loan until the end of the season from Manchester City, scored from 25 yards.
The Jags keeper, injured trying to prevent Rogic’s goal, came off at the interval, as did captain Abdul Osman, replaced by Mark Ridgers and Ryan Edwards respectively.
In the 63rd minute Kolo Toure and Scott Sinclair replaced Dedryck Boyata and Griffiths.
In the 81st minute McGregor sent a shot crashing off the bar but the referee and his assistant declared it had crossed the line before it bounced back out, and a couple of minutes later Roberts capped a memorable performance by curling his second in from the edge of the box.
Partick: Cerny (Ridgers 46), Elliot, Devine, Lindsay, Booth, Osman (Edwards 46), Barton, Amoo, Erskine (Azeez 69), Lawless, Doolan. Unused subs: Keown, McLaughlin, Nisbet, McCarthy.
Celtic: Gordon, Gamboa, Sviatchenko, Boyata (Toure 63), Izaguirre, Brown, McGregor, Roberts, Rogic, Forrest (Bitton 70), Griffiths (Sinclair 63). Unused subs: Bailly, Ralston, Tierney, Eboue. Attendance: 7,847. Referee Andrew Dallas.