LEAGUEOF OUROWN...

LEIGH GRIFFITHS was still nursing a stinging sense of grievance as he trudged off Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon.

Fuming at a penalty award he remains adamant should have been given, the sight of the visiting support lapping up a point – “as though they had won the league” – did not serve to lighten his mood.

And the striker has warned Rangers that Celtic will be ready to take it up a gear when the teams meet at Hampden in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final next month.

Rangers’ point this weekend coupled with the arrival of a new manager has penetrated the gloom that has hung heavy over Ibrox this term.

But Griffiths is insistent that Celtic will be ready to hammer home their advantage at the national stadium.

“There will be a lot of hype again now,” said the forward. “Rangers fans will all get a bit excited now, thinking that they can come and do exactly the same to us in the semi-final as they did last season.

“But that was probably our worst performance of the season last year – and it took the game going to penalties for us to lose it.

“Again, you would have to say that Sunday’s game wouldn’t have been anywhere the level that we have shown throughout the season. We know we are capable of playing so much better than that.

“You saw the Rangers fans after the game cheering as thoughoug they ey had ad wo won the e league. ague.

“They would have snapped anyone’s nyone’s hand for a point before efore they came here. It justst makes us all the more determinedetermined that we will ill try and get our focus cus back and keep eep moving towardswards the title and see e where we are next monthonth when we play at Hampden.”

Celtic could yet win in the league before efore the international onal calendar takes kes precedence, if Aberdeen lose at Pittodrie ittodrie in the lunch-time nch-time kick-off on n Saturday to Hearts.earts.

For Griffiths, though,hough, the seasonason has been a frustrating ustrating one from om a personal point oint of view.

The staccato nature ature of his campaign ampaign whichhich has been owed to injury and the form of Moussa Dembele has meant that he has had to content himself with being on the outside looking in for large cu chunks s of it. Given iven that he was a permanent fixture in the limelight last term as he banged in 40 goals – goals that effectively won the title for Ronny Deila’s Celtic last year – it has not been an easy task.

With 10 league games remaininge and the possibility of two cup games, the striker is det determined to find some level of consistency before the cu curtain comes down.

“I just want to play as often as I can,” he said. “It has been fru frustrating all season.

“I want to make a differen ence, I feel that I can make a dif difference, whether that be co coming off the bench or st starting games.

“It is all about getting a wee run. I have come off the bench over the last two w weeks and hopefully I am st still in the manager’s plans an and thoughts next weekend.”

PRIMARILY, though, Sunday’s game at Dens Park is an opportunity for Ce Celtic to take one of the final ste steps towards securing a sixth suc successive title, regardless of wh what happens at Pittodrie.

“There is an international bre break coming up but first we ha have the game at Dundee next we weekend and we have to use th that to bounce back,” said Gr Griffiths.

“We’ll go there and try to get the three points and you never kn know what happens with Ab Aberdeen on Saturday, it cou could be a chance for us to win the league.

“Whatever happens, we will be going all out for the three po points that takes us within tou touching distance of it.”

Craig Gordon was one of the few big players who performed on Sunday for Celtic, and his performance was not lost on Griffiths.

oG The goalkeeper has just committed his long-term future to the club and the striker believes he is invaluable to the Hoops.

“There weren’t too many positives for us to take out of the game but you would have to give credit to big Craig,” he said.

“He had two really cracking saves for us and I don’t think he had any chance with the goal that went in.

“We were all delighted when he signed here again. He is a cracking keeper and he has showed that time and time again.”

Meanwhile, the striker was still irked at the penalty that was never given on Sunday after he was fouled by veteran defender Clint Hill, who scored the goal to level things for Rangers.

“I’ll keep saying it – I am not going to pass up an opportunity to shoot from there,” said the striker.

“I would fancy myself to hit the target from that position every time.

“If you watch it back, you can see I am about to shoot and he has caught me waist height – that is a foul anywhere else on the park because he kicks me off my balance.

“It was frustrating because I would scor e from that position, I am sure of it. It was disappointing.”