2014-03-01: Celtic 5-0 Inverness CT, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic on 75pts, Aberdeen next on 54pts
• Clean sheet record and unbeaten run ended in last match, so whole new start today.
• First match back at the new look front end of Celtic Park, where the old London School Primary building has now been knocked down after 100 years.
• Home Debut goal & hat-trick for Griffiths, he's off to a flier at Celtic, and cynics have turned down their volume buttons. Four goals puts him alongside Samaras for goals.
• Fraser Forster named in the England squad.
• 20th Anniversary of Celtic Takeover on Tuesday coming (4th March).
• CGS holding a remembrance event for Peter Dowd.

Review

(Sunny Jim Young of KDS)
In the absence of competition we need to give people a reason to go to home games

Today we did that

Left the ground today looking forward to the next match, that hasn't happened all that often recently

The more I see Nir Biton the more I think we have a potentially very good player

Griffiths has pace, enthusiasm and can finish. That's a really good place to start.

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Stats

Celtic Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Possession
39% 61%
90mins

Shots
24 6

On target
9 2

Corners
5 3

Fouls
8 6

Articles

Scottish Premiership Wrap: Griffiths nets first league hat-trick, Aberdeen beat St Johnstone

Soccerway.com

1 March 2014 18:50

Leigh Griffiths hit his first league hat-trick as Celtic stormed to a 5-0 Scottish Premiership victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The 23-year-old – signed from Wolves in January – opened the scoring in the 12th minute of Saturday's clash with his first goal at Celtic Park, a volleyed effort from an Emilio Izaguirre delivery.

Charlie Mulgrew doubled the advantage with a delightful flick from a Griffiths corner 10 minutes later, before the man of the moment capitalised on some questionable defending to hit the hosts' third just short of the hour mark.

Kris Commons made it 4-0 12 minutes from time with his 18th goal of the season, but Griffiths had the final word as he slotted beyond Dean Brill in the Inverness net.

The victory, which equals the clubs biggest in the league this season, maintains Celtic's 21-point lead over second-placed Aberdeen, who picked up a 1-0 victory over 10-man St Johnstone.

Ryan Jack's 25-yard strike gave the hosts an early lead at Pittodrie, before substitute Steven MacLean was given his marching orders at the death for a second bookable offence.

Motherwell kept pace with Aberdeen by inflicting more misery on basement club Hearts with a 4-1 triumph.

James McFadden rounded off the scoring for Motherwell in the 74th minute – a deserved strike given he provided the assists for Iain Vigurs, Lionel Ainsworth and John Sutton's earlier efforts.

Callum Paterson's 69th-minute header proved little consolation as Hearts fell to back-to-back defeats.

Struggling duo Partick Thistle and Ross County both dropped a position in the Premiership table as they played out a 1-1 draw at Dingwall, though a 20-point cushion over Hearts means neither should have anything to worry about.

Kallum Higginbotham drilled a free-kick under the the home wall to break the deadlock, before Richie Brittain pulled Ross level at the other end five minutes later.

That result opened the door for St Mirren to climb to ninth with an impressive 2-0 triumph over Kilmarnock.

The victory pulls Danny Lennon's men level on points with their opponents.

BBC
By Jim Spence BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Leigh Griffiths scored a hat-trick as Celtic swept Inverness aside to equal their highest league win of the season.

The striker volleyed in a great delivery from Emilio Izaguirre for the opener and then delivered a corner for Charlie Mulgrew to flick home.

Griffiths wasted a couple of chances early in the second half but soon had the net bulging with a fierce shot.

A Kris Commons strike squirmed under Dean Brill before the keeper was beaten by another fine finish from Griffiths.

The victory was an emphatic riposte to those questioning Celtic's motivation following the midweek loss of their unbeaten Premiership run.

Visiting manager John Hughes said pre-match that his players wanted to have a go at the champions but they were two goals down before the first quarter of the game had elapsed.

Griffiths struck on 11 minutes, steering in an Izaguirre cross from the left past Brill from six yards. The keeper got a touch but couldn't stop the ball hitting the net.

Mulgrew then added Celtic's second with a neat near post flick from an awkward Griffiths corner.

Inverness squandered a great chance to reduce the deficit when skipper Richie Foran scooped over from 14 yards following an enterprising run and cross from full-back Grame Shinnie.

Celtic threatened again, with Brill stopping a shot from Anthony Stokes and Gary Warren needed to make a good blocking tackle on Griffiths has he sped towards goal.

The busy Griffiths fired into the side-netting from sixteen yards after a neat Nir Biton pass five minutes into the second half and Inverness replied with a Billy McKay shot easily saved by Fraser Forster.

Griffiths fired Celtic further ahead on 57 minutes, nipping between two defenders on the left side of the box and thrashing a wicked shot in from sixteen yards.

McKay then forced a point blank save from Forster as Inverness tried to rally, the striker slipping as he looked certain to score.

Shortly afterwards some intricate interplay between Stokes and Griffiths saw the latter fire high over the bar as Celtic maintained their high-tempo attacking game.

A James Forrest effort then clipped the bar and Brill then had to dive to his left to beat away another shot from the Scotland winger, who was deployed in a central role behind the strikers.

Substitute Kris Commons cracked in the fourth goal with a twenty five yard effort which slipped under keeper Brill and, with Celtic in rampant form, Griffiths added the fifth five minutes from time – coolly slotting past Brill from fourteen yards.
Lineup, Bookings (0) & Substitutions (6)

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 5, Inverness CT 0.
90:00 +2:27 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 5, Inverness CT 0.
89:37

Attempt missed. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
88:47

Attempt missed. Danny Devine (Inverness CT) header from very close range is too high.
88:22

Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
87:39

Attempt missed. Greg Tansey (Inverness CT) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
85:48 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Stefan Johansen replaces Scott Brown.
85:00 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 5, Inverness CT 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kris Commons.
84:12

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
82:36

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
82:36

Richie Foran (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80:08 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Inverness CT. Ryan Christie replaces Billy McKay.
79:44 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Darnell Fisher replaces Adam Matthews.
78:34

Attempt saved. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
78:20

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
77:31 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 4, Inverness CT 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by James Forrest.
73:49

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
73:21

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Dean Brill.
73:14

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
70:21

James Forrest (Celtic) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
69:47

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
69:47

Foul by Greg Tansey (Inverness CT).
69:32

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
69:32

Foul by Greg Tansey (Inverness CT).
68:12 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Inverness CT. Marley Watkins replaces Ross Draper.
67:56 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Inverness CT. Danny Devine replaces Gary Warren.
67:36

Attempt missed. Scott Brown (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
66:54

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Gary Warren.
66:46

Attempt blocked. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
65:20 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Kris Commons replaces Anthony Stokes.
63:40

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
62:34

Foul by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic).
62:34

Ross Draper (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
59:48

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
59:48

Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
58:36

Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
58:07

Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Fraser Forster.
57:59

Attempt saved. Billy McKay (Inverness CT) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
56:14 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 3, Inverness CT 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Charlie Mulgrew.
55:33

Attempt missed. James Vincent (Inverness CT) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
54:29

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by David Raven.
54:22

Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
50:17

Attempt saved. Billy McKay (Inverness CT) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
48:12

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
45:52

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 2, Inverness CT 0.
45:00 +0:08 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 2, Inverness CT 0.
42:20

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
42:20

Foul by Ross Draper (Inverness CT).
41:29

Nir Biton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
41:29

Foul by Richie Foran (Inverness CT).
39:16

Attempt saved. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
36:24

Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
35:53

Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
31:02

Foul by Nir Biton (Celtic).
31:02

Nick Ross (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
30:03

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
30:03

Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
28:04

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Gary Warren.
27:12

Attempt missed. Richie Foran (Inverness CT) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
21:37 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, Inverness CT 0. Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leigh Griffiths with a cross.
20:47

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Graeme Shinnie.
19:31

Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.
16:44

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
14:45

Nir Biton (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
14:45

Foul by Richie Foran (Inverness CT).
13:38

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
13:38

Foul by Richie Foran (Inverness CT).
13:03

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
13:03

Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick on the right wing.
11:01 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Inverness CT 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Emilio Izaguirre.
9:24

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
9:24

Ross Draper (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
8:07

Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
8:07

Gary Warren (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
2:04

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

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