SPFL

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

St Mirren Park, Paisley

ST MIRREN…0

CELTIC…0

Celtic endured a frustrating night in Paisley as they were held to a 0-0 draw despite near domination at St Mirren Park.

The Hoops fresh from winning the League Cup for the 20th time on Sunday were looking to cut the gap the top of the Scottish Premiership but had to make do with just a point.

The Bhoys had fantastic chances to go ahead through Mikey Johnston in the first half and Callum McGregor in the second half, but goalkeeping heroics from Dean Lyness was the story of the evening.

Youngster Owen Moffat earned his first start for the club after impressing Ange Postecoglou in recent cameos against Ross County and Hibernian. He was one of six changes to the starting XI that raised the League Cup at Hampden on Sunday.

The 19-year-old came in alongside Scott Bain, Liam Scales, Nir Bitton, Anthony Ralston and Stephen Welsh as Joe Hart, David Turnbull and Kyogo Furuhashi were rested while Carl Starfelt served his suspension.

The Paisley side were hit with COVID-19 cases in the build up to the fixture that disrupted their preparations and that was visible in their starting XI. Jim Goodwin was able to name only four changes despite the issues from their previous game against Hibernian 11 days ago, but no Buddies players on the bench had ever made a first-team appearance.

The first Celtic chance came through Mikey Johnston on eight minutes gone. Johnston’s fantastic trickery bamboozled Matthew Millar in the St Mirren defence before unleashing a shot towards Lyness in goal but the Buddies goalkeeper did well to palm the ball away.

Four minutes later, Nir Bitton tested Lyness from a free-kick from 23 yards but the keeper was once again equal to the Celtic test, tipping the ball wide to keep it goal-less.

Just before the 20 minute mark, Johnston was once again at the heart of the Celtic attack on the wing before playing in captain Callum McGregor whose cut back was met by Liam Scales but his deflected shot went wide of the goal.

Liel Abada’s corner a minute later met the Dingwall hero Anthony Ralston who looked to just get enough on the shot, but again Lyness was the St Mirren hero tipping the shot over the bar.

Just after the half-hour, St. Mirren looked to create a chance of their own. Abada was dispossessed by Charles Dunne on the right-hand side 18 yards from goal. Dunne then skipped past Tom Rogic and looked to get a left-footed shot on the Celtic goal but fortunately it hit the side netting.

Celtic had the last attack of the first-half with Moffat breaking on the depleted St Mirren defence who had committed forward for a corner-kick. Moffat had Rogic and McGregor in support but was unable to find his Celtic team-mates with his cross as the Hoops went in at the break goal-less in Paisley.

Goal-less in Paisley as the Celts rue missed chances