CELTIC took their revenge on Gary Holt’s overly physical Livingston side who can head back along the M8 with their tails firmly between their legs and the can count themselves lucky that The Champions somehow only managed to put four past them.
That nasty Dykes character seemed to be intent on kicking and fouling Jullien and Ajer as well as the skipper Scott Brown. Deep into stoppage time Broony sorted him out the old school way, Bertie Auld would have been proud of that one. Brown took the yellow as a price worth paying before Dykes recovered and had a big cry baby greet before the final whistle was blown.
It was only one nil at the interval thanks to Edouard doing an Ntcham on 19 minutes. Remarkably he got the exact same opportunity moments later but opted for power rather than the coolness of an Ntcham dink and the keeper saved.
Frimpong put one on a plate for Tom Rogic but uncharacteristically the Aussie fired over the crossbar with the goals at his mercy.
Forrest and McGregor had good efforts too in that first half of complete Celtic domination but the bit of Edouard magic was all they had to show for it.
Livingston’s charmed afternoon couldn’t continue and it was Scott Brown who fired a shot from the edge of the area towards the Livi goal. A wicked deflection sent the keeper the wrong way and Broony celebrated in the customary fashion.
Frimpong, the sponsor‘s Man of the Match was sent through by Rogic but his shot was saved and the ball went high into the air with Livi packing their six yard box. It fell out of the sky and onto the foot of James Forrest. His perfect volley made it three nil.
Frimpong also put it on a plate for Griffiths who had replaced Edouard who looked exhausted and from three yards all Leigh had to do was decide if he was tapping into the empty net with his head or foot. He hesitated, did neither and the hall bounced off his body and rolled agonisingly wide.
Forrest got his second in stoppage time as Celtic caught Livi up the park. The star man gave the keeper the eye, he dived to his right and Forrest slipped it in at the near post to make it 4-0 to The Champions.
There was still time for Broony to let a Dykes know you’re going to get it back if you want to dish it out and the Celtic captain joined the Livingston striker in the book.
Man of the Match – Scott Brown
