Sport

Celtic have final point to prove

Celtic 2 St Johnstone 0: A RANGERS win at Motherwell on Saturday may have denied Neil Lennon’s team the chance to claim the …

EWAN MURRAY
Mon Apr 02 2012 - 01:00

Celtic 2 St Johnstone 0:A RANGERS win at Motherwell on Saturday may have denied Neil Lennon's team the chance to claim the Scottish Premier League in front of their own fans but Celtic need only a point at Kilmarnock in their next outing to be crowned champions finally and formally.

It hardly represents a troubling scenario for Lennon, or indeed for Kilmarnock, who will cash in on selling three-quarters of Rugby Park to Celtic’s followers.

Celtic will therefore head to Ayrshire on Saturday with a dual purpose, revenge also sought for Kilmarnock’s League Cup final win over the champions-elect last month.

“We only need a point to win the title but Kilmarnock are a very good side and we have to make sure we can get over the line,” Lennon said.

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The inevitability of Celtic reclaiming the SPL trophy is a reasonable explanation for their recent low-key form. Lennon insisted, though, his team will be deserving champions. “I think they will when it comes,” he added. “The consistency they’ve shown since October has been fantastic.”

Celtic’s manager believes Georgios Samaras is enjoying his best season in green and white, a point endorsed by the Greek’s matchwinning display against St Johnstone. The Perth side created more chances than is routine for visitors to Celtic Park, with wastefulness punished by Samaras.

A poor first half was notable only for the vociferous support shown by the Celtic fans towards their former player, Stilian Petrov. Celtic’s coaching staff also donned T-shirts, backing the Aston Villa captain in his battle against leukaemia.

Samaras headed home the opener when meeting a Kris Commons free-kick. For the second, Samaras’s cross was turned beyond his own goalkeeper by Chris Millar, St Johnstone argued furiously that their midfielder Liam Craig was fouled by Commons when Celtic won possession.

Their manager, Steve Lomas, said: “Liam Craig is going to swing the ball back in and the geezer clatters him. I don’t understand how he [the referee] does not see that as a free kick. We feel mightily aggrieved today.”