Dundee Utd 1 Celtic 3

Last updated : 14 February 2011 By Editor

Yesterday afternoon, the Celtic boss was singing in a Dundee deluge as his side rode the waves to sail five points clear at the top of the SPL.

Lennon watched his battling Buoys bob along to victory as they extended their unbeaten record to 16 games.

If that wasn't pleasant enough, the win came with limited fury or fuss.

Rewind to last October and Celtic also got back on the team bus with full points in the kit hamper.

But after a day of bitter controversy and chaos that culminated in the resignation of ref Dougie McDonald and assistant Steven Craven, there were weeks of nasty fall-out.

This match was in total contrast.

The only hastily-made agreement reached between officials in the ref's room concerned who'd buy the Lemsip on the trip home.

It was a hugely satisfactory day for Lennon and Co.

Managers always say titles are not dished out until May and that's true.

But it is on brutal winter days in horrendous conditions such as these where the real spadework is done.

Celtic's championship credentials were placed bang onto the line on this dreadful day in Dundee.

However, showing their mettle, they took United's own 11-game unbeaten run and tossed it straight into the overflowing River Tay.

Lennon's men were strong, bold and in complete control at the halfway mark after Anthony Stokes' 18th goal of the campaign and Mark Wilson's second in five years pushed United's heads under water.

With a top-of-the-table Old Firm game looming on Sunday, it would have been suicide on the high seas to dish out a second-half lifeline.

Lennon needn't have worried.

David Goodwillie's 13th United goal of the season created some tension for 15 minutes but Daniel Majstorovic's late header sealed a deserved triumph.

Heading back down the M90, the Hoops manager was able to savour three points.

To double his pleasure, they came away from a game which had been in real danger of not getting under way.

Referee Mike Tumilty must have felt like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day as he checked the sodden surface three times before kick-off.

Pouring rain cascaded onto the pitch from the moment he arrived before 9am until kick-off and brought memories, literally, flooding back to him of last term's half-time call-off of United's home game against Rangers when he was also in charge.

Again, he ignored the incessant d o w n -pour to get it started. But, this time the teams got through it.

It was a Celtic display full of drive and determination and Lennon's troops had their stamp on this match from the first whistle.

Celtic's anger at the SFA reached fever pitch in October in the wake of Dougie-gate and Tumilty's early bodycheck on Kris Commons in the box had the away supporters raging, even if it brought a smile from the whistler and a few Hoops players.

But it came after a crisp passing movement that typified Celtic's bright opening.

With 16 minutes on the clock they burst the dam.

Midfield beaver Beram Kayal robbed Scott Robertson and sent Stokes away on the inside-left.

The striker attacked the box and his left-foot shot took a deflection off Garry Kenneth and spun into the net past Dusan Pernis.

By this stage the contest had developed a clear pattern.

Celtic enjoying possession in midfield but United carrying a counter-attack menace with Majstorovic and Charlie Mulgrew left isolated at times due to the adventure of full-backs Wilson and Emilio Izaguirre.

Top-scorer Goodwillie, who took a slaughtering from the visiting fans for his off-field behaviour, played on the shoulder, and United offered some threat from elsewhere.

Prince Buaben was denied in a one-on-one with away No.1 Fraser Forster and midfield mate Morgaro Gomis also blasted high and wide from inside the penalty area.

Deflection However, the feeling remained that Celtic were likely to secure a second and they duly obliged nine minutes from the break.

For the second time the move was lightning. For the second time a deflection took the finish home.

Wilson and Gary Hooper had combined to release Scott Brown and the skipper's pullback found the full-back continuing his run.

The shot was deliberate but Sean Dillon's attempted block looped it high into the rain and it dropped beyond Pernis. United were drowning and, had Celtic taken any more of the chances which came their way before the break, they would have been sunk.

Pernis blocked a fierce shot from the excellent Joe Ledley and both Stokes and Commons wanted extra touches in the box when first-time strikes might have brought a third.

The half-time whistle brought United temporary shelter from the monsoon but Celtic quickly poured forward after the break with Ledley and Majstorovic coming close.

With Ki-Sung Yueng replacing Commons, Lennon was hoping for a cosy final half-hour but his back line caused him some discomfort.

Craig Conway's free-kick was not dealt with by Forster or the defence and the loose ball fell to Goodwillie. The striker blanked out the abuse from the stands to swivel and smash home an instant low finish.

For the first time, Celtic looked a little uneasy.

Lennon's face scowled as Scott Robertson released Goodwillie and the hitman's fierce drive was bundled over his bar by an increasingly-ropey looking Forster.

But Celtic weren't for sinking and Hooper pounced on Dillon's backheader to hit the post moments before Majstorovic sealed it.

Sub Georgios Samaras won a freekick and Mulgrew's vicious and inswinging delivery was glanced into the net by the Swede.

Hooper's fall over the ball in front of an open goal brought a smile and the ruling out of his strike seconds later for offside didn't even spark a response from boss Lennon.

The visiting fans belted out "Bring on Rangers" at full-time.

As he joined his players on the park after the whistle Lennon wouldn't disagree.

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