Partick 1 - 5 Celtic: Celtic crowned champions

IT HAS been both completely predictable and utterly inevitable ever since they kicked off their campaign at the beginning of August. But nothing could diminish either the joy or the sense of satisfaction experienced by Neil Lennon, his players and the Celtic supporters as they clinched the inaugural SPFL Premiership title last night.

SCORERS: Partick: Elliott (85); Celtic: Stokes (3, 90); Henderson (49), Johansen (53), Commons (90)

Champions of Scotland for the 45th time, they have passed the finishing line with seven games to spare. It is the quickest the title has been secured since 1929, when Rangers wrapped it up with eight games remaining.

With a third consecutive championship under Lennon’s guidance, Celtic are currently the undisputed and largely unchallenged superpower of Scottish football. As their fans struck up chants asking for “ten in a row”, it is certainly difficult to envisage their dominance being threatened any time soon.

Celtic captain Scott Brown celebrates. Picture: SNS

Against a Partick Thistle side who remain just two points above the relegation play-off spot, Celtic were set on their way to victory by Anthony Stokes’ third-minute opener. It was not until the second half that the champions fully hit their stride, 17-year-old substitute Liam Henderson and Stefan Johansen scoring to put them firmly in command.

Christie Elliott pulled one back for Thistle with five minutes remaining, but Celtic added flourish to their coronation with two goals in stoppage time by Stokes and Kris Commons. The only sour note came after the final whistle when a pitch invasion by around 200 of their fans led to a planned players’ lap of honour being cancelled.

Celtic’s rapid retention of the title had appeared assured when Stokes provided them with their early breakthrough. Thistle were simply caught cold by the pace and urgency of Celtic’s start to the match, their defending at the goal far too ponderous. Emilio Izaguirre galloped into space down the left, the Honduran full-back cutting inside to loft over a cross with his notionally weaker right foot towards the far post. With the home defence caught flat-footed, Stokes barely had to raise himself off the ground to guide a looping header beyond Paul Gallacher from close range.

So dominant was Celtic’s opening to the match, there was an immediate expectation they would waste little time in increasing their lead. But they gradually lost that fluency, while in contrast their hosts began to grow into the contest.