Saints sunk by quickfire double in two minutes of ‘madness’
Edouard strikes as Celts overhaul Rooney header
ST JOHNSTONE ...................................... 1 CELTIC ..................................................... 2 Matthew Gallagher
St Johnstone fans were falling deeper in love with their favourites shortly after the interval.
And in particular with Shaun Rooney. The big wing-back had just nodded the Perth club into the lead against Celtic with another terrific and well-timed leap of faith from a floated Callum Booth cross.
It was his third headed goal in the space of a month and further endeared him to a support full of belief with 50 minutes on the clock.
But this Valentine’s Day meet at McDiarmid Park ended in heartbreak when clinical Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard struck with devastating effect.
The French forward had barely had a kick until this point against a home rearguard on a mission to halt his path through to goalkeeper Zander Clark’s net. He is not a multi-million pound player for nothing, however.
Suddenly a quickfire double with 60 and 62 minutes on the clock and he had turned the game on its head in the visitors’ favour.
A quick dash in front of Jamie McCart allowed him to prod in the first from a Ryan Christie delivery.
And then he gathered Greg Taylor’s pass from the same side, swivelled inside the box and diverted beyond Clark from close range.
Manager Callum Davidson was disappointed with the concession of both