Reaction as Celtic beat Kilmarnock to go further ahead in Scottish Premiership

Summary

Brophy nets penalty for Kilmarnock after being fouled by Simunovic
Ajer levels for league leaders & Edouard effort puts them ahead
Kilmarnock's Power dismissed before Griffiths adds third
Celtic now 12 points ahead of Rangers. who drew at St Johnstone
Hendry gave hosts interval lead before Kamberi & Aribo turned it round for Rangers
But May hauled hosts level with fifth goal in nine games

Live Reporting

Clive Lindsay

Big 28 minutespublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 2-1 Kilmarnock
That's 28 minutes that could have decided the Scottish title race.
Before them, Kilmarnock had just taken the lead against Celtic while Rangers were leading 2-1 at McDiarmid Park.
But Stevie May then equalised for St Johnstone and now Celtic have moved into the lead through Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard.
Neil Lennon's side are on their way to ending the day with a 12-point lead when it could have been seven.
'Edouard uses strength'published at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 2-1 Kilmarnock
Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound
Quote Message
Odsonne Edouard uses his body strength so well to come out on top. Kilmarnock a little bit all over the place at the back though
GOAL Celtic 2-1 Kilmarnockpublished at 33mins
Odsonne Edouard
Kilmarnock are defending deeper and deeper and, when Jozo Simunovic heads across the face of goal, goalkeeper Laurentiu Branescu makes a mess of collecting at the feet of Odsonne Edouard and the striker prods home off the head of defender Kirk Broadfoot.
Broadfoot gives his goalkeeper an earful as Celtic wheel off in celebration.
'Disappointing to lose from set-piece'published at 15:32 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 1-1 Kilmarnock
Marvin Bartley
Livingston midfielder on BBC Sportsound
Quote Message
The most frustrating thing for Kilmarnock is that, if you come here and get opened up from great play, you don't mind as much, but to concede from a set-piece is incredibly frustrating. It's going to be so difficult to change it around again. They have been under so much pressure
GOAL Celtic 1-1 Kilmarnockpublished at 28mins
Kristoffer Ajer
Celtic are rewarded for their pressure as Kristoffer Ajer reacts quickest as a corner kick lads at the back post and the centre-half knocks the ball in front close range.
'No out ball for Kilmarnock'published at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Marvin Bartley
Livingston midfielder on BBC Sportsound
Quote Message
It's backs to the wall kind of stuff. It's going to be difficult for Kilmarnock to keep this up for 90 minutes - they don't seem to have an out ball
Postpublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Jozo Simunovic takes aim from distance, but it takes a slight deflection off a Kilmarnock leg and goes over.
Missed chance for Rangerspublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
FT: St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
As we move over to concentrate on the action at Celtic Park, Rangers have moved to within nine points of the leaders.
Neil Lennon's side are behind because of that Eamonn Brophy penalty, but Rangers might yet find themselves further adrift by the end of the 90 minutes.
'Killie like brick wall'published at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound
Quote Message
The Killie defence is like a brick wall. It's really difficult for Celtic to break them down, they're trying little passes, one-twos, but not working yet
'Rangers only themselves to blame'published at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
Ryan Stevenson
Former St Johnstone midfielder
Quote Message
Rangers only have themselves to blame. As much as St Johnstone have done really well, the visitors have caused their own problems all day defensively
FULL-TIME St Johnstone 2-2 Rangerspublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Yet another blow to Rangers' title hopes as Stevie May's late equaliser denies Steven Gerrard's side a second comeback win within four days.
Callum Hendry gave the home side an early lead, but substitute Florian Kamberi scored the equaliser and set up Joe Aribo for the second as Rangers looked to salvage a win.
But May's late strike means Rangers have spilled eight points in three away games as their post winter break domestic frustrations continue.
Image source, SNS
Image caption,
St Johnstone celebrate St Johnstone's equaliser
GREAT SAVE!published at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Leigh Griffiths slips through the offside trap, but Kilmarnock goalkeeper Laurentiu Branescu stands up well to his left-foot shot.
Celtic are putting the pressure on and that is as close as they have come to a leveller.
DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 90+2
St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
Florian Kamberi has the ball in the net again, but the Rangers striker is rightly pulled up for a hand ball before he swivelled to finish from eight yards.
Postpublished at 90mins
St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
We are into four minutes of stoppage time as St Johnstone survive a couple of half-hearted Rangers cries for a penalty.
It's so tense at McDiarmid Park.
Great start for Kilmarnockpublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
The visitors opened brightly and, rather than sit in throughout the opening stages, they got up the pitch.
They came close from a couple of corners but got the vital breakthrough largely down to a rash decision by Jozo Simunovic. He dived in, didn’t take the ball cleanly and in trying to atone gave away the penalty that Eamonn Brophy dispatched confidently.
Almost simultaneously, news of St Johnstone’s leveller filtered through, leaving the home support conflicted in berating their own concession and celebrating events in Perth.
A long way to go here but one of Kilmarnock’s strengths is staying solid and hitting on the counter.
Postpublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock
Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic drills a low shot from distance that forces Laurentiu Branescu to parry the ball, but no-one in green and white can get to the rebound and the Kilmarnock goalkeeper gathers at the second attempt.
Image source, SNS
Image caption,
Eamonn Brophy has scored the opening goal at Celtic Park
Craig on for Maypublished at 84mins
St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
Rangers have a sight at goal, but Ryan Jack slices well wide from the edge of the penalty box.
St Johnstone respond by bringing on midfielder Liam Craig for scorer Stevie May.
'Incredible comeback'published at 15:11 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020
St Johnstone 2-2 Rangers
Billy Dodds
Former Scotland striker on Sportsound
Quote Message
Rangers don't deal with the corner again and Stevie May slams it from 10 yards, a rocket right into the bottom corner of the net. It's an incredible comeback from St Johnstone - they hadn't been in the game
GOAL St Johnstone 2-2 Rangerspublished at 80mins
Stevie May
Just when it looked like Rangers were out of trouble, their defence is all over the place at a corner and, when the ball falls to Stevie May, the striker prods home from 10 yards.
That's five goals in nine games for the striker and comes seconds after Rangers replaced Ianis Hagi with Greg Stewart.
GOAL - Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnockpublished at 6mins
Eamonn Brophy (penalty)
Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster guesses the right way, but Eamonn Brophy puts his penalty high into the right hand corner and gives Kilmarnock the lead against the Premiership leaders.