April 7, 2012 Scottish Premier League Rugby Park KILMARNOCK 0 CELTIC 6 (Mulgrew 8, 35, Loovens 17, Hooper 45, 89, Ledley 88) CELTIC were crowned Champions at Rugby Park with an outstanding 6-0 victory against Kilmarnock, sending them 21 points clear at the top of the SPL and securing the first title triumph under Neil Lennon. The emphatic victory was completed by a stylish performance in front of 14,000 travelling Celtic supporters in Ayrshire, thanks to two goals from Charlie Mulgrew and a double from Gary Hooper along with strikes from Glenn Loovens and Joe Ledley. With the Celtic fans filling three of the four stands at Rugby Park, and the team only needing a point to secure the title, the afternoon promised so much for the Bhoys. And it wasn’t long before the celebrations got underway. The Hoops made a blistering start to proceedings and with only eight minutes on the clock, Mulgrew rose above everyone inside the penalty box to head home a corner. The visitors looked hungry and the early lead was more than deserved as they settled any possible nerves. And continuing their excellent start, Celtic doubled their lead nine minutes later. This time Mulgrew turned provider as he picked up a corner on the edge of the box and sent the ball to the back post. Loovens, who had kept his place in defence after last weekend, headed it in from inside the six-yard box. With Celtic two goals ahead they looked comfortable and continued to display a high tempo of football. Ki Sung Yueng, one of the three players to come back into the side, along with Adam Matthews and Kelvin Wilson, took a free-kick on 28 minutes. He curled it over the wall but Cammy Bell pulled off a wonderful diving save to keep the South Korean out. Celtic didn’t have long to wait for their third, though, as the Charlie Mulgrew show continued on 35 minutes. The defender made a fantastic run down the left flank after picking up Kris Commons´ through ball, and did the hard work himself, twisting away from his marker and slotting it past Bell. The Hoops had the chance to add another 12 minutes later when Commons collected the ball in the centre of the penalty box. Weighing up his options, he made an acute turn to play in Georgios Samaras and the Greek forced Bell into another good save. But just on the verge of half-time, Mulgrew set up Celtic´s fourth of the afternoon. He crossed the ball to Hooper at the far post, who calmly slotted it past Bell from close-range, sending the Hoops into the break with the points already secure. Kilmarnock started the second-half stronger, and didn’t let the scoreline stop them from pushing forward, but they couldn’t create any real chances to trouble Fraser Forster. Under-19s´ star, Filip Twardzik, was given his third run out in the first-team, replacing Scott Brown shortly after the break as the Hoops continued their outstanding display. Loovens had a chance to add to his tally on the hour mark when he broke through and collected Commons´ pass. But the Dutch defender collided with Bell as he took the shot and fell to the deck as his effort went wide of the post. Samaras tried tirelessly to get on to the score-sheet before he was substituted by Anthony Stokes, who also came close to adding to Celtic´s tally. But the late drama came from Ledley and Hooper instead. The Welshman added a fifth, clinically finishing Twardzik’s flick on, before Hooper wrapped up proceedings 60 seconds later. The striker added his second of the afternoon, sending a delightful strike into the top corner, leaving Bell with no chance. The full-time whistle then followed, sparking scenes of jubilation as the three points moved Celtic onto 81 points, securing the league title. KILMARNOCK (4-4-2): Bell; Gordon (Barbour 46), Nelson, Sissoko, Johnston; Hay (Dayton 46), Fowler, Kelly, Harkins; Van Tornhout (Heffernan 61), Shiels Subs not used: Letheren, Racchi, Pursehouse, Kennedy CELTIC (4-4-2): Forster; Matthews, Loovens, K. Wilson, Mulgrew (Blackman 76); Brown (F. Twardzik 48), Ki, Ledley, Commons; Samaras (Stokes 74), Hooper Subs not used: Zaluska, Cha, Brozek, Ibrahim Website man of the match: Charlie Mulgrew —- 🍀Subscribe today to the official YouTube of the world’s first Quadruple Treble winners, Celtic Football Club:
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