Celtic let the nerves set in again after early Stokes double

SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL:St Johnstone 2 Cetlic 3: CELTIC WOULD have valued a controversy-free evening as much as a smooth passage into the semi-finals.

They did not receive either, a first-half goal burst sufficient to see off St Johnstone’s challenge, but only just.

There was unforeseen worry for Neil Lennon’s men along the way, which may not have transpired had an errant offside flag not denied Joe Ledley when sent clean through with the score already at 3-0. Another official was therefore cast as the villain of the piece.

Lennon should rue his team’s approach when three goals ahead, just as much as Ledley’s offside call. As Murray Davidson scored St Johnstone’s second goal, Celtic were forced to smarten up their act, but they barely managed that.

Within 13 minutes Celtic had raced into a three-goal lead, in what was the perfect response to Sunday’s poor showing in the Old Firm defeat.

Republic of Ireland striker Anthony Stokes notched his first of the night from 14 yards after a piece of generous St Johnstone defending knocked a Ki Sung-yueng cross back into his path.

Niall McGinn, making a rare starting appearance, doubled that lead from close range and just 60 seconds later, as Stokes converted a McGinn pass, the normally resolute St Johnstone side had been eliminated from the competition in all but name.

The home team are due some credit, though, for not surrendering. Sam Parkin volleyed past Fraser Forster in the Celtic goal to offer at least some cheer. Glenn Loovens, not for the first time, had displayed Celtic’s own defensive troubles as he was outmuscled by the former Chelsea trainee.

St Johnstone’s hopes intensified nine minutes after the interval. Davidson rose practically unchallenged to head home a corner from Danny Grainger to reignite the contest. Only a brilliant reaction save from Forster in stoppage time, after a Jennison Myrie-Williams shot was deflected, halted a stunning comeback.

- Guardian Service

ST JOHNSTONE:Smith, Anderson (Myrie-Williams 46), MacKay, Duberry, Maybury, Millar, Davidson, Craig (MacDonald 82), Grainger, Samuel (Haber 66), Parkin. Subs not used: Enckelman, Rutkiewicz. Booked: Millar.

CELTIC:Forster, Cha, Majstorovic, Loovens, Izaguirre (Mulgrew 85), McGinn, Ki, Ledley, Stokes, Hooper, Samaras. Subs not used: Zaluska, Juarez, Crosas, McCourt. Booked: Majstorovic.

Referee:C Thompson (Scotland).