2017-05-06: Celtic 4-1 St Johnstone, SP

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Trivia

• Celtic have already won the league, first game since beating TheRangers 5-1 at Ibrox
• Debuts for Michael Johnstone
• Scott Brown out suspended
• Celtic unveiled earlier in the week new home top for next season.
• John Higgins sadly lost in final of Snooker's world final a week back.
• Paddy Roberts declares that he is forfeiting going with England u21s for U21 WCup to instead stay with Celtic to play in the Scottish Cup final to win the treble. A lot of respect to him for that.
• Local Elections: For the first time in many generations, Tory party has exceeded Labour in Scotland, and there are Tory victories in areas that would have been unfathomable.

Review

(sevilliano of KDS)
The scenes after the match were superb

Brendan with two young guys taking them to green brigade – he doesn't just get the club but he represents the best of our club

But most praise yet again for GB banners today both anti racism and Palestine

These bhoys are heart and soul of Celtic

And tierney and Sinclair with them at end was very moving

(And before u say FB my emotion on this was not a result of my big win at 14s for 4-1)

Some club and altho this is almost all due to BR

(algreen&white of KDS)
A good win, some good football and sunshine, what's not to like.

Looking at the starting line up with the young players and changes did make you think maybe todays we may lose the unbeaten record. However even with the changes it was business as usual.

It was good seeing Rogic back, some superb touches, pity we did not get a goal.

McGregor's goals was sublime.

My only disappoint is noticing Kieran is no longer wearing black boots

With three games to go we just need three more points and four more goals to hit 100 points and 100 league goals.

(ghirl86 of KDS)

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Celtic St Johnstone

Articles

Celtic 4 – 1 St Johnstone: Roberts stars in second-half rout
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/celtic-4-1-st-johnstone-roberts-stars-in-second-half-rout-1-4439062RONNIE ESPLIN at Celtic Park

Patrick Roberts reiterated his desire to play for Celtic with a double in the Hoops’ commanding 4-1 Ladbrokes Premiership home win over St Johnstone.

The 20-year-old winger, on loan from Manchester City, had confirmed on Friday that he wanted to stay at Parkhead until after the William Hill Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen, foregoing the opportunity to go with England Under-20s to the World Cup in South Korea.
Celtic debutant Michael Johnston is tackled by Steven Anderson. Pic: SNS/Craig Williamson
Celtic debutant Michael Johnston is tackled by Steven Anderson. Pic: SNS/Craig Williamson

After a goalless first half, the goals rained in at the start of the second period with Roberts and defender Dedryck Boyata scoring either side of a Steven MacLean leveller.

Roberts grabbed a third and substitute Callum McGregor, on for Tom Rogic, added a fourth for the treble-chasing home team, as Brendan Rodgers’ side extended their unbeaten domestic run since the start of this season to 43 games – 35 in the league.

Rodgers, as expected, freshened up his side by looking to the club’s development squad

Michael Johnston and Anthony Ralston, both 18, were included, the former making his debut and the latter enjoying his first start having made two substitute appearances for the first team.

Ralston replaced Mikael Lustig at right-back and Johnston took over from attacker Scott Sinclair as midfielders Nir Bitton and Rogic returned, with McGregor and the suspended Scott Brown dropping out.

Saints captain Steven Anderson was making his 400th appearance for the fourth-placed visitors, who survived a scare in the first minute when keeper Zander Clark made a smart save from Rogic’s left-footed drive from distance.

Celtic slowly tightened their grip on the game and Clark beat away further efforts from Johnston and Rogic, with the impressive Australian then lifting a right-footed shot over the bar.

Left-back Kieran Tierney drilled a 20-yard shot past the far post in the 35th minute as the Hoops’ domination continued, although just before the break Saints midfielder Blair Alston blazed a drive over the bar from only eight yards after MacLean had teed him up with a cushioned header.

The Perth side were made to pay for that miss two minutes into the second half when Roberts, after taking a Johnston pass, almost casually curled a shot from 25 yards into the far corner of the net.

However, Saints equalised two minutes later when MacLean forced the ball in, after Hoops keeper Craig Gordon had made a great save from Graham Cummins’ close-range header following a Richard Foster cross.

But back came Celtic again and Boyata rose to head in a Leigh Griffiths corner from the left to restore the Hoops’ lead.

It was Griffiths who was instrumental in Celtic extending their advantage when his left-footed drive was parried by Clark, only for the alert Sinclair to turn the ball back for Roberts to stab it over the line from a yard out.

St Johnstone kept plugging away but McGregor had only replaced Rogic moments before he slalomed in to the Perth side’s box to fire in a fourth, with his third goal in three weeks.

Celtic threatened to stretch their lead further, with Roberts deserving his standing ovation when he was replaced by James Forrest eight minutes from time.

BBC

By John Barnes

BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

4 hours ago From the section Football

Patrick Roberts scores his second goal for Celtic
Patrick Roberts collected a brace for Celtic – his eighth and ninth goals of the season

Patrick Roberts scored twice as Celtic extended their unbeaten domestic record to 43 matches this season with victory over St Johnstone at Parkhead.

Tom Rogic and teenage debutant Michael Johnston forced Saints keeper Zander Clark into several first-half saves.

Roberts put the champions ahead but Steven MacLean lashed in an equaliser.

Dedryck Boyata headed home a corner and Roberts scored his second before substitute Callum McGregor added the fourth with a sublime individual goal.

Victory moved the champions, who have now gone a year unbeaten domestically, 30 points clear of Aberdeen, who play Hearts on Sunday.

St Johnstone, who suffered a first defeat in 12 'post-split' fixtures going back two years, remain in fourth, six points ahead of Hearts.

Clark, making his first appearance in the Saints goal since the middle of March after replacing Alan Mannus, did not have to wait long to be tested.

Within 40 seconds he was diving low to turn a powerful left-foot strike from Rogic from 25 yards round the post.

Next he denied 18-year-old Michael Johnston, making his first-team debut, as he parried clear the youngster's right-foot 20-yarder.

Rogic, in the advanced central midfield role, was creative and dangerous and another well-struck effort forced Clark to show his quality again with another top-class save.

At the other end, Celtic keeper Craig Gordon, trying to play out from the back, passed the ball straight to Brian Easton but the Saints defender failed to take advantage.

Danny Swanson fired an early 25-yard free-kick over the top of Gordon's bar, but the visitors wasted the best chance of the first half just before the interval when MacLean headed Easton's cross into the path of Blair Alston 12 yards out, but the
Saints captain Steven MacLean scored his 12th goal of the season, but it failed to disturb Celtic

With Johnston producing flair on the left flank, fellow 18-year-old Anthony Ralston was enjoying his first start for the hosts at right-back, overlapping regularly to add another option to Celtic's attack.

Johnston was at the heart of the move that led to Celtic's opener on the resumption, his pass releasing Roberts, who from just outside the 18-yard box, sent a low left-foot strike into the bottom right-hand corner.

Saints responded within 90 seconds. MacLean's header from Paul Paton's cross was blocked on the line by Gordon, but as the ball broke free MacLean followed up to level the score.

Three minutes later Celtic regained the lead as Boyata rose unchallenged to head home a Roberts corner.

The champions increased their advantage just after the hour after slick build-up play.

Griffiths fired in a shot which Clark parried, but substitute Scott Sinclair reacted swiftly to cut the ball back for Roberts to claim his second of the afternoon from close range.
Callum McGregor celebrates scoring for Celtic
Callum McGregor scored his third goal in as many games with a brilliant individual effort

Celtic were flying now and Sinclair, who had replaced the impressive Johnston, almost produced a magnificent solo goal, eluding numerous challenges before being denied by Clark.

Instead it was McGregor, only on the pitch for a minute after replacing Rogic, who claimed the game's classiest goal with a mazy run that left several Saints defenders in his wake before sweeping a low shot into the net for his third goal in three games.
Post-match reaction:

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers: "It was a really exciting performance for the supporters and a joy to watch the team play to that level.

"We were very good for the first 35 minutes without getting the goal, but we started the second half really well, and just switched off for some reason to concede the goal.

"But our response was spectacular. We scored four goals, and maybe could have finished with six or seven if we had been more clinical.

"I've been encouraging Patrick [Roberts] to get into the box because with his quality, he has the ability to score more goals, and it was a great bit of individual skill from Callum [McGregor] – he is performing at a really top level.

"I was delighted with the two young players who made their first starts. You can see the profile of Mikey Johnston, he is very similar to Scott Sinclair – slight, fast, dynamic. With more involvement he will become a bit more prolific and incisive but he was quick and direct and most importantly worked very hard to press the play.

"I thought Tony [Anthony Ralston] was exceptional. You can see the maturity now in his performance; you would think he'd played 50 games already. He's a very good defender, very hard to beat, very strong, but he can play football and has the agility to get forward. It was an outstanding first start from him."

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright: "I thought Celtic were exceptional, they played particularly well, but I am disappointed that when we got back to 1-1, we gave away a poor goal to put them back in control of the game.

"If you keep it level for 10-15 minutes, then you might get something out of the game. But it was just wave after wave of attack.

"It was a tough day for us, but at 4-1 with 20 minutes to go, it could have been a lot worse. We defended and made sure we came away with a 4-1 defeat and not a heavier one.

"But the second and third goals were poor goals from our point of view."