BROWN IS FULL OF THE PARTY SPIRIT
Celtic’s skipper makes a swaggering return as Bhoys swamp Saints with a champion show
CAPTAIN Scott Brown made a triumphant return from injury to hoist the SPL trophy, but first Neil Lennon’s team raised the standard to produce as complete a domestic performance as has been witnessed at Celtic Park this season.
In theory, it was St Johnstone who began the day with most to play for, with a Europa League place within their grasp. That remains the case with Inverness losing at home to Dundee United yesterday, but Saints’ attempts to climb into third place were smothered at birth as Celtic took a grip through Joe Ledley’s quick-fire goal and refused to let go.
Hungrier, quicker and plain better than their guests, in some ways this was a 90-minute justification for Lennon’s decision to send his key players off on holiday.
Nine had been afforded a week off after the club’s 44th title had been confirmed and they have all returned hungry, a quality which bodes well ahead of the Scottish Cup Final on May 26.
While his colleagues enjoyed a sunshine break, Brown was putting in the hard yards at Lennoxtown. Having missed three months since his long-standing abductor injury became too painful to ignore, his comeback performance provided a heartening subplot.
There were no signs that corrective surgery had taken any toll on the midfielder and, for an hour, he was the game’s most influential presence. Free in his movement and crisp in his passing, this was a contribution which suggested he will have no problem in securing a starting berth as Celtic go for the Double against his former club Hibs at Hampden in a fortnight’s time.
The Saints players formed a guard of honour to welcome Celtic on to the pitch but they might as well have fashioned the pathway in front of Alan Mannus’s goal, such was the way they started the game.
Yes, there were protests that Gary Hooper may have used a hand as he controlled Anthony Stokes’ pass in the build-up but five more players touched the ball before it hit the net, with Tam Scobbie’s sclaffed attempt at a clearance the fatal error.
From there, Brown, Hooper and James Forrest worked the ball back across the edge of the box and Ledley accepted the invitation to sweep home a 20-yard finish.
As the clock struck 19, there was a warm tribute to Stilian Petrov, with both Lennon and opposite number Steve Lomas joining in the applause for the former Parkhead favourite, who announced his retirement in midweek as he continues his battle with leukaemia. In his own way, Brown was extending the tribute, performing with a drive and purpose which were hallmarks of the Bulgarian’s displays for Celtic and Aston Villa.
The Parkhead side’s second came courtesy of an inswinging Charlie Mulgrew free-kick, which took a deflection en route past Mannus — but not off Anthony Stokes, who tried to take the glory away from his team-mate by indicating the ball had clipped his head as it fizzed into the far corner. Nice try, Anthony.
Forrest and Stokes went close before half-time and the pattern continued after the interval with the lead further extended after a move which saw Emilio Izaguirre, Brown and Hooper combine before Forrest applied the cool, low finish.
Saints eventually drew a save of sorts from Fraser Forster but the Englishman’s dive to block substitute Nigel Hasselbaink’s shot was more a precautionary measure than necessity.
There was a heightened aggression in the second half which ramped up the card count for both sides.
Frazer Wright, booked early on for a foul on Forrest, incurred the ire of Mikael Lustig with what appeared to be a flying arm. The Swede was cautioned but, although referee Alan Muir missed the offence, a different kind of punishment awaited Wright.
The game was in stoppage-time when Mulgrew whipped in another set-piece and, in desperation, Wright threw his head at the ball and diverted it into his own net.
Again Stokes moved to celebrate, as if unaware that the TV cameras would tell the truth to any observers unsure who had got the final touch.