Goals from Leigh Griffiths and Callum McGregor steered Celtic’s title bid back on course yesterday as the hoops beat Partick Thistle 2-1 at Firhill.
Anything less than a win would have given Aberdeen the chance to go top of the league by beating Kilmarnock but just before half time Griffiths opened the scoring after good work by Gary Mackay-Steven on the left.
Nine minutes into the second half McGregor doubled Celtic’s lead with a low drive from eight yards out to add to his impressive scoring record.
Celtic missed a host of chances before being made to sweat in the closing stages after Sean Welsh scored an 85th minute penalty for the homeside.
After back-to-back draws against Hamilton and Dundee Ronny Deila was pleased to claim full points as the Premiership race enters the final stretch.
“I am just happy for three points and the performance was good as well,” the Celtic boss said. “We should have killed the game. We had a lot of chances and that is a positive thing.
“We know we have good finishers in the team but today we were not so effective as we normally are.”
Commenting on McGregor’s contribution Deila added: “He has been very good is the last two or three months and he had a break for other circumstances.
“But I think he is showing a lot of confidence on the pitch and he played very well, and scored again, which is important.
“Callum has worked really hard and he has been fantastic at training a long time.
“He has always done extra things and he got his reward for that today and the other times he has played.
“Youngsters have to build themselves over time. Before I came here he was out on loan, he had was very good start when I came at first and he has come back into it again.
“Normally that is what talent does. It is not normal to be at your best when you are 18 years old, it is when you are 22 and 23, that is the average age to break through in the team and he is a good age now he has a long future in front of him.”
