2015-02-22: Celtic 4-0 Hamilton, SP

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

Trivia

• Celtic on top with game in hand; 3pts ahead of Aberdeen.
• Aberdeen tied with Celtic on points yesterday after a win but before this game Celtic had two games in hand, but still we have to win our games.
• Passing away of long-term Celtic club groundsman Andy McCann, a popular man in the club. RIP.
• Tony Stokes fined and lost his place after being late back from Dublin for the Inter Milan match. Stupid for many reasons, but it not his first misdemeanor.
• Celtic playing Inter Milan away in second leg on Thursday. Cracking 3-3 draw at home to days earlier.
• Rony D has made a few changes…Amstrong, GMS and Matthews all rested. In come Commons, Forrest and Efe. Stokes in the stand again.
• Chinese New Year, and a troupe of Chinese Celtic fans present at the match and very welcome. Celtic family stand had minor celebrations for the event.
• Celtic fan Wee Jay won SPFL goal of the month with his half-time penalty goal. A nice tribute to the wonderful wee boy. His story with this has been on the national sports news in the UK.
• Sevco fans reported for sectarian singing in their recent matches.
• Football analyst Stan Collymore abused by Huns supporters and dropped from a match commentary by BT Sport for raising issue of Sevco fans sectarian singing.
• Sevco fans start chanting "Stan's a black fenian b*****d" at their match against Raith. Racist, sectarian etc. Sadly not enough of the press showing enough support. Major Twitter issue.

Review

(aldo of KDS)
Maybe I's jus' ridin' high on Ronny's good groove, but I saw the first half as a competitive training session, a chance for the team to concentrate on developing further their growing 'pass and move' skills against 11 competitors, rather than against 11 squad players at Lennoxtown, in advance of Inter away. It was no such thing, of course: they had to secure 3 points to keep that gap with Aberdeen as wide as poss and they knew it, but while this Celtic team have dominated games with increasing ease as the season has progressed yet still looked vulnerable even when 2 up, today they really struck me as completely in control and dictating the pace. It was as if the first half was planned to be the training exercise, while we would win the game in the 2nd. Easily the most impressive display of passing, movement and collective thinking yet. Sweet!

(WW of KDS)
Freezing.
Should have had at least a couple early doors from some cracking Efe crosses.
After that it was only when VVD went forward they looked like opening up but once the first went in it could have been as many as we wanted.
Mackinnon, the hamilton no18 wasn't trying to make friends, pushed and shoved at every corner and left the boot in a few times.
Thanks to the hamilton fans for the extra 2nd half entertainment, especially the baldly fud who was leading the saville song, pity he wasn't one of them lifted.

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Stats

Celtic Hamilton Academical
Possession
36% 64%
90mins

Shots
22 1

On target
12 0

Corners
13 2

Fouls
4 6

Articles

Celtic 4-0 Hamilton Academical

Second-half show takes Celtic clear at top

Sunday, February 22, 2015
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Kris Commons marked his return from injury with a double to help Celtic to a comfortable 4-0 win over Hamilton Academical that took them clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

A well-organised Hamilton defence frustrated Celtic in the first half with Swedish striker John Guidetti guilty of missing a host of chances.

The breakthrough came in the 57th minute through Commons before Stefan Johansen tapped in a second.

Guidetti finally got on the scoresheet with a 78th-minute header before Commons made it 4-0 two minutes later as Celtic extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches ahead of Thursday's Europa League return with Internazionale in Milan.

The win moves the Hoops three points clear at the top of the Premiership ahead of their clash with nearest rivals Aberdeen next weekend.

"It's very tough when you come from the Europa League and have to go in to a game in the league three days later with a different atmosphere but we were switched on," Celtic manager Ronny Deila said.

"In the second half they got tired and when we got the first goal they had to come forward and things opened up. We got four in the end and I'm very pleased with the performance."

Hamilton player-manager Martin Canning added: "I thought for the first hour we did what we set out to do in terms of frustrating Celtic.

"We lost the ball cheaply and with the quality Celtic have they punished us. From there it was always difficult as they are a good side and capable of picking you off."

Following their exertions in the 3-3 draw with Inter on Thursday, Deila made four changes to his side as James Forrest, Guidetti, Efe Ambrose and Commons all landed places in the starting line-up.

Swedish striker Guidetti, who scored a stoppage-time equaliser against Inter, came close with an eighth-minute header from a Commons cross that 'keeper Michael McGovern saved on the line.

The Hamilton stopper came to their rescue again three minutes later when he got down low to block Guidetti's snapshot as he connected with an Ambrose cross.

Hamilton defender Michael Devlin then put in a superb challenge to stop Guidetti in his tracks as he delayed hitting his shot after a good headed knockdown by Ambrose.

Commons laid the ball on a plate for the Swedish striker after good work down the right but he failed to make a clean connection with his effort and it rolled straight to McGovern.

Johansen was then off-target with a header as he got on the end of Emilio Izaguirre's cross as Celtic's finishing continued to let them down.

The home side's frustrations grew at the start of the second half until Commons broke the deadlock in the 57th minute.

The Hamilton defence split as Virgil van Dijk surged forward from defence and his pass took a touch off substitute Darren Lyon, who had been on the pitch for a matter of seconds, before reaching Commons who lashed a volley beyond McGovern.

Moments later Johansen connected with a floated pass over the top but his weak strike was straight at McGovern.

Scott Brown then fed Guidetti in the box but the striker was foiled by McGovern who got down low to block his dinked effort.

Johansen, who hit the post with a drilled shot in the 63rd minute, went one better a minute later as he made it 2-0. McGovern failed to hold a stinging strike from van Dijk and spilled the ball at the feet of Johansen, who had the simple task of tapping home.

McGovern made a tremendous double save from van Dijk and then Adam Matthews before Guidetti added a third as he rose to head Izaguirre's cross home from close range in the 78th minute.

Commons completed the scoring two minutes later. Van Dijk again caused the Hamilton defence problems with a rampaging run and Commons applied the finishing touch to the Dutch defender's pass.

By Richard Wilson BBC Scotland at Celtic Park

Celtic go three points clear of Aberdeen
Celtic's seventh straight league win
Hamilton without win in eight games
Kris Commons scores two on return to side

Celtic eased past Hamilton to re-establish a three-point lead over Aberdeen at the top of the Premiership.

After enduring a frustrating opening period in which they dominated possession but could not convert, the home side ran riot after the break.

Kris Commons started and finished the scoring either side of goals from Stefan Johansen and John Guidetti.

The ruthless edge was necessary to overcome the dogged Hamilton but also keep second-place Aberdeen at bay.

It felt as though the crowd inside Celtic Park was still catching its breath following the raucous nature of Thursday's Europa League encounter with Internazionale.

Intensity was rare and the consequence was a game that fell into a settled rhythm.

Celtic controlled possession and Hamilton's defence dropped deep to deny space in behind to the home side's forwards.

The visitors were organised and resolute, so chances tended to be scrambled together.

Even so, the Hamilton goalkeeper, Michael McGovern, twice had to rescue his side with agile saves, making one from a close-range header and another from a John Guidetti shot that lacked power and direction.

Hamilton could only break sporadically and it was a measure of their limited attacking reach that it was Scott Brown rather than the goalkeeper Craig Gordon who was called upon to be defensively strong for Celtic – he twice muscled Nigel Hasselbaink off the ball as the last man against the Hamilton striker.

Familiar themes emerged, with Brown as strong and conscientious as a gladiator and Johansen playing with stealth and guile.

Ronny Deila made four changes to his starting line-up, three of them in attack, to try to shake off any muted reaction to the European exertions.

That wasn't wholly successful, since Guidetti was often frustrated, while James Forrest was only intermittently involved.

Frustration was no more of an effective opponent to the home side than Hamilton, though.

It was 75 minutes by the time the visitors won a corner kick – which Michael Devlin headed over – but by then Celtic were two goals in front.

Deila's team was rewarded for keeping faith in the manager's strategy but also for being alert to a decline in Hamilton's standards.

When possession was surrendered cheaply to Virgil van Dijk, the defender surged upfield, spreading panic with every stride, before slipping the ball to Commons, whose firm shot bundled past McGovern.

Johansen then hit the post as the home side exploited more gaps in the Hamilton defence.

Untroubled in defence, Van Dijk sought some involvement by galloping forward. Another foray brought a thumping shot that McGovern parried, only for Johansen to turn the rebound into the net.

A weariness then settled on the visitors, which was a source of motivation to Celtic; the home side sensed a wounded prey.

McGovern had to fling his hands up to tip an Adam Matthews shot over, but he was helpless as Guidetti headed Emilio Izaguirre's cross in from close range to make it 3-0.

Stuart Armstrong played a role in the build-up and the substitute was more directly involved in the fourth goal, when his pass was clipped over McGovern by the grounded Commons.

The victory was merited but also a timely confidence boost ahead of Celtic's visit to the San Siro on Thursday for the second leg against Inter and then Aberdeen's trip to Celtic Park on Sunday.

Live Text Commentary
Full time

Full Time Match ends, Celtic 4, Hamilton Academical 0.
90:00 +2:53 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Celtic 4, Hamilton Academical 0.
90:00 +1:58

Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
89:16

Foul by Liam Henderson (Celtic).
89:16

Jon Routledge (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
86:37

Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right.
86:10

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Michael Devlin.
85:32 Booking

Booking Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical) is shown the yellow card.
85:27

Liam Henderson (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85:27

Foul by Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical).
83:52

Foul by John Guidetti (Celtic).
83:52

Lucas (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick on the right wing.
82:32 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Lucas replaces Martin Canning.
81:28 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 4, Hamilton Academical 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adam Matthews.
80:14

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Louis Longridge.
78:32 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Liam Henderson replaces Stefan Johansen.
77:19 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 3, Hamilton Academical 0. John Guidetti (Celtic) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emilio Izaguirre.
75:44

Attempt missed. Michael Devlin (Hamilton Academical) header from very close range misses to the right.
75:21

Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by Emilio Izaguirre.
71:16

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Michael McGovern.
71:05

Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
70:17

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Martin Canning.
66:41

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen Hendrie.
66:34

Attempt blocked. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
63:46 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 2, Hamilton Academical 0. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
62:56

Stefan Johansen (Celtic) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
62:06

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
62:06

Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
59:57

Attempt saved. John Guidetti (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
58:40 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Stuart Armstrong replaces James Forrest.
57:56

Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
56:22 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Celtic 1, Hamilton Academical 0. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Virgil van Dijk.
54:52 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Darren Lyon replaces Grant Gillespie because of an injury.
54:34

Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
51:32

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Martin Canning.
51:22

Attempt blocked. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
49:27

Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
49:27

Foul by Jon Routledge (Hamilton Academical).
45:00

Second Half begins Celtic 0, Hamilton Academical 0.
45:00 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Adam Matthews replaces Jason Denayer.
45:00 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Louis Longridge replaces Ziggy Gordon.
45:00 +2:04 Half time

Half Time First Half ends, Celtic 0, Hamilton Academical 0.
43:59

Attempt blocked. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
43:42

Attempt blocked. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
43:15

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen Hendrie.
39:40

Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
36:02

Attempt saved. John Guidetti (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
33:18

Attempt missed. Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.
28:48

Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
28:18

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen Hendrie.
28:04

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Dougie Imrie.
27:49

Attempt blocked. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
26:39

Attempt missed. Kris Commons (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
23:01 Booking

Booking Ziggy Gordon (Hamilton Academical) is shown the yellow card.
23:00

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
22:53

Foul by Ziggy Gordon (Hamilton Academical).
20:58

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Michael Devlin.
14:23

Kris Commons (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
14:23

Foul by Stephen Hendrie (Hamilton Academical).
13:27

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Michael Devlin.
12:44

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Ziggy Gordon.
11:51

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Dougie Imrie.
10:51

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
7:54

Attempt saved. John Guidetti (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
7:10

John Guidetti (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
7:10

Foul by Michael Devlin (Hamilton Academical).
6:31

Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
6:31

Foul by Darian MacKinnon (Hamilton Academical).
4:02

Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick on the right wing.
4:02

Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
0:00

First Half begins.
0:00