Captain marvel Callum McGregor struck with just nine minutes to go to deny St Mirren another famous win at Parkhead.
The Buddies were the last domestic side to win in Glasgow’s East End 51 games and two years ago. And they nearly did it again with unplayable Curtis Main bagging a double to twice give his side the lead.
But the champions dug deep to ensure boss Ange Postecoglou still has’t tasted defeat to Scottish opposition on home soil after two seasons in charge. Few sides have pushed them as hard as this though, as Stephen Robinson’s men brilliantly bullied the Hoops back line and came agonisingly close to completing a double over the top side in the country on the back of their win in Paisley earlier this season. McGregor’s late goal made it a Parkhead party for the title holders – but it was brutal on the Buddies, even if the point will be a boost in the hunt for Europe. It’s been rare for Celtic to go behind this season. It’s been unheard of for it to happen twice.
The Hoops have only conceded first seven times this season – and three of them have been to Saints. Robinson’s side were at it again at Parkhead, stunning the crowd with an early opener and then doing it again with a second after being pegged back by Kyogo.
Main has caused more problems than most against Celts and he pounced after just four minutes after a mix up at the back between Tomoki Iwata and Tony Ralston from a Trevor Carson hoof up the pitch.
The striker managed to wriggle in behind and then tuck the ball under Joe Hart. Celtic responded and were level 10 minutes later when Reo Hatate teed up Kyogo to slam into the top corner.
The home side pressed and came close a few times – only for Saints to surge ahead again five minutes before the interval. Ryan Strain was inches away from turning in from Hart’s parry out moments earlier but it was Main who thumped in a header after Celts struggled to clear their lines and the goal was rubber stamped after a long VAR check for offside.
The frontman was singing about for an incredible hat trick – and he twice ent close with headers. And he was denied a sensational third as the game moved into the closing stages when he managed run in behind and his fierce drive thumped the outside of the post.
Moments later the skipper made the most of the lucky break as McGregor superbly sent a low curler into the bottom corner with just nine minutes to go to break Saints hearts.
Postecoglou's men never stop
The Celtic manager’s mantra was rolled out again as his side refused to give up their long unbeaten home record – even when it looked like St Mirren had their scalp in the bag.
It’s now 51 games since the Hoops last lost a domestic game on home soil. Funny enough, it was St Mirren who won that day, back in the dark covid days of February 2021 towards the end of Neil Lennon’s time.
Callum McGregor’s late show also helped protect Postecoglou’s perfect Parkhead record. The Aussie has yet to trudge off the pitch in these parts to a domestic loss. They won’t have been pushed much harder than this though.
Celts have definitely taken the foot off the gas since getting over the Premiership finishing line. They were not quite at it again here, but the summoned up something for a late push to make sure they wouldn’t slip to back to back defeats in the league for the first time since April 2013.
It would not have mattered really, with the title in the bag, but it just shows how this Postecoglou squad is built. There might be nothing on the line, but Celtic still refuse to stop. Although they will be more than glad to see the back of big Main this season.
Robbo just the job
Postecoglou picked up the PFA Scotland manager of the year award and he’s understandably the frontrunner for the Football Writers’ gong as well. But there is surely a huge case for Stephen Robinson as well. What an unbelievable job he’s performed at St Mirren.
Postecoglou has rightly received plaudits for his swashbuckling trophy winning Celtic side. Yet Robinson has worked miracles in Paisley. Getting the Buddies to the top six was a huge achievement, and it’s incredible he’s still in with a shout of getting his side into Europe.
Saints are also one of the few teams to give Celtic a real headache this season, even if a couple of the end results got away from them. Beating the Hoops and drawing here in the same season is no mean feat, and don’t forget, this is at a time when St Mirren have been forced into major cost cutting exercises in a bid to balance the books.
No one would have been surprised to see them scrapping it out at the foot of the table this season, but Robinson has made his team one of the most disciplined, organised and motivated in the land.
Robinson might not end the year with a shiny trophy on his mantelpiece but he deserves enormous credit. The Buddies just need to hope no other sides are taking much notice.
Iwata's new role
The absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers has forced Postecoglou to try out a few new faces at the back. It was Yuki Kobayashi who took on Rangers last week but the Japanese centre back struggled against Curtis Main earlier in the season.
This time is was Tomoki Iwata who got a run out in that role – but he struggled after running into the Main man as well.
The former Yokohama F Marinos star has mainly played in midfield since he arrived at Celts but he has played in defence in his homeland, mainly on the right side of a back three. This was a tough afternoon though. Iwata was involved in a mix up for the Saints opener, when he probably should have taken charge of the situation with Tony Ralston.
And Main continued to give him grief throughout the game as the Buddies asked some major questions with balls into the box. It was just one game and Kobayashi and Iwata will both need time and matches to get more settled.
But this showed just how much of a miss Carter-Vickers is to this Celtic team, and it might provide some food for thought when it comes to cover for next season.
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