Strike partners provide the spark as Celtic return to winning ways
What was unusual about Celtic’s return to winning ways was how normal it all seemed. There was a vibrancy, fluency and rhythm to their play in a win more comprehensive than the 2-0 scoreline that belied the fact they were on their longest run without a league win in almost 20 years.
It would be easy to point out that, in facing Hamilton, they were at home to a team jointbottom of the Premiership. The modest nature of opposition, though, has not been an impediment to them falling short in this calamitous season.
A fifth straight encounter without posting a three-point haul never looked likely. Ultimately, that was down to the Celtic line-up comprised one element missing in their recent trio of tied outcomes: the frontline partnership of Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths.
Whatever the defensive shortcomings that have rendered Neil Lennon’s managerial tenure at Celtic of the lame-duck variety owing to the 23-point lead held by Rangers, Steven Gerrard’s men might have faced a challenge to deny the Parkhead club a 10th straight title had the pair been fit and engaged at the same time for more than a fraction of this campaign.
The Hamilton encounter was only their fifth league game starting together. Outside of the freakish defeat at Ibrox - when both were denied by the brilliance of Allan Mcgregor - one or both have scored to land celtic victories.
It was a case of a double dividend against Accies. Griffiths bagged his fifth league goal in only six starts to give Celtic the lead in 12 minutes. Played in by Mohamed Elyounoussi 22 yards out, he powered a leftfoot drive low to the right of Ryan Fulton.
Celtic then camped in Hamilton’s final third as a host of chances went a begging. but the victory was sealed in the opening minutes of the second period when Griffiths delivered a perfectly-weighted through ball for Edouard to ride a Jamie Hamilton tackle, round the visiting keeper, and rifled the ball high into the net from close in.
There are some Celtic supporters who will open their curtains in the morning and, if it is raining, curse Lennon for the fact so completely have they set their faces against him. they were grumbling pre-match when he explained his decision to select Scott Bain in goal with a radio interview in which he appeared to question the recent displays of the deposed Vasilis Barkas. The Scotland international rewarded Lennon with a clean sheet. that was a product of the much-maligned Shane Duffy proving pretty sound in front of him, and Isaila Soro mopping up smartly in midfield.
Celtic: Bain, Ajer, Bitton, Duffy, Taylor, Turnbull (Christie 70), Soro, Mcgregor, Elyounoussi, Griffiths (Ajeti 69), Edouard (Rogic 86).
Subs not used: Barkas, Klimala, Johnston, Ralston, Welsh, Laxalt.
Hamilton: Fulton, Hamilton, Aaron Martin, Easton, Hodson, Odofin, Stirling (Winter 74), Mcmann, Callachan (Mimnaugh 87), Moyo, Ogboe (Scott Martin 56). Subs not used: Collar, Trafford, Stanger, Munro, Gourlay, Callum Smith.
Referee: C Steven