Celts are in cruise control as Dee fold

Sucker punch at end of first half ends Dark Blues hopes

CELTIC 3 DUNDEE 0

Dundee’s Paul McGowan admits the next two games will be a big test of character for everyone in the squad as they attempt to pull themselves off the bottom of the table.

The Dark Blues face Livingston on Boxing Day and St Johnstone on Saturday in desperate need for points after three successive away defeats.

The latest came at Celtic Park on Saturday with Dundee initially frustrating the champions before conceding the opening goal in the 43rd minute.

The Hoops scored two more in the second half as they secured a comfortable victory. The Dark Blues now have to dust themselves down and prepare for the crunch double header at Dens.

McGowan said: “I felt the first goal was crucial.

“If we could have gone in 0-0 at halftime... that was the big turning point in the game.

“I thought we had defended well. They had a couple of half chances but the goal knocked the stuffing and confidence right out of us.

“We have a big ask in the next couple of games because results have not gone our way. We had a good wee run there in four matches but it has not been good enough the last two games.

“Our run of fixtures has been tough and the Livingston game now is the hardest one out there because they battle and fight for every ball.

“Then we have St Johnstone who have been brilliant this season again so it is only going to get harder.

“So we need to stand up now and be counted. This will be a big two games for us and we will see the characters in the team.”

A bad afternoon for Dundee became worse when it was confirmed at full-time that relegation rivals St Mirren had won at Motherwell and Hamilton had picked up a point at home to Killie.

McGowan said: “It is just the way the league is just now.

“We can’t keep coming out after a defeat and looking at the other results – we need to start winning games.

“We did well against Hibs, then Hamilton and Rangers but the Aberdeen game we were nowhere near... and I never saw it coming, to be honest.

“In all fairness to Aberdeen they were brilliant. Then we come to Celtic Park and we knew how tough it was going to be.

“But the goal just killed us and it shouldn’t. We still want to play and do the right things although people will say it is a free hit.

“You come here and are not expected to get three points but they are only human and anything can happen.

“But we didn’t do enough to deserve anything.”

Dens boss Jim McIntyre made no fewer than five changes from the team that was beaten by Aberdeen at Pittodrie last Tuesday. Glen Kamara, Adil Nabi, Ryan Inniss, Benji Kallman and Andy Boyle came in for the injured Darren O’Dea and Genseric Kusunga, Calvin Miller – who was not allowed to play against his parent club – Lewis Spence and Kenny Miller.

Not surprisingly there was a flurry of early pressure from the home side with Anthony Ralston, Mikey Johnston and Scott Sinclair all having chances .

Dundee held firm and had an opportunity of their own when Martin Woods sent a low, long-range effort fizzing just past Celtic keeper Scott Bain’s left-hand post.

The Hoops came close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute when Sinclair burst into the Dundee box and set up Johnston, but his effort cannoned back off the crossbar with Dark Blues keeper Jack Hamilton beaten.

After that, it was wave after wave of Celtic attacks but dogged Dundee continued to deny them.

It looked like McIntyre’s men would make it to half-time on equal terms but the deadlock was finally broken in the 43rd minute when Callum McGregor found Johnston in the box and as Inniss stopped to claim for offside, the 19-yearold spun before drilling the ball low past Hamilton.

Just five minutes after the restart the home fans were celebrating their side’s second goal when Sinclair crossed from the left and the unmarked Johnston headed home off the underside of the bar.

The third goal arrived in the 70th minute when Hamilton parried an initial effort from sub Ryan Christie only for Filip Benkovic to follow up to fire the ball into the back of the net.

Celtic hit the woodwork once more when an angled Ralston shot came back off the inside of the post.