ON Britain’s biggest betting day, and if were such a thing available on the coupon, you would have got the shortest odds possible on this game being under-whelming.
Celtic Park was never going to rock in the way it did last Sunday when just about everything happened as Rangers were beaten. There was more chance of a rabbit winning the Grand National than this being a humdinger.
This game could have done with a bit of goading and provoking. As it was, this was the worst game at Celtic Park for a long time. At least in terms of the locals, some of whom booed at the end, which was a bit off.
Livingston last week made sure they would be a Premiership club next season and while Celtic had ridiculous amount of possession, the visitors superbly kept their shape and discipline, highlighting why they have never once been in danger of the automatic relegation almost all felt would be their fate.
It’s not pretty, however, it’s pretty effective. Gary Holt’s side are good at what they do.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in what they’ve achieved this year,” said the Livingston manager. “They don’t realise or understand how much an achievement it is for a promoted side through the play-offs to stay in this league. Look at where they have come from and what they’ve done.
“They come to places such as Celtic Park and embrace it. We have told them to play with a smile on their faces and run about like little boys. They did that today.
“I’m delighted. We spoke about not being nervous or apprehensive. Celtic will have the ball, they always dominate possession, so we told them not to chase the ball and put on pressure. You have to believe that you can get something out of a game like this, if they didn’t then this would have been a long afternoon.
“To a man, I’m proud of every one of them. They put in a shift and you can’t ask more than that.”
Holt didn’t know that this was Livingston’s first point and clean sheet at Celtic Park.
“That’s not bad, is it. It’s another feather in the cap. They don’t know when they’re done. We have taken points off every team in this league. That is astounding.
"We now have to kick on and have to get to 50 points (they are on 42) with five games to go. It’s another stat to put to bed.”
So, well done Livi. For Celtic and Neil Lennon, there was a mildly concerning lack of guile all afternoon.
Within a minute, only Scott Brown’s head prevented the West Lothian men from taking the lead when Craig Halkett’s header from a corner couldn’t quite get past the Celtic captain.
Apart from a superb effort by Dolly Menga from long-range midway through the half, Scott Bain tipped the ball over, that was about it for them in terms of trying to score. They essentially played a 4-6-0.
Liam Kelly, in the Livingston goal, has been a revelation this season and enjoyed a fantastic afternoon. He made three fine saves in the first-half alone.
James Forrest, lively from the start, decided to go for a run on 20 minutes, the Livingston defence backed off and the winger’s shot with the outside of his right boot was going in only for Kelly to get fingers to it.
Minutes later, Forrest found Kieran Tierney on the left, his cross picked out Tom Rogic who threw out his left leg and made good connection with the ball, only for Kelly to make a superb instinct save.
The goalie’s best moment was still to come. On 38 minutes, Rogic did well to turn and then produce a shot which was curling in only for that man Kelly to once again read the situation and make another goal-saving stop.
When Celtic did get past the ten-man defence, which wasn’t often, they never looked like scoring.
On 72 minutes, Jonny Hayes crossed from the left, Timo Weah swung a leg at it, the ball fell to Edouard who couldn’t beat Kelly from two yards.
With six minutes remaining, Weah played in Edouard and Kelly, the man of the match by some distance, quickly cut down the angle and blocked the Celtic striker’s shot.
And in the final minute, Kelly couldn’t hold a Weah shot, the ball landed at Oliver Burke and he managed to miss the target from two yards. His second missed sitter in four days. That it wouldn’t have counted, the assistant flagged for offside, summed up Celtic's afternoon.
Scorers
Celtic: None
Livingston: None
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