Celtic 1-0 Hamilton Academical

Leigh Griffiths scored his 11th goal of the season

Celtic restored their 11-point lead over Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership with victory over Hamilton.

Accies' former Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati wasted a free header from a corner before the hosts scored.

Tom Rogic put Moussa Dembele clear and he unselfishly set up strike partner Leigh Griffiths to slot home.

Both wasted further chances either side of half-time and Stuart Armstrong and Rogic also went close before Eamonn Brophy missed a late chance for Accies.

It allowed the champions to record a 10th consecutive league victory for the first time since February 2014.

Celtic's double act

For all their individual talent, Griffiths and Dembele had started together only twice before this season, but Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers felt that upset the balance of his side.

He was convinced enough they could dovetail without diminishing the rest of the team, but there was still a sense of Rodgers embarking on an experiment at Celtic Park.

There was still width through the two wing-backs, and a familiar trio in central midfield, so the strike partnership had the foundations to work on. Dembele tended to play the more central, static role, while Griffiths drifted around the field looking for pockets of space in which to thrive.

They have been depicted as rivals for the single striker role favoured by Rodgers, and they often operated in isolation against Hamilton.

Their most significant combination was vital, though, as Dembele laid the ball into Griffiths' feet for the goal. Griffiths almost stumbled over it, but regained his poise to eventually drill a shot past Hamilton goalkeeper Gary Woods.

Even if the partnership never fully convinces Rodgers, he can profit from their effect the two forwards have on each other.

Both missed further chances before the interval, and there was also a clear hunger to Dembele in the second half when he chased down a short pass back, blocked Woods' clearance and almost headed the ball into the empty net after out-jumping Woods for the loose ball.

Griffiths also stabbed a Patrick Roberts cut-back over the bar from a good position.

Dembele almost scored when out-jumping Hamilton keeper Gary Woods after chasing a loose ball

Fluidity in the Celtic ranks

Switching to a back three was merely an adjustment to Celtic rather than an upheaval. The team has become slick in various shapes, and they tended to hoard possession throughout the game.

In the first half, Scott Brown and Armstrong both speared excellent passes through the Hamilton defence for the lively Roberts.

After the break, a series of one-touch passes between Dembele and Rogic sent Armstrong through, but he skewed wide.

Mikael Lustig played as the right-sided figure in the trio of centre-backs, but also pushed upfield to act as an auxiliary wing-back, allowing Roberts to press forward.

Callum MacGregor also played diligently on the left flank, even though he is better equipped to perform as a central midfielder. The sense, as Gary Mackay-Steven came off the bench and was continually reminded by Rodgers to stand near the touchline, was of a team that is well-drilled and so capable of versatility that troubles opponents.

Hamilton hang in

There were times when Hamilton could only chase the game, but for spells in both halves they caused Celtic moments of discomfort.

Breakaways were rare, but one led to a first-half corner that Ali Crawford delivered onto the head of Donati, but his effort was too meek to trouble Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

In the closing stages, Hamilton became more assertive, with Crawford hitting two long-range efforts that didn't unduly trouble Gordon, before Brophy missed the chance to equalise late on when he shot just wide after a rare error in the Celtic defence.