Celtic 4 : 0 St. Johnstone - Champions ease to victory

Posted Sunday, May 12, 2013 by PA

Celtic confirmed their status as Clydesdale Bank Premier League champions on the day they received the SPL trophy with a thumping 4-0 win over St Johnstone at Parkhead.

The game was over almost before it had really started as midfielder Joe Ledley fired the home side ahead in the second minute before defender Charlie Mulgrew's whipped-in free-kick in the 36th minute evaded everyone before nestling in the net for number two.

James Forrest made it three early in the second half as Celtic refused to allow the Taysiders out of a tight grip which had turned the afternoon into a non-contest, with Saints stopper Frazer Wright putting through his own goal in the final seconds.

Skipper Scott Brown, who returned for the first time in three months after recovering from surgery to solve an abductor problem, was handed the trophy on the presentation platform from a representative of the league's sponsors to huge cheers from the Hoops fans, who, after some indifferent displays and results recently, saw their side back to its best.

Celtic now look ahead to clinching the double when they play Hibernian in the William Hill Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park in a fortnight's time.

The Saints players applauded the champions on to the park before kick-off but would not have wanted to extend that act of sportsmanship to giving the home side a goal of a start, which is exactly what Ledley's quick-fire opener represented.

Gary Hooper looked like he handled Anthony Stokes' long ball as the Parkhead side broke but referee Alan Muir allowed play to continue, probably certain that Tom Scobbie would clear.

However, the Perth defender mis-kicked inside his own box to Brown and the visitors were in trouble.

Hooper regained possession, passed to Forrest who set up Ledley at the edge of the box and the Wales midfielder rifled an unstoppable drive past the flailing Alan Mannus.

From then on it was one-way traffic.

Ledley's cut-back from the by-line was missed by Hooper with the McDiarmid Park defence scrambling the ball away before defender Mikael Lustig headed a Mulgrew free-kick past the far post from eight yards.

In the 19th minute the Celtic fans applauded in tribute to former Hoops player Stiliyan Petrov who announced his retirement from the game this week as he continues his battle against illness.

The tireless Brown was denied a goal by the chest of Saints defender Wright, after being set up for a shot by Hooper.

It seemed only a matter of time until Celtic doubled their lead and it came when Gregory Tade was penalised for a foul on the Parkhead captain, 35 yards from goal on the right-hand side.

A trademark delivery from Mulgrew zipped past several heads inside the packed six-yard box and past Mannus into the far corner.

Amid a late first half battering for Saints, Mannus made a good save from Forrest at the expense of a corner which came to nothing before the keeper then saved from Emilio Izaguirre.

Within seconds of the restart Saints midfielder Liam Craig volleyed a cross from Steven MacLean over the bar at the back post, indicating that the Taysiders were looking to make a better fist of the second period.

However, in the 51st minute, just after Wanyama and Rowan Vine were booked for a spat, Celtic increased their lead further following another speedy break, when Hooper set up Forrest to shoot low past Mannus.

The Scotland winger had the chance to double up in the 58th minute when Stokes worked brilliantly to set him up 14 yards out but he blazed the ball high over the bar.

Georgios Samaras missed a great chance in the 68th minute when the St Johnstone defence hesitated in dealing with a deflected Izaguirre cross, the Greece international flicking his leg at the ball which flew wide from eight yards.

Not that it mattered much.

The game was well over, the final result was the only thing up for grabs.

Fraser Forster made his first save of the game in the 78th minute from Nigel Hasselbaink and as the game petered out, Hooper missed with a header from close range, after getting on to the end of another fine Mulgrew cross.

However, there was time for Wright to compound his side's miserable afternoon when he headed a Mulgrew corner into his own net.

Notwithstanding the last league game of the campaign against Dundee United next week, all eyes at Parkhead now turn to the cup final and the chance of the double.