Premier League Sunday 18th April 2004

Kilmarnock 0

Celtic 1

0:1 Petrov 32

Att: 14,576

MIB: Mike McCurry

Celtic: Douglas Varga Balde Mjallby McNamara Agathe Lennon Petrov Lambert Pearson Larsson
subs
Miller for Agathe 71

From the Plains of Spain to the Drain of Ayrshire; from Villa Real to Villa Surreal. There was a sense of irony and indeed justice, as Celtic wrapped up the SPL before the break, on the ground where they were robbed of it last season.

The sense of satisfaction is all the greater, having had to endure the comments of Billy Brown in his half time tirade against refereeing injustice and bias towards Celtic, which officials have obviously been guilty of for the past 100 years. Whatever he's on, I want some of it! Billy's comical aside gives an indication of just how 'up for it' the home side were. This was another towsy tussle, with Lennon, Lambert and, amazingly, Agathe taking most of the stick.

Lennon did manage to smack the ball into the opposition dugout, which brought Jefferies and Durant out to the trackside like two dogs straining on leads. Much of their ire was directed towards the ref after he disallowed a goal following a foul on Balde in the box. Jefferies and Brown were incensed and were jumping about the technical area like Michael Flatley on speed.

The reward for their antics was Stan putting Celtic one up. The goal was a peach. After a Larsson knockdown released Petrov in the box, he held off a defender as the keeper rushed out and sweetly knocked the ball over the line to seal the points. A second goal from McNamara in the second period was chalked off for offside - without complaint - as Celtic taunted Killie with the prospect of letting them spoil a championship party. There was never much hope of this. Even as the players looked leg weary in the closing 15 minutes, Lennon continued to rob them of the ball and break up attacks, as Celtic moved inexorably to the title win.

Only 7 league defeats in four years under OFM and unbeaten in the league, in this, a season when the Orcs have been ground under heel and were never going to run us close. Long may it continue. Here's to Hooping it up at Hampden for the double!