SPL 2011/2012 | 6^, St Mirren 0 - 2 Celtic

Celtic enjoyed their first win in four outings thanks to a Gary Hooper double at St Mirren Park.
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The striker opened the scoring in Paisley in the sixth minute after being set up by strike partner Anthony Stokes.

Six minutes later a mistake by former Celtic defender Paul McGowan allowed Hooper to slip a second past St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson. The result moved Celtic to within a point of leaders Motherwell.
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Manager Neil Lennon made two changes to the side who were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday, with Stokes and midfielder James Forrest replacing Joe Ledley and Georgios Samaras, who dropped to the bench.
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And Stokes appeared to have opened the scoring when he the ball hit the back of the net in the early stages, but referee William Collum judged him to have fouled Saints defender Marc McAusland beforehand.
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Celtic's breakthrough came just seconds later when Stokes and Kris Commons worked a one-two at the edge of the box to allow Hooper to drill the ball past Samson.
And things were to get worse for the St Mirren defence when a catalogue of mistakes in the 12th minute, culminating in McGowan passing straight to Hooper's feet, allowed the Englishman to run through and slip the ball into the St Mirren net.
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But after a poor start, the Paisley side began to show flashes of the brand of football manager Danny Lennon has established in the early part of the season.
And McGowan had the chance to make amends soon afterward his error when Nigel Hasselbaink provided a fine pass, but his effort from 16 yards was saved by Forster.  
Hasselbaink continued to cause problems for Celtic defender Daniel Majstorovic, with Dutchman Jeroen Tesselaar also threatening to create an opening for the home side as St Mirren increased the pressure towards the end of the first half.
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After the restart, it was Stokes who again looked dangerous, going on a solo run and sending in a low drive to force a terrific save from Craig Samson in the St Mirren goal.
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But there were early chances for St Mirren too, Tesselaar whipping a free kick round Celtic's wall in the 55th minute: Forster forced to make a scrambling save by his near post.
The impressive Tesselaar also did his share at the other end of the park, denying Scott Brown a close-range chance seconds later.
Celtic's Kelvin Wilson looked more jittery in front of goal, andendured a heart-stopping moment as he sent a defensive header just inches past his own goal in the 66th minute.
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That fell at the end of a period of sustained pressure for St Mirren, who but for a poor start may have expected more from the game.
But in the later stages it was Celtic who looked more likely to add to their advantage, the removal of Gary Teale in the 71st minute restricting St Mirren's creativity in midfield. Ki Seung-Yeung came close in the 78th minute when he found himself one on one with Samson inside the box, his low shot blocked by the St Mirren keeper's legs.
James Forrest also came close with two minutes remaining when he was played in by Mulgrew but the winger was denied by Samson who delivered another great save at his near post.
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Sunday, 28 August 2011
Scottish Premier

St Mirren	0-2	Celtic	FT
(HT 0-2)
		Hooper 6 Hooper 12

SPL 2011/2012 | 5^, Celtic 0 - 1 St Johnstone

A second-half goal from Dave MacKay gave St Johnstone a shock first win at Celtic Park since 1999.
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Kris Commons failed to convert from the penalty spot after Saints keeper Peter Enckelman brought down Anthony Stokes in the box in the third minute.
But St Johnstone eventually broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, with MacKay's shot deflected into the net.
Celtic's first league defeat means that no Scottish Premier League club has a 100% record.
The first half was characterised by sustained Celtic pressure, but an inability to convert chances.Saints' keeper Enckelman handed Neil Lennon's side the first of those chances, when he was judged to have brought down Stokes inside the box.

But the Finn, who escaped a booking, soon made amends, diving to his right to save the resulting penalty kick from Commons.
That missed opportunity sparked Celtic into life, and Lennon's side enjoyed a spate of first half chances, most created by the industry of Shaun Maloney who set up chances for Commons and Stokes, as well missing an opportunity created by Adam Matthews in the 26th minute.

But the best chance for the home side came from a set piece, Commons almost making amends for his penalty miss with a terrific curling free kick which came off Enckelman's post five minutes before the break. And Celtic seemed to approach the restart with gusto, Commons ekeing out another chance seconds into the half.

But it was St Johnstone who took a shock lead on the hour mark.
A move that began with a Jody Morris drive, which was beaten away by Fraser Forster, then saw MacKay volley towards goal from the right hand side of the box, his shot deflecting off Joe Ledley and past Forster.

After dominating possession throughout the match, that sucker-punch appeared to stun the Parkhead side, who struggled to regain their tempo.
Substitute Paddy McCourt, who replaced Commons immediately after the goal, offered a piece of individual skill almost immediately, twisting and turning his way through a wall of blue jerseys in the St Johnstone box before eventually being dispossessed.
In defence though, Celtic were in disarray, confusion between Daniel Majstorovic and Forster almost allowing Saints substitute Sean Higgins clear through on goal 20 minutes from the end.

McCourt continued to create chances, a shot five minutes from time coming off the post, the Irishman drawing a free-kick on the edge of the box out of Saints defender Callum Davidson, but Maloney's set piece was marginally off target.

And a hard-working and resolute St Johnstone defence managed to neutralise a flurry of late chances to secure Derek McInnes's first win of the season and increase the pressure on Celtic ahead of their midweek Europa League tie.

Sunday, 21 August 2011
Scottish Premier

Celtic	0-1	St Johnstone	FT
(HT 0-0)
		MacKay 60

SPL 2011/2012 | 4^, Celtic 5 - 1 Dundee Utd

Celtic continued their 100% run in the Scottish Premier League with a comfortable win against Dundee United.
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Celtic have taken nine points from their opening three matches in the SPL Anthony Stokes's fourth-minute header was cancelled out by Johnny Russell on the half hour with a close-range strike at the back post.

Gary Hooper's header gave Celtic a half-time advantage, before a superb second-half strike from Ki Sung-Yeung.

A 71st-minute Joe Ledley tap-in and a well-worked injury-time effort from James Forrest secured all three points.

The win puts Celtic one point behind league-leaders Motherwell at the top of the table with nine points from their opening three matches, while United slip to sixth place following last week's draw at home to St Mirren.
With just four minutes played, a sensational long-distance shot from Kris Commons gave the United keeper Dusan Pernis a scare, resulting in a corner from which Stokes headed in from six yards.
Celtic keeper Lukasz Zaluska fumbled a Keith Watson cross from the right but Russell couldn't get a foot to it before the Polish keeper pounced to correct his mistake.
As the half hour mark approached, Ki blasted in a powerful shot from 18 yards, but Garry Kenneth deflected it out for a corner.
United found the equaliser 14 minutes from the interval when Kenneth miscued a shot that drifted across the face of the Celtic goal for Russell to fire home, unmarked, from 10 yards out.
Celtic's lead was restored immediately when Hooper benefited from a header that rebounded off the United crossbar and wrong-footed Pernis. The English striker rose highest above the United defence on the goal line and nodded in.
After the interval, Commons struck the inside of the Pernis's left-hand post, but the ball rebounded back out to safety.
United continued to look dangerous with a John Rankin long-range free-kick in the 56th minute that curved past the post.
Scott Robertson crumpled in a heap inside the Celtic penalty area - but referee Craig Thomson was having none of it - then Celtic quickly counter-attacked with Commons laying off to Ki, who blasted in a terrific third goal from 17 yards.
Willo Flood flighted in a tempting corner that Kenneth headed inches past the Celtic post then, in a flurry of goalmouth activity, Russell was unlucky to see his header deflected out in a similar fashion.
Hooper powered into the United half on a solo run and struck for goal, but the ball went wide of the target and the former Scunthorpe man was stretchered off moments later after injuring himself in the process.
United were by no means down and out and continued to press their hosts with efforts from Flood and Russell, but Maloney provided the assist with a neat cut-back from the goal-line to allow Ledley the chance to tap in Celtic's fourth.
Maloney could have made it five after some clever footwork in the final 10 minutes of the match, but the substitute dragged his shot wide.
In the final minutes of the match, Rankin forced Zaluska to tip over an angled free-kick from near the goal-line, but United were simply going through the motions before Forrest finished off a well-worked team effort to strike home Celtic's fifth of the day from close range.

Saturday, 13 August 2011

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
Celtic	5-1	Dundee Utd	FT
(HT 2-1)
Stokes 4 Hooper 33 Ki Sung-Yeung 58 Ledley 71 Forrest 90+1		Russell 31

SPL 2011/2012 | 3^, Aberdeen 0 - 1 Celtic

Anthony Stokes scored the only goal of the game as Celtic overcame stiff Aberdeen resistance to record a second league win that came at a price.

Celtic lost full-back Emilio Izaguirre to a suspected broken ankle after only 15 minutes at Pittodrie. Kris Commons and Aberdeen's Scott Vernon both tested the respective goalkeepers in an exciting first half. Vernon failed to connect in front of goal after the break before Stokes powered in the 74th-minute winner.

And the victory puts Celtic one point clear of Dundee United and St Mirren at the top of the Scottish Premier League - and with a game in hand - after two wins, although Motherwell would leapfrog them all should they defeat Hearts later.

Former Cardiff right-back Adam Matthews had been handed his competitive debut for Celtic in place of the injured Mark Wilson, while Daniel Majstorovic was in for the crocked Glenn Loovens. But it was the Dons rearguard, where the experienced Rory McArdle had replacing Clark Robertson, who were under pressure immediately after kick-off.

A 25-yard Kris Commons drive, pushed comfortably for a corner by on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper David Gonzalez, was the closest they came to making their early pressure tell.
The Dons settled and worked their way into the game, with Darren Mackie's pace worrying Majstorovic. Peter Pawlett was beginning to give Izaguirre a hard time on the Aberdeen right and a fair but tough challenge left the Honduran writhing in pain before being stretchered off.

Pawlett's enthusiasm was dampened moments later when he was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Izaguirre's replacement, Charlie Mulgrew.
Celtic responded to the loss of last season's player of the year by re-establishing control and Beram Kayal sent a 20-yard drive whizzing over the crossbar as the pressure built once more.

The Dons threatened on the break and Scott Vernon's low effort from 20 yards was beaten away by goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.
Aberdeen survived some intense pressure to go in level at half time and it was Ki Sung-Yeung who was first to go close after the break with a glancing header that flew a yard wide.
Vernon missed an opportunity at the other end when strike partner Mackie flashed a ball across the face of goal and the Englishman failed to connect under pressure from Kelvin Wilson.

A mistake by Richard Foster led to Celtic's breakthrough when the Aberdeen captain was dispossessed by Commons.
Stokes played it wide to the Scotland winger, whose return ball into the middle was blasted low into the net from 14 yards by the Irishman.
Gonzalez did well to save with his legs as Celtic substitute James Forrest was put clear behind the defence, but one goal was enough to give the Glasgow side a win they just about deserved.


Sunday, 7 August 2011
Scottish Premier
Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic FT
                          Stokes 74'

SPL 2011/2012 | 1^, Hibernian 0 - 2 Celtic

Celtic opened their Scottish Premier League account with a solid three points against Hibernian at a sun-drenched Easter Road.
Anthony Stokes capitalised on an error by Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack to fire Celtic in front after 14 minutes.
Ki Sung-Yueng's low left-foot strike doubled the visitors' advantage after the break.

Stack atoned for his earlier mistake when he saved Gary Hooper's penalty but Hibs were rarely in the match.
The home side pressed in the opening 10 minutes but their delivery let them down and Celtic soon found themselves in front when Stack was caught out at a free-kick.

The keeper came off his line to collect Kris Commons's deep delivery but allowed the ball to slip through his grasp and, after the ball had fallen at the feet of Stokes, the striker found the back of the net from a tight angle.

The visitors had the ball in the net again minutes later when Mark Wilson, captaining the side in the absence of the suspended Scott Brown, stabbed the ball past Stack but the offside flag had been raised against the defender, although television replays suggested he was onside.
Hibs rallied and the physical presence of Garry O'Connor and the pace of Ivan Sproule - both beginning their second spells at Easter Road - combined to create an opening for David Wotherspoon but the midfielder could not get into the danger area in time to meet the cross.

Sproule almost got through the visiting defence early in the second half when he chased a long ball but Celtic debutant Kelvin Wilson averted the danger and Sproule's claims he was fouled were not rewarded.
Celtic stretched their lead on 63 minutes when Ki collected Stokes's pass about 25 yards from goal and leisurely slotted the ball past Stack.
The hosts looked for a quick reply and O'Connor should have done better when found by Sproule's cross, the striker missing his kick altogether.

Sproule fouled Emilio Izaguirre on the left-hand edge of the box to give Celtic a chance at a third goal but Hooper's spot-kick was well saved on to the post by Stack, who made sure the rebound was not pounced upon by an opponent.
However, the keeper's intervention failed to ignite a Hibs comeback and Ki sent a rasping drive over in the closing stages.

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
Hibernian	0-2	Celtic	FT
(HT 0-1)
		Stokes 14 Ki Sung-Yeung 63