After driving Celtic to victory over Hearts at Tynecastle Leigh Griffiths tweeted the worst kept secret in Scottish football: “I love scoring at that place.”
The tie looked certain to go into extra-time after 70 fairly uneventful minutes although Celtic carried more of a threat after Tom Rogic replaced James Forrest.
After another passing move across the pitch 30 yards from goal Griffiths decided to vary things, driving into the box past two defenders before guiding a low shot beyond Neil Alexander before picking up a yellow card for racing behind the goal to celebrate with a thumbs-up to the Hearts supporters.
“The yellow was a bit harsh, but if you give me a goal like that and a yellow card then I’ll take it all day long,” the goal hero said.
“I get abuse everywhere I go – here you always get stick as an ex-Hibee but the only way to shut them up is to score.”
What a night!! Fans never stopped. I love scoring at that place. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. #sssshhhhhh pic.twitter.com/wwp4hYT0tm
— leigh griffiths (@Leighgriff09) October 28, 2015
Eleven minutes later a similar move ended with a low driven cross into the six yard box which Rogic met perfectly with his heel to send the ball into the net.
Delighted with the performance of his striker Ronny Deila said: “Leigh has been phenomenal. It’s confidence, good training, being professional on and off the pitch, these are important things.
“We know he has skills and I want him to be even sharper after he scores one. After he scores he sometimes drops off. Hopefully he will go for two and three and four after he gets one.
“I was going to take him off but suddenly he got a chance and he was not so tired after all and made the run. It was very, very good.
“Leigh is sniffing around and waiting for those chances. Here he scored one and made one.”
Ross County, St Johnstone and Dundee United or Hibs will join Celtic in the semi-final draw.
Well played Celt`s . That`s the “wee brothers” out of the picture again so let us now carry on and win it. Funny how Robbie Neilson could only focus on a Celtic player not being sent off and also how Leigh Griffith should have been stopped three times before scoring the first goal. Advocating that one off his players should have taken a “hit” too stop him. Well done “Griff” you certainly shut them up. And now another ref in the same frame of mind as “wee willie winkie” who can`t show enough yellow cards to keep his name in the papers. Step forward Mr Beaton .
Always Great to beat the Edinburgh Huns, think I’ll call them The Dave King Tribute Act .
Always good to beat them in their own patch. Think we’ll be calling them the big huns shortly, as sevco steam straight into the iceberg.
JINGLE BELLS !
HH
Yeeha
Dave King in the ring tra la,la Lal la