2014-12-14: Celtic 4-1 St Mirren, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2014 – 2015 | 2014-15 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic on top on 38pts after 16 games, six points ahead of Inv Caley. St Mirren bottom on 8pts.
• Rescheduled match to 1pm on Sunday.
• Celtic attacking well but no converting enough as could do so. Defence is appalling.
• Some fans angered due to late notice of time changes.
• Beram Kayal states he'll leave at end of the season on free.
• Kano Foundation announce 3000th child helped to get to watch Celtic for free. Magnificent!
• Domino's opening today in the North Stand areas 104 / 106 if you fancy a slice of pizza!
• Celtic books for Xmas shows a great diversity, incredible range and quality. Better than any other club.
• Celtic fan Jay Beatty invited to Greece for award after his support of Samaras went viral during the World Cup. Much respect to him and all.
• Sevco nuttiness: manager McCoist resigns, but actually with 12mth notice. The club can't afford it and McCoist says no he has not resigned now and rumours etc. They cancel all Xmas parties for staff and bonuses, and then lose two nil to Queen of the South. LOL!

Review

(columbo of KDS)
I thought after the game at Motherwell that it would be a long time until I saw the team blow as many clear cut chances in 90 mins.

Turned out to be the next league game.

Great that we are cutting teams open – but we must be more clinical in front of goal – on sitters alone we should have scored 7 or 8 in both matches.

Defence is all over the shop – could do with an experienced leader in there – VVD is a fine player but does his own thing , not an organiser – and Efe needs organising.

Totally agree with the comments on a winter shutdown – thousands took the option to stay at home rather than freeze their butt off at the game.

We played some great stuff but I was clock watching a bit near the end as I started to really feel the cold.

(quiet assassin of KDS)
Bloody freezing. Looked like the defence was still in their jammies and slippers for the first ten minutes. Some absolutely ridiculous defending going on.

Played some decent stuff after that. Looked a lot better without McGregor in the team.

Teams

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)
• Audio Report: Paradise Report

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –

Stats

Celtic St Mirren
Possession
42% 58%
90mins

Shots
22 4

On target
13 1

Corners
8 2

Fouls
14 8

Articles

Celtic 4-1 St Mirren: Brown bags brace as Hoops move six points clear

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/303504-celtic-4-1-st-mirren-brown-bags-brace-as-hoops-move-six-points-clear/
STV
14 December 2014 15:20 GMT

Scott Brown scored an early double as Celtic moved six points clear in the Scottish Premiership with a dominant 4-1 victory over bottom club St Mirren.

Brown opened the scoring in the fourth minute and put Celtic 3-1 up inside 18 minutes after goals from Sean Kelly and James Forrest.

Saints had other chances in an eventful opening spell but Celtic took complete control after Brown's second and it became a matter of how many they would score.

Despite creating numerous chances they only managed one more, with Anthony Stokes claiming the glory, and there was some concern for manager Ronny Deila as John Guidetti limped off in the second half while Forrest also failed to reappear after the interval.

St Mirren should have scored even earlier than Celtic but Kenny McLean took a fresh-air swipe when clean through on the edge of the box after John McGinn had nutmegged Efe Ambrose and curled a wonderful ball into his path.

Brown soon made no mistake from similar range after a Stokes cross was diverted into his path by Saints defender Marc McAusland.

McGinn quickly set up McLean again but the midfielder was offside as he finished from six yards, but the Paisley side levelled in the 10th minute.

McAusland turned McLean's deep free-kick across the goalmouth and left-back Kelly hooked in off the post.

Forrest had a decent long-range effort saved before he put Celtic back in front when he fired in off the post after good skill from Guidetti.

Forrest then turned provider, cutting in from the right before laying off to Brown, who curled the ball round a crowd of players and inside Marc Ridgers' near post.

Celtic then bombarded the Saints defence before the break, notably from a series of corners.

Ridgers beat away Nir Bitton's glancing header and Guidetti's shot and Stefan Johansen missed another good opportunity before the Celtic fans were given the chance to salute former favourite Shunsuke Nakamura at half-time.

St Mirren, led by caretaker manager Gary Teale following Tommy Craig's departure on Tuesday, looked a beaten team in the second half as Celtic cruised.

Stokes had a goal disallowed for offside before curling a free-kick inches wide after Guidetti had been hurt as he battled for the ball.

However the Irishman fired in off the post in the 67th minute after linking up well with Johansen, not for the first time in the game.

Guidetti's replacement, Stefan Scepovic, missed a hat-trick of glorious chances to make the score even more emphatic.

The Serbian twice shot wide when played clean through and then turned Emilio Izaguirre's cross off the inside of the post from close range and watched as it bounced to safety.

John McGinn also fired just wide for St Mirren following a good run from Jason Naismith but the Paisley side look to be in need of an injection of confidence ahead of their meeting with fellow strugglers Motherwell on Saturday.

BBC
By Roddie McVake BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic win to go six points clear
Captain Scott Brown scores twice
St Mirren lose first game since Tommy Craig's sacking
Gary Teale in caretaker charge of the Buddies

Celtic secured their eighth consecutive league win and established a six-point lead at the top of the Premiership with a comfortable win against St Mirren.

Scott Brown bagged a double, either side of James Forrest's goal, after Sean Kelly had hauled St Mirren level.

And Anthony Stokes netted after the break with a fine left-foot finish.

Celtic had plenty more chances to add to their lead against caretaker boss Gary Teale's Buddies, who remain a point adrift at the foot of the table.

John Guidetti and substitute Stefan Scepovic were particularly wasteful but Ronny Deila's side now enjoy a six-point cushion over second-placed Inverness.

St Mirren were playing their first match under Teale following the sacking of Tommy Craig, but their poor form continues.

Celtic welcomed captain Brown back into the starting XI but Kris Commons, whose contract situation has been the subject of much talk this week, had to settle for a place on the bench.

Saturday's results ensured the contest pitched top against bottom but the Buddies should have cashed in on a slack pass from Forrest in the opening seconds.

John McGinn broke on the left and delivered to Kenny McLean, but he missed his kick from 18 yards with no Celtic player near him.
St Mirren caretaker manager Gary Teale

Player-coach Teale (far left) took charge of the Buddies for the first time

Teale's troops were made to pay for that miss as Brown fired the hosts into the lead. Stokes picked out his captain from the left and the midfielder smashed low into the net from the edge of the box.

St Mirren thought they had levelled when Forrest again gifted possession to McGinn and he again played in McLean. This time the midfielder converted, but the offside flag was up.

The Paisley side's celebrations were only delayed, though, as Kelly finished from close range after Marc McAusland knocked the ball across goal from a long diagonal.

Celtic were soon in front again and it was Forrest who made amends for some of his earlier errors. Guidetti held the ball up brilliantly in the box and shifted it on to Forrest, who lashed home from a tight angle.

That was the confidence boost Forrest required and he set up the third seconds later, cutting the ball back to Brown after a fine run, and the captain side-footed it beyond Mark Ridgers from a similar range to his first goal.

Nir Bitton almost made it four with a glancing header but Ridgers parried clear, and Stefan Johansen should have done better than drag the ball wide from close range after being played in by Guidetti.

The Swedish striker then passed up a golden chance of his own, firing straight at Ridgers from eight yards.

The second half started as the first finished, with Celtic threatening through Guidetti, but his looping volley went over.

Scepovic almost caught out Ridgers after coming on for Guidetti, smashing a looping half-volley goalwards from 25 yards that the keeper just managed to reach.

Celtic needed no help in creating chances but St Mirren offered it anyway as McAusland was caught in possession just outside his own box and Johansen set up Stokes to drill the fourth into the net.

Scepovic passed up a glaring chance when he poked wide following great work from fellow substitute Callum McGregor to send him one-on-one with Ridgers.

And, after St Mirren's McLean had another swipe at fresh air with the goal at his mercy, Scepovic fired another shot wide after being sent clean through.

The Serbia international then hit a post after a delightful cross from Emilio Izaguirre. The striker was having one of those days and the hosts had to be content with four goals.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 4, St. Mirren 1.
90:00 +0:34 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 4, St. Mirren 1.
89:36

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
89:36

Kenny McLean (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89:04

Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box.
88:03

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Kelly.
86:15

Attempt missed. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
85:33

Attempt missed. John McGinn (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
84:22

Attempt missed. Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
83:25

Dangerous play by Scott Brown (Celtic).
83:25

Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82:05 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, St. Mirren. Stephen Mallan replaces Isaac Osbourne.
81:46

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
76:31

Attempt saved. Scott Brown (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
75:32

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
75:32

Foul by John McGinn (St. Mirren).
74:29 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, St. Mirren. Callum Ball replaces Steven Thompson.
73:39

Attempt missed. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
70:07 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, St. Mirren. James Marwood replaces Thomas Reilly.
69:06

Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
68:31 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Liam Henderson replaces Nir Bitton.
68:08

Hand ball by Scott Brown (Celtic).
66:23 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 4, St. Mirren 1. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Stefan Johansen.
65:50

Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
65:50

Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
64:37

Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
64:37

Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
62:04

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
62:04

John McGinn (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
59:11

Attempt saved. Stefan Scepovic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
58:47 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Stefan Scepovic replaces John Guidetti because of an injury.
57:36

Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
56:14

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.
54:36

John Guidetti (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
54:36

Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren).
52:32

Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
52:32

Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
49:55

Attempt saved. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.
49:17

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
49:17

Foul by Isaac Osbourne (St. Mirren).
46:55

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jim Goodwin.
46:35

Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 3, St. Mirren 1.
45:00 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces James Forrest.
45:00 +1:07 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 3, St. Mirren 1.
45:00 +0:39

Attempt saved. John Guidetti (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
42:55

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
42:55

Foul by Steven Thompson (St. Mirren).
40:00

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
40:00

Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
38:08

John Guidetti (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
38:08

Foul by Isaac Osbourne (St. Mirren).
37:15

Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
35:19

Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
34:55

Attempt saved. Nir Bitton (Celtic) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
34:38

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Isaac Osbourne.
33:58

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Marc McAusland.
32:45

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
32:45

Kenny McLean (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the left wing.
32:15

Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
31:37

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Kelly.
30:29

Foul by Efe Ambrose (Celtic).
30:29

Steven Thompson (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
28:01

Foul by James Forrest (Celtic).
28:01

John McGinn (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the right wing.
27:22

Anthony Stokes (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
27:22

Foul by Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren).
26:23

Attempt missed. Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is close, but misses to the right.
24:50

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
20:15

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Kelly.
19:00

Attempt missed. Scott Brown (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
17:35 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 3, St. Mirren 1. Scott Brown (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by James Forrest.
14:55 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, St. Mirren 1. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by John Guidetti.
13:48

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
12:45

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Marc McAusland.
11:56

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Kelly.
11:41

Foul by Thomas Reilly (St. Mirren).
11:41

Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
11:00

Isaac Osbourne (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the left wing.
10:59

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Celtic).
9:20 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, St. Mirren 1. Sean Kelly (St. Mirren) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jim Goodwin.
9:08

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
9:08

Kenny McLean (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the left wing.
5:01

Adam Matthews (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
5:01

Foul by Isaac Osbourne (St. Mirren).
3:55 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, St. Mirren 0. Scott Brown (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Anthony Stokes.
2:31

Attempt blocked. Anthony Stokes (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
1:41

Kenny McLean (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
1:41

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Live data and text provided by our data suppliers