Lennon content as Kayal blasts Celtic past Saints

BERAM KAYAL grabbed his first goal for Celtic to give the Bhoys a narrow 1-0 win over St Johnston and extend their Clydesdale Bank Premier League over bitter rivals Rangers.

The Israel international scored his first Hoops goal just before half-time to seal a win that moved his side move five points clear of the Light Blues.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon was glad to make a winning return to the touchline after completing a five-game ban. “It was a game I was concerned about in the circumstances but I thought we went about our business well,” he said.

“With better finishing it could have been comfortable.”

Lennon praised the performance of Kayal, adding: “He’s a wonderful player, he’s had a wonderful season.

“He was feeling tired before the game but there was no way we were going to leave him out.

“It was a good team performance, there were no failures.

“It was always a little worrying at 1-0, anything can happen especially with the pitch as bobbly as it was, but Fraser (Forster) was comfortable, we were comfortable defensively.”

The Hoops midfielder, signed from Maccabi Haifa last summer, struck in added time in the first half. Scott 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.

Kayal was delighted to get off the mark. “I’m happy because the team won, it was important to win,” he told ESPN.

“I have scored two goals in a month now. I scored my first for Israel and now here.

“It’s important to continue on Sunday in the Scottish Cup semi-final; all the focus is now on that game.”

Celtic’s Irish international striker Daryl Murphy was also happy to come away with the points on a difficult night at McDiarmid Park. “We had to work hard and sometimes you have to hope for the best. Thankfully Kayal came up with the goal.”

ST JOHNSTONE: Smith, Maybury, MacKay (Duberry 65), Gartland, Grainger (Novikovas 76), Taylor, Adams, Davidson (Millar 51), Craig, Robertson, May.

CELTIC: Forster, Wilson, Loovens, Mulgrew, Izaguirre, Kayal, Brown, Ledley, Commons (Maloney 76), Murphy, Samaras (McCourt 89). Referee: Iain Brines (Scotland).