James Forrest hit a magical 100-goal milestone as Celtic moved five points clear in the title race. The Parkhead hero rattled a hat-trick to sink Hibs and reach the century mark for the club.
In the process, Forrest was scoring for a 14th consecutive top-flight term as he notched up another notable personal landmark of a trophy-laden career. The 31-year-old was given a standing ovation as he was replaced following his treble which helped widen the gap at the summit. Greek ace Giorgos Giakoumakis was also on target either side of the half-time interval as Ange Postecoglou’s men rediscovered their ruthless side, with Daizen Maeda also getting a much-needed late goal having appeared from the bench.
Hibs were hammered. Lee Johnson’s team didn’t recover from a dreadful beginning and a mistake by keeper David Marshall at Celtic’s third goal didn’t help. Johnson made sweeping changes at the break and his team got on the scoresheet through one of those replacements, Elie Youan.
However, at the other end, they couldn’t cope with the rampant champions who surged back into top gear despite having a host of big names missing from their starting line-up. One of them was Jota, but Forrest stepped into the breach with aplomb and set the ball rolling with his first after nine minutes.
Saed Haksabanovic was excellent during the first half with bags of threat and his delightful far-post cross to create the opportunity was perfect for the winger. Forrest had made the ground to be in position to stroke home and did so on the volley with simplicity.
Celtic were off and running and Giakoumkais doubled the advantage after another blistering home burst. Alexandro Bernabei was set free down the left and his first-time delivery low into the box was an absolute dream for the Greek.
Giakoumakis had stormed away from Paul Hanlon to meet the cross and his strike past David Marshall was emphatic. Hibs were being flattened and Marshall was guilty of a big mistake when Forrest made it three.
Having saved previously from his old team-mate, the Easter Road No.1 got behind another shot from the attacker after a Matt O’Riley drive was blocked into his path. Marshall, though, dropped the ball out of his grasp and it squirmed over the line before he could claw it back out.
Ryan Porteous got away with a tug on Giakoumakis as he sped through on goal looking for a fourth before half-time with referee Stevie McLean not spotting it. That kept Hibs in the game and they took advantage when scoring a breakaway effort through sub Youan, who was one of the four interval changes made by boss Johnson.
The striker was quickly onto a through pass from Martin Boyle to beat Joe Hart at his near-post and give the visitors a brief flicker of hope. It didn’t last as Celtic were quickly back in charge and Forrest soon swooped for his hat-trick.
Nohan Kenneh’s abysmal miskick in his own half let Aaron Mooy pounce and release the treble shooter into his favourite position right of the box.
Forrest struck sweetly and a deflection helped elevate the effort over Marshall’s dive and into the net. The game was over. It was now a case of how many and Giakoumakis netted his second 17 minutes from time. Sub Liel Abada, who had taken over from Forrest, darted free down the right and his clever cutback was buried by the striker.
Celtic wanted more. Sub Kyogo Furuhashi smacked a post from the edge of the box and Abada was denied by Marshall before Maeda scored in the final seconds. Mooy lifted a ball into the box and the Japanese was able to stab out of a leg and nudge the ball home to end his own frustrating run without hitting the target and seal the thumping triumph.
Forrest can still fly high
James Forrest is constantly being written off, but the winger is far from finished at the age of 31 and Postecoglou’s decision to award him a new contract at the end of last season told you as much. The attacker might be behind the likes of Jota and Liel Abada in the pecking order, but he’s a serial winner, he sets standards in training and he’s still got it. If you’ve got someone as classy as James Forrest as a back-up winger, you’ve got some strength of squad. A century of goals puts him in an elite group.
Lee-mentable
The Hibs boss looked shocked in spells during the first period as he desperately tried to get messages to his under-fire team and the manager could have changed the entire team at the interval had he been able to do so instead of just the four alterations he made leaving one spare in case of a second-half injury. After a fine run of four straight top-flight wins, it’s been a bitter few days for Johnson with defeat at Tannadice followed by this. Nohan Kenneh’s dismal miss-kick just seconds after his team had scored to help gift Celtic a fourth summed them up.
Mooy movement
When Ange Postecoglou’s teamsheet appeared showing a midfield trio of Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy, few inside the stadium would have seen the Aussie being the most advanced of the trio at the outset, but that’s how it played out. O’Riley’s placement at the base of the engine room kept Celtic’s tempo high with the Dane moving it and Hibs could not handle it. Mooy was still going strong at the end having reverted back following subs and set up Daizen Maeda’s goal in the final minute after a long shift. It shows the immense versatility within the Celtic personnel.
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