There was something of a delicious irony today when Ryan Christie grabbed the game by the balls and pushed Celtic on to a 4-1 victory against Hamilton this afternoon.
As Alfredo Morelos wife was putting her husband’s in the kitchen grinder, the man who had until recently served a ban for becoming acquainted with the same sprung from the bench and supplied an inch perfect cross for Christopher Jullien to score the all-important second goal.
It set Celtic on their way to a seven point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership. For all the ‘Rangers’ fans who had jumped off bar stools and from flea bitten armchairs to celebrate the opening goal at the Fountain of Youth stadium it was a big boot in the balls to them too.
The Celtic Star’s alternative match analyst Sandman (check in later for that) mentioned on The Celtic Noise yesterday ‘Daylight. Carlsberg Sunday coming up’ .how prophetic that turned out to be.
It had been a frustrating afternoon it must be said, until with the game poised and 1-1 and only 12 minutes left on the clock Christie swung in a brilliant cross from the left hand side and was met with a finish a striker would have been proud of by Christopher Jullien.
Until then Celtic had huffed and puffed through a first half where the central defensive partnership of Ajer and Jullien were taking turns at general ineptitude. Jullien in particular had been bullied by Hamilton’s Ogkmpoe. That he beat his marker to the ball for the first goal wasn’t a surprise in a first half where only McGregor and Taylor showed any real urgency.
The game itself turned on two first half moments. The fact Leigh Griffiths didn’t receive a red card for a stamp on Sam Woods and that Griffiths showed all the nous of old to get man between opponent and ball and force Hamilton to bring him down, Hamilton, the Hamilton defender did receive the ultimate punishment.
A deserved red card received the double jeopardy of repercussion when Edouard struck home the finest of free kicks.
While all and sundry blamed the goalkeeper for his positioning it might be worth looking back at a Hamilton wall who seemed to shrink when the ball was struck. The goalie looked culpable but you’d have struggled to get a Daily Record under the feet of the defensive wall as the ball was hit.
Jullien’s goal was all important but the backside fell out of the Accies in the 80th minute when Edouard and Rogic linked up beautifully to let French Eddy break through and finish sublimely.
The pass from Rogic is a timely reminder that stuffy backlines need a touch of class and artistry to break them down. Rogic is probably one of the few players left in the Celtic squad that has the ability to slow the game to his own pace and supply the guile and class it takes to split packed defences.
Celtic weren’t finished there. The final cut was delivered from the boot of James Forrest.
French Eddy having just moments before passed up a clear opportunity for a hat-trick would have been forgiven for putting his laces through the ball when given a glimpse of goal. Instead the laid back Frenchman showed why he is an asset as a team player as well as a goalscorer. He laid the ball into the path of Forrest who had time to take a touch before sending the ball beyond Accies keeper Southwood.
Celtic go seven points clear at the top of the league. Like Mrs Morelos they now have this league by the balls.
Niall J
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