ADVANTAGE THE HOOPS
Idah scores as Celtic see off Saints
THERE was a minor moment of panic around Parkhead on Saturday when James Forrest was limbering up to come on.
It seemed like a few punters were ready to leap out of the stands to tackle the club stalwart amid fears Brendan Rodgers had lost count of how many substitutions he’d made.
The Hoops boss had already chucked on five and had fans scared he was about to commit an error that could end up costing their side points from a game they were coasting.
There was no need for alarm, however, as St Mirren losing Elvis Bwomono to a head knock and potential concussion earlier in the encounter saw both teams allowed an extra replacement.
Tension
But that split-second of terror is where we are at in this Premiership title race. This is high stakes and high tension.
At least Rodgers and his squad seem to be keeping cool, as Celtic needed patience to beat St Mirren 3-0.
The visitors set up a rigid formation, with bodies behind the ball and one man up top, while they had the superb Alex Gogic keeping the hosts at bay.
But Stephen Robinson’s Saints were undone by the windassisted change of ends at the break and the loss of key men to injury, with Scott Tanser and Greg Kiltie joining Bwomono in the treatment room.
The Hoops had the breeze at their backs in the second 45 but there are also signs the wind is with them in this title race now after Rangers’ shock
County yesterday.
Reo Hatate’s return to the side was crucial as the midfielder’s superb opener — his first goal in six months — was warmly welcomed.
The Japanese ace was the most dynamic player on the pitch and his burst into the box and sweet finish with the outside of his right boot seven minutes into the second half settled the nerves loss to Ross and probably the contest.
But it wasn’t just Hatate’s drive that made the difference. It was two hardy full-backs that proved the game changers.
Wingers Yang Hyun-jun and Nicolas Kuhn were struggling, so it was up to Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston to find space.
Best
Left-back Taylor was at his marauding best up the left flank at the weekend, while right-back Johnston deserved to have the man of the match champagne.
The Canadian’s cut inside and through ball opened up Saints for Hatate’s opener.
He then whipped over the deadly ball on to Kyogo Furuhashi’s head for the striker to thump in the vital second on the hour mark.
By the time Adam Idah was on and barging around like a man possessed in search of a goal, it could have ended up far worse for the visitors.
Idah would eventually get his deserved place on the scoresheet when he nodded in the rebound on 86 minutes after Zach Hemming had blocked Paulo Bernardo’s initial effort.
CELTIC: Hart, Johnston, CarterVickers, Nawrocki (Welsh 65), Taylor, O’Riley, Iwata (McGregor 71), Hatate (Bernardo 71), Kuhn (Forrest 80), Furuhashi (Idah 72), Yang (Palma 71).
ST MIRREN: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor (Dunne 83), Bwomono (Strain 23), Baccus (Scott 83), O’Hara, BoydMunce, Tanser (Brown 46), Olusanya (Mandron 72), Kiltie (Jamieson 50). Referee: Steven McLean.