Premier League Saturday 5th November 2003

Kilmarnock 0

Celtic 5

0:1 Sutton 20 pen
0:2 Hartson 70
0:3 Sutton 76
0:4 Maloney 84
0:5 Sutton 90 pen

Att: 12,460

MIB: Hugh Dallas

Celtic: Hedman McNamara Varga Balde Gray Miller Sutton Lennon Petrov Hartson Larsson
subs
Wallace for Gray 80
Sylla for Hartson 80

Last time at Grand Lodge Ayrshire we were being pipped for the league and having to endure a torrent of sectarian abuse every time news of an Orc goal filtered through from the Death Star. How times have changed. Even Pooh Dallas is giving us penalties these days!

Celtic began were they left off last season and roasted Killie like a sucking pig on a spit in the process. A tight first half saw Liam Miller continue his ascendancy in the Celtic midfield. Combining well with Larsson, he ran through the home defence quicker than the Orcs collapsed at Old Trafford, but his lob over the keeper was cleared off the line.

The cracks in the Killie rearguard were looking bigger than some of the stories filtering out of Buckingham palace and providing just as inept a defence. Before long, Stan made like a 'Senior member of the Royal family' when he was taken from behind in the box. Despite protestations of diving, the SPL's top whistler pointed to the spot. The fact that Pooh gave us a penalty should silence any criticism of the veracity of Petrov's claim. Sutton duly converted (Larsson, Hartson,and Thompson please take note) and Celtic went into cruise mode, with Larsson narrowly missing out on a goal when his shot cannoned off the inside of the post.

The second forty five was a rout. A Hartson header and a second from Sutton midway into the half killed the game. A second penalty for Sutton, after Henke was tumbled in the box, was greeted with awe; has Pooh seen a blinding light somewhere on the road to Bonkle? Sutton's hat trick was added to by a nice combination from subs Wallace and Maloney. Skinning his man, Wallace crossed for Maloney to drill, in number five from eight yards.

Killie were left to choke on their pies as Celtic cruised out in front of the SPL, while the Orcs dropped more points.