Celtic savour their Saint Patrick
Livewire forward crowns week in which he chose club over country with Celts double
TO the list of late-season milestones, awards and records, add a year of unbeaten domestic football. St Johnstone, the last team to defeat Celtic on May 11 2016, were steamrolled by second-half scoring power that featured a double from Patrick Roberts.
Dedryck Boyata buried a trademark header from a corner and substitute Callum McGregor netted for the third match running with a stunning solo goal as Celtic cleared the 35th hurdle of their marathon run at invincibility with plenty to spare.
After dismantling traditionally one of the toughest sides in the division to overcome, what is not to like about being around Celtic and working for Brendan Rodgers right now as everything clicks into place? That was the question Roberts asked himself when the dilemma arose whether to represent England this summer or create history with the Scottish champions.
There was a Parkhead standing ovation for the winger, who declared his preference for Hampden on the south side of Glasgow instead of South Korea later this month. Roberts decided to snub England and the Under-20 World Cup for playing in the Scottish Cup Final.
He decided Glasgow is the place to be this spring and, perhaps, beyond if business can be done with Manchester City. These days, it would be hard to find somewhere he can lap up so much adulation and so enjoy his football.
Since those celebrations on the pitch at Ibrox last Saturday, Celtic’s players partied at their club’s Player of the Year night, promoted their nominations for the PFA Scotland awards and launched a new Lisbon Lions commemorative strip for next season.
No wonder a few were afforded a rest along with suspended skipper Scott Brown, as fresh legs of two 18-year-old stars of the future — Tony Ralston and Mikey Johnston — were promoted to the starting line-up. Ralston stepped in for his first senior start as Mikael Lustig was rested. Johnston debuted on the left hand side of midfield.
Nir Bitton replaced Brown as Stuart Armstrong became captain for the day. Celtic overcame the reshuffling and a stuffy first-half effort from the visitors to post a resounding success and jump 30 points clear of Aberdeen.
‘Very quick, direct and good ability on the ball’ was the pre-match billing offered by Rodgers as Johnston replaced star of the season Scott Sinclair on the left for 57 minutes. No pressure, then. None felt.
Johnston did not disappoint, rapid feet and skill on the spin took him away from Paul Paton and forced Zander Clark into his fourth save of the match within the first quarter of an hour.
Tom Rogic, in for McGregor, kept Clark busy, too, and was outstanding for 70 minutes. As well as teeing up two chances for Johnston, the Australian was a real driving force from deep and dug out four attempts on target himself.
Liam Craig’s work was cut out all day keeping tabs on Rogic. His team-mates were kept constantly on the move, too — on the back foot. Dutiful, disciplined work in defending is well within the compass of a Tommy Wright team, of course, and the longer they succeeded in keeping Celtic at bay, the more they grew in confidence to launch the odd raid up the park.
Brian Easton’s deep delivery into the area was nodded down by Steven MacLean into the path of Blair Alston. He fired a warning shot narrowly over from 16 yards on the half-volley. Defensive diligence was restricted to the first half alone. Within seven minutes of the restart, Celtic were 2-1 ahead.
First up to find a breakthrough was Roberts, giving a sight of what England will be missing. Thanks to clever, patient hold-up play by Johnston that kept Saints defenders out of position as Celtic broke, Roberts was presented with the ball down the inside-right channel. There was plenty work to do 20 yards out, but he beat Clark with a beautifully struck low hit.
Offside claims against Leigh Griffiths were vehemently voiced by the visiting goalkeeper and his defenders. Saints swiftly turned their grievance into a gain — responding within two minutes. Danny Swanson found Richard Foster on the overlap with a killer pass and his back-post ball caught Celtic’s defenders on their heels.
Craig Gordon produced a terrific block to keep out Graham Cummins’ header from Foster’s delivery, but MacLean pounced on the loose ball to slam home the equaliser.
Saints were spared little time in which to compose themselves. Griffiths was the set-piece taker for Celtic yesterday, and his corner to Boyata was met emphatically by the big Belgian, just like last weekend at Ibrox.
That was 3-1 by 62 minutes and it allowed Celtic to turn on the swagger. Sinclair produced a poor miss on the rebound after a one-two with Roberts, but then turned provider for his pal to make it four.
Clark spilled a Griffiths shot, Sinclair was first on the scene and he pulled back for Roberts to slide home. The visitors were being pulled one way then the other and perhaps the exertions had taken their toll by the the 71st minute, when McGregor started running at them in his first piece of the action.
The Scotland hopeful left four Saints defenders floored by his run, the challenges ranging from poor to non-existent. The mazy run culminated in a slick strike.
The only further action of note was when Griffiths and Paton were booked for squaring up to each other.