“Fantastic” Forrest Seals All 3 Points for Celtic

Celtic restored their three point lead at the summit of the cinch Premiership as a James Forrest brace secured the victory at Dens Park, James McKenzie reports.

James Forrest celebrates his goal (Image – Vagelis Georgariou)

James Forrest was rewarded for his Hampden heroics with a start in place of Yang Hyun-jun, his first start since November 28th, and he didn’t waste his opportunity in the first-team as he lashed home a brilliant first-half volley to put the Hoops ahead.

Dundee grew into the second-half, but the were the masters of their own downfall as they gift-wrapped a second goal for Forrest who didn’t think twice as he drove it past Jon McCracken for a 2-nil lead.

Antonio Portales brought Dundee within one as his heavily deflected volley found its way past Joe Hart, but despite a chaotic final few moments at Dens Park, it was Celtic who came away with all three points.

The pressure was on for Celtic to go out and get a result at Dens Park after Rangers were victorious away to St Mirren earlier in the day.

After securing their place in the Scottish Cup final last weekend, Brendan Rodgers would have been eager for his side to keep the feel good factor going, whilst Dundee were hoping to cling onto their slim chances of securing European football next season with a victory at home to the champions.

Dundee had gone over a week without football, their last fixture being their midweek draw against second-placed Rangers last Wednesday. Tony Docherty, serving a touchline ban, made two changes from the team that drew that day with Joe Shaughnessy missing out through a season-ending injury alongside Lyall Cameron, making way for Antonio Portales and Josh Mulligan.

Nicolas Kuhn threatened early on, but after his brilliant display in the previous fixture against Rangers, Jon McCracken was going to prove to be a tough keeper to beat, easily claiming the German’s tame effort.

Kuhn continued to size up the keeper, with another effort from outside the area forcing a bit more of a reaction out of McCracken, diving low to his right to palm it away.

Celtic’s early barrage wasn’t slowing down as Greg Taylor arrived at the back-post, latching onto a Liam Scales flicked header but the full-back couldn’t grab his second goal in consecutive games against the Dark Blues.

Forrest got the better of his marker down the left-side, though his cross couldn’t be forced over the line by Kuhn or Reo Hatate and the home side lived to fight another day.

After walking a fine line for the first 25 minutes, Dundee soaked up the pressure and looked to counter, Amadou Boateng being unlucky not to open the scoring after meeting an Owen Dodgson cross at the back-post.

Celtic would eventually get their just reward for their early onslaught and it was one of their best goals of the season, Kyogo Furuhashi delicately flicking the ball into the air for James Forrest to rifle past McCracken on the volley, continuing the experienced winger’s recent resurgence.

Dundee could no longer sit back, and they began to test Hart a bit more often with a pair of outside-the-area strikes from Luke McCowan and Bakayoko going straight down the throat of the Celtic stopper.

It was a controlled first-half from the champions that perhaps didn’t wield the goals that they would have been looking for to make the scoreline reflect the performance, and thus the second-half still presented a nervy possibility.

Dundee started positively in the second-half, Portales meeting a free-kick at the back post but his weak header was easily collected by Hart.

The set-piece threat continued as Mo Sylla was next to go close, heading narrowly wide of the mark, and a Jordan McGhee header followed shortly after but it was once again straight at then Celtic stopper.

Sensing the second-half slipping away from his side, Rodgers opted to bring on Adam Idah and Tomoki Iwata for Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor.

Just as Dundee were starting to take control, they shot themselves in the foot as James Forrest picked the pockets of a slack McGhee and he wasn’t going to miss a one-on-one against McCracken, calmly slotting the Hoops two goals ahead and allowing the travelling support to breath a sigh of relief.

Forrest received a standing ovation from the Celtic support as he left the field, replaced by Luis Palma, whilst Dundee made two changes with Dara Costelloe and Finlay Robertson replacing Scott Tiffoney and Malachi Boateng.

With their confidence restored, Celtic went in search of more goals, Hatate striking the post after some good individual play from the Japanese.

Dundee didn’t plan on making things easy for the champions, and Antonio Portales halved the deficit as his volley took a massive deflection off Adam Idah which diverted the ball past Hart.

Aaron Donnelly was brought on for Josh Mulligan, defensive change, but as chances for the Dark Blues began to follow, an attacking change was made as Michael Mellon replaced Owen Dodgson.

The final chance of the game fell the way of the home side, Mellon making his way around the back of the pack from a free-kick but he could only divert his header into the side-netting.

The final whistle was greeted with raucous cheers from the travelling support as Celtic rode the late storm from the home side to secure three precious points in the title race.

Match Analysis

Celtic were expectedly controlling the proceedings in the early stages, with Dundee’s clear game plan being to soak up that pressure and hit Celtic on the counter.

Whilst the home side held their own in the middle of the park, it was a different story in the wide areas and James Forrest and Nicolas Kuhn were causing them all sorts of problems.

Dundee started the stronger of the two sides in the second-half, causing all sorts of problems from set-piece situations but nothing too threatening for the goalkeeper Hart to contend with.

Forrest’s quality and experience shone through as he added his second of the game to seal the points for Celtic in the second-half. While a late Dundee onslaught, aided by a deflected Antonio Portales shot, wasn’t enough to grab a point.

Thoughts From The Managers

Dundee Manager Tony Docherty: “Hugely proud of the players and the level of performance. There is a feeling that we could have got something from the game today. Nothing changes today in terms of the league standing but what does change is the belief in the team.”

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers: “He (James Forrest) is a brilliant player. He is one of the remaining father figures of the success at this club in the last decade or so.

I’m so pleased for him, his first finish is sublime and his second one he really makes it look easy.”

Attendance: 9120