Just when it seemed like Celtic were set for more dropped points and another inquest into the lack of quality depth to Brendan Rodgers’ squad, two unheralded fringe players pulled three points out of the fire for the defending champions.
Having huffed and puffed for much of a frustrating night against an obdurate St Mirren side, Celtic claimed their winner six minutes from time as Oh Hyeon-Gyu, the substitute striker, produced a sweet finish from around the penalty spot after being played in by Odin Thiago Holm, another replacement who had barely been sighted since that rash Champions League sending-off against Feyenoord betrayed the 20-year-old’s lack of experience.
Both Holm and Oh are young men trying to make their way in an unfamiliar environment with pressures nothing like they have ever known before. Rodgers himself has already said that he needs more first-team ready additions in January, but here was a reminder to all concerned that patience and perseverance can pay off.
““It was a great finish,” Rodgers said. “It was a very nice little combination with Kyogo [Furuhashi] and Odin can shoot if he’s selfish. But he plays a lovely pass in, the big guy takes his touch and it’s a wonderful finish.”
The goal also provided a moment of communion between team and crowd as the public sniping between Celtic and the Green Brigade rumbles on. The 200-odd season ticket holders associated with the supporters’ group were serving the first match of an indefinite stadium ban, and so the bulk of the atmosphere was created by the pocket of St Mirren fans housed in the other corner of the Lisbon Lions stand.
Another Celtic group, the Bhoys, staged a walk-out in protest at the Green Brigade ban, after having unveiled a banner which read: “Police Scotland: clowns all year round, not just at Halloween”. The prompt may well have been entry issues experienced by the champions’ travelling support at Easter Road last weekend, but either way, none of the combatants seem particularly interested in taking the heat out of the raft of ongoing dramas between authorities and supporters.
With Celtic in the midst of a hectic autumn schedule, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda were both excused starting duties, the Japanese attacker dropping to the bench while his injured countryman Reo Hatate’s usual midfield spot went to David Turnbull. Nat Phillips lined up alongside Liam Scales in central defence and James Forrest’s mini-renaissance continued with only a second start of the season.
For the visitors, the influential Keanu Baccus had failed a late fitness test and so surrendered his berth at the heart of the midfield to Caoloan Boyd-Munce.
St Mirren set their stall out with the confidence of a side previously beaten only once – by Rangers – so far in the league. Keen to get the ball forward quickly on a slick surface, Stephen Robinson’s men took the lead inside seven minutes as Greg Kiltie measured an inch-perfect cross from the left onto the head of Conor McMenamin, who had taken up an untended position in the middle of the Celtic box.
The 28-year-old’s connection was true, the angle he put on the ball quite perfect, and it nestled in Joe Hart’s bottom-left corner. McMenamin wheeled away in wild celebration of his first St Mirren goal.
Celtic were struggling for fluidity from middle to front. Palma had a snapshot deflected behind, but there was an unflattering haste and lack of precision to much of the hosts’ play.
The same could not remotely be said of Turnbull’s equaliser, as the former Motherwell player bent a glorious striker into the far corner from the left edge of the box after dogged work from Matt O’Riley to dig the ball out for him.
The leveller did not completely settle the champions. Soon after, Phillips and Callum McGregor got themselves in an almighty fankle deep in the Celtic box, the captain eventually being forced to concede a corner.
It was real end-to-end stuff at this stage, Celtic winning a penalty when Alex Gogic raised his arm to block a goal-bound Turnbull drive. John Beaton gave the award after being invited to consult the pitch-side monitor by Nick Walsh, the VAR.
Turnbull struck the penalty confidently enough, sending Zach Hemming the wrong way, but as had happened with Hatate at Tynecastle a couple of weeks ago, the ball came back off the post. Palma was first to the rebound, only for Hemming to produce a brilliant save to deny him.
The on-loan Middlesbrough goalkeeper then had to look lively to scramble clear after Gogic sliced a clearance in the wake of neat interplay between Palma and O’Riley. Palma completed this little sequence by warming Hemmings’ hands with a low effort as the half finished all-square.
Continuing to be guilty of over-elaboration, Celtic passed up a glorious opportunity to take the lead ten minutes after the break when Forrest could not find a way past Hemming from a fine position. It proved to be the veteran’s last involvement, as he made way for Maeda and Yang replaced Palma.
St Mirren continued to carry a clear threat on the break, Toyosi Olusanya leading the line to sturdy effect. The striker somehow headed wide from six yards, but an offside flag spared his blushes. Yang, meanwhile, was booked almost immediately for following through rashly on Hemming after taking a heavy touch.
The South Korean was more impressive in bending over a cross which Furuhashi couldn’t quite get his body in the right shape to convert, then in getting off a curling shot that Hemming had to bat down.
Rodgers went to the bench again, replacing O’Riley and Turnbull with Oh and Holm and having Furuhashi drop back into the number 10 role. Kyogo played his part in the winner with a lovely flick to Holm, but was more than happy to let the two young pretenders own the moment.
Greg Kiltie should have equalised almost straight away, but Phillips blocked his shot before Furuhashi failed with a run and attempted chip at the death.
“I was really proud of my team because in the midst of a lot of games, where we want the intensity in the games, it’s important that you can also grind out results as well,” Rodgers said.
“We didn’t make a good start, too slow, too passive with and without the ball. And then we go behind. When you go behind against a team like that who are well set up and well organised you know you’ve got a long night ahead of you.
“But we get a great equaliser from David while he obviously missed the penalty. The second half was about continually knocking on the door. To play with that composure, to keep passing and to keep moving and in the right moment speed up the game.
“You know the game lasts 90-plus minutes so you trust your team. They’ve scored late goals already this season. It’s the makeup of this club to keep going and persevere. I was really just pleased with the quality of the winning goal. We saw that at Motherwell when we got that winner [through O’Riley] late on. With 80 odd minutes on the clock here, you can start to panic but we worked the ball really well.”
Rodgers said it had always been his intention to rest Carter-Vickers and that the USA international would be available for Saturday’s trip to Ross County.
Celtic (4-3-3): J Hart 6 – A Johnston 6, N Phillips 6, L Scales 7, G Taylor 6 – M O’Riley 7 (OT Holm 68min), C McGregor 6, D Turnbull 6 (Oh 74min) – J Forrest 5 (Yang 56min, 6), K Furuhashi 7, L Palma 6 (D Maeda 56min). Booked: Furuhashi, Yang
St Mirren (3-4-3): Z Hemming 8 – M Fraser 7, A Gogic 6, R Taylor 6 – R Strain 7 (C Dunne 81min), C Boyd-Munce 6 (R Flynn 88min), M O’Hara 7, S Tanser 6 – C McMenamin 7 (A Grieve 65min), O Olusanya 6 (M Mandron 65min), G Kiltie 7 (S Nachmani 88min).
Ref: J Beaton.