Celtic 1-1 Ross County

Leigh Griffiths took his goal tally for the season to 38 in a rare moment of quality for Celtic

Celtic stretched their lead at the top of the Premiership to nine points despite a dreary performance against Ross County at a subdued Parkhead.

Leigh Griffiths' 38th goal of the season put the champions ahead.

But Stewart Murdoch's 64th-minute strike from the edge of the box gave Jim McIntyre's team a deserved point.

Sections of the home support unveiled anti-board banners before kick-off and the mood inside the stadium at the end was one of frustration and anger.

There was a brief flurry of boos on the full-time whistle, despite Celtic moving to within four points - three should be sufficient, given their vastly superior goal difference over Aberdeen - of securing a fifth league title in a row.

But there was no sign of a club on the cusp of a party on Sunday. County were the ones who left with smiles. They were alone in that.

'Desperately lacking in atmosphere and edge'

Griffiths scored midway through the opening half when County backed off him in the penalty area, almost inviting him to have a smack at goal. The striker took them up on their offer and promptly rifled his shot high past Scott Fox in the visitors' goal.

It was a rare moment of quality on a day that was low-key and desperately lacking in atmosphere, edge and decent football.

Patrick Roberts almost teed-up Tom Rogic for a second Celtic goal just before the half-hour, but the Australian blew his moment. Then it was County's turn to waste a chance - and a what a good one it was.

Liam Boyce had a prolific first half of the season but has had a barren second half, with only one goal since the turn of the year.

He had a great opportunity to double the 2016 total just before the break but he headed straight at Craig Gordon when anything to the left or right of the goalkeeper would surely have seen him score.

Stewart Murdoch's strike from 25 yards brought County a deserved equaliser

Having spurned one good chance, County then failed to make the most of another shortly after the restart, Michael Gardyne volleying over from close-range.

Celtic had a few moments after that. A Griffiths free-kick, a Griffiths shot, a chance for Roberts. There was never really a sense that they had killed County off, though.

Alex Schalk gave them a fright when he went one-on-one with the exposed Charlie Mulgrew and fired just over. The equaliser came soon enough, Murdoch thumping his shot into the same corner of the net that Griffiths had found earlier in the game.

It was a deserved goal for County, an illustration of their mental strength and yet another indication of Celtic's awful vulnerability.

Further examples came in a flow. Nir Bitton earned hollers of scorn when scooping miles over from decent range, then Colin Kazim-Richards missed a glorious chance. The Turkish international has scored one goal in more than seven hours for Celtic - against East Kilbride.

County went close themselves when Schalk thundered in a shot that flew just past Gordon's post.

It ended in stalemate. A great point for the visitors. Another poor day for Celtic.