Celtic back in driving seat

SOCCER: SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: St Johnstone 0 Celtic 1:BERAM KAYAL'S first Celtic goal was enough to beat St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park yesterday evening and take them five points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premier League.

The Celtic midfielder, signed from Maccabi Haifa last summer, struck in added time in the first half to give Neil Lennon’s side a deserved interval lead which they never looked like losing.

Saints survived a controversial penalty claim in the 85th minute when substitute Michael Duberry appeared to handle the ball twice in the box as he lay on the ground but referee Iain Brines took no action.

Celtic boss Lennon, who returned to the dugout for the first time following a five-match touchline ban, took the acclaim of the travelling support at the end realising his side are again in the driving seat in the title race.

Lennon had earlier sprung a surprise by naming Daryl Murphy in his side. The Irish striker had not featured since February 1st at Aberdeen but was paired with Georgios Samaras in attack as Celtic tried to overcome a poor playing surface by adopting a more direct approach.

Celtic skipper Scott Brown returned to midfield while Mark Wilson came back in at right back, both having been rested at the weekend. Saints boss Derek McInnes had one eye on Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Motherwell when he named his side, leaving key players Duberry and Chris Millar on the bench.

Just as St Johnstone believed they had survived the first 45 minutes. In the first minute of added time Brown flicked the ball on to Kayal who got the break of the ball inside the box before he knocked it past Smith with the outside of his foot.

ST JOHNSTONE:Smith, Maybury, MacKay (Duberry 65), Gartland, Grainger (Novikovas 76), Taylor, Adams, Davidson (Millar 51), Craig, Robertson, May. Subs not used:Clark, MacDonald, Jackson, Caddis. Booked: Grainger, Gartland.

CELTIC:Forster, Wilson, Loovens, Mulgrew, Izaguirre, Kayal, Brown, Ledley, Commons (Maloney 76), Murphy, Samaras (McCourt 89). Subs not used:Zaluska, Stokes, Ki, Rogne, Forrest. Booked: Izaguirre.

Referee:Iain Brines (Scotland).