Robson penalty gets Celtic off to winning start

AFP - 10 August 2008 16:10

Celtic´s Barry Robson celebrates scoring against Barcelona during their UEFA Champions League match in February 2008. A Robson penalty ensured Celtic started their Scottish Premier League title defence with a 1-0 victory at home to St Mirren.

GLASGOW (AFP) - A Barry Robson penalty ensured Celtic started their Scottish Premier League title defence with a 1-0 victory at home to St Mirren on Sunday.

Although the Parkhead club dominated their opening league match they created few real scoring opportunities.

Only Robson's penalty in the 62nd minute - with St Mirren's Will Haining also receiving a red card for hauling down Celtic's Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - separated the sides at the end.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was satisfied with the low key win as he bids to secure four SPL crowns in a row.

He said: "Since I came here I've had four opening games to the season and that's the least effective and least enjoyable.I thought everything was low key today, the crowd, performance, everything, but at the end of the season it might be an important result."

Before the kick-off, Rosemary Burns, widow of Celtic legend Tommy, who had lost his battle against skin cancer towards the end of the last season, had unfurled the SPL championship flag.

The visitors threatened to celebrate the first goal of the match after only a minute's play.

Garry Brady cut in from the right to unleash a powerful left-foot effort which required Celtic's Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc to save low to his left.

A minute later Stephen McManus' header was saved by St Mirren's goalkeeper Mark Howard, but it was the Saints who continued to look more menacing in the opening exchanges.

After quarter-of-an-hour's play, Celtic's Robson and Paul Hartley had established control in the middle of the pitch but the home side were unable to further trouble Howard before the break.

St Mirren almost punished the home team at the start of the second half.

In the 48th minute Billy Mehmet's first time shot from 18-yards looked destined for the corner of the net until Boruc threw himself to his left to tip the ball onto the post.

But in the 62nd minute Celtic scored their first goal of the new season after being awarded a penalty.

St Mirren's central defender Haining had allowed Lee Naylor's hopeful ball forward to run through to Vennegoor of Hesselink and just as the Dutch striker prepared to shoot the Saints defender pulled him back.

Referee Eddie Smith pointed to the spot and showed Haining a straight red card.

Robson duly converted from 12-yards, despite Howard managing to get a hand to the ball.

St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson was clearly furious at the referee's decision. "The St Mirren players were outstanding from start to finish. That's all I want to speak about as the referee decided it was a penalty and there is nothing we can do about it," he said..

"We were well in the game, had a good shape, passed the ball well, had some good chances and some half chances, and we hit the post. If we had received the break Celtic got then we could have taken something from the game."

"Referees like to be the centre of attention so I'd rather talk about the players. I think Vennegoor of Hesselink was offside, I think he pulled Will Haining and so I don't think it should have been a penalty," McPherson added.