Scottish Premier League/Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 1: Gordon Strachan could not hide his disappointment yesterday, even in victory against a battling Kilmarnock side. Celtic narrowed the deficit between themselves and Hearts, the league leaders, to three points after Stilian Petrov's goal, but their manager wore a perplexed expression at the final whistle.
He said: "Anyone watching the game today who was only concerned with Celtic winning and gaining three points would be satisfied. But as a manager, I must look at the bigger picture. Only five of my players came up to the standards I expect, and that isn't good enough."
Strachan's men survived a few uncomfortable moments during a scrappy 90 minutes, but Petrov's goal was enough to keep the pressure on Hearts before the league's next round of fixtures on Wednesday night.
Kilmarnock, whose start to the season has exceeded their own expectations, began with purpose and Gary McDonald should have done better from 10 yards within the first five minutes after fine build-up play by Steven Naismith. "When you make chances like that against the Old Firm, you have to take them," lamented their manager Jim Jefferies.
Celtic's six-match winning streak may have been ended by Hearts last week, but there is a growing sense at Parkhead that Strachan is finally beginning to mould a team which plays in an attractive manner, crucially while winning. Yesterday though, they were simply relieved with three points.
Petrov latched on to a through-ball from Chris Sutton with a trademark run from midfield to open the scoring after 23 minutes on a dismal afternoon in Ayrshire. The Bulgarian international showed calmness and precision in lifting the ball over the advancing Graeme Smith.
Visiting goalkeeper Artur Boruc was then forced into a smart save from Kris Boyd's 25-yard free-kick after Bobo Balde had taken drastic action, not for the first time, to halt the run of the lively Naismith. Craig Beattie, who retained his place at the expense of the prolific John Hartson, watched a header come back off Smith's right-hand post after fine work from Nakamura.
Smith then showed fine reactions to halt Beattie's run, before Boyd fired inches wide in the culmination of Kilmarnock's best move of the afternoon.
Celtic subsequently saw out the match safely, despite the loss of the impressive Shaun Maloney due to a facial injury.
KILMARNOCK: Smith, Fowler, Greer, Lilley, Hay, Johnston, Locke, McDonald (Wales 77), Invincibile, Boyd, Naismith (Nish 77), Nish (Dodds 82). Subs Not Used: Bell, Wright, Campbell, Flannigan. Booked: Locke.
CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Camara, Nakamura (McGeady 90), Lennon, Petrov, Maloney (Thompson 82), Sutton, Beattie (Hartson 71). Subs Not Used: Marshall, Virgo, Wallace, Pearson. Booked: Balde. Goal: Petrov 24. Att: 10,544.
Referee: I Brines (Scotland).
