Celtic 1 - 0 Inverness CT: Relentless Celtic cast Euro woes aside to open up seven-point gap

SOMETIMES even the lowest key occasions can hit a high note. Celtic's victory over Inverness will take up minimal space on their annual DVD review of the season next year, but it may prove to be one of the most significant they achieve in their quest for a fourth successive SPL title.

To say the atmosphere was flat in the east end of Glasgow on Saturday would be beyond understatement. Ignore the ludicrous official attendance of over 55,000 announced by the Scottish champions who continue to include season ticket holders in the figure regardless of whether they turn up.

A crowd more in the region of 40,000 bore witness to an almost appropriately mundane spectacle, lit up briefly by one flash of inspiration from Shunsuke Nakamura which created the only goal of the game for Shaun Maloney.

It was enough to secure Celtic's 12th successive SPL victory, one which stretched their lead at the top of the table to seven points as a consequence of Rangers' defeat at Hearts earlier in the day. Even that setback for their greatest rivals was not enough, however, to lift the pre-match mood around Celtic Park as the disappointment of the midweek Champions League capitulation in Aalborg continued to be digested.

There was precious little in the performance of Gordon Strachan's team against a cohesive but toothless Inverness outfit to raise the spirits of the home support, but by the final whistle they recognised and happily accepted this was a day when the result was everything.

Just four days after being eliminated from the Champions League, Celtic had taken a potentially important step towards making sure they go straight into the group stage of next season's competition as SPL champions.

"It is hard for the supporters as well," observed Celtic manager Gordon Strachan. "They go through the disappointment of the European result with us, emotionally and mentally.

"But the players have shown they can deal with disappointments and various situations. We have had a lot to deal with this season but we can get a win when we are not at our best. Technically, we were down from what we normally produce, but mentally we were still up there at 100 per cent today." Strachan regularly points out his good fortune in possessing players who can produce just one moment of class to turn a match in their favour and it was Nakamura who delivered it on Saturday in the 29th minute.

The Japanese playmaker picked out an intelligent run from Maloney with a delightful lofted pass which beat the offside trap. The forward did not connect cleanly with his shot, but did enough to guide the ball beyond Inverness goalkeeper Ryan Esson.

It was a little harsh on Craig Brewster's team who had started the match well, passing the ball crisply and keeping it well. Yet while they continued to enjoy a remarkable amount of possession throughout the contest for a visiting SPL team at Celtic Park, they were generally impotent in the attacking third of the pitch.

"We got into some great areas but picked the wrong options," admitted Brewster. "We couldn't get the ball up to our front players enough and when we did, Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus showed they are top quality defenders."

Inverness did have a sniff of an equaliser when Artur Boruc spilled a Don Cowie corner at the feet of David Proctor, but the defender was unable to divert the ball goalwards. When they did produce an incisive move early in the second half, the excellent Russell Duncan's through ball setting Cowie free on goal, the promising situation was halted by what appeared an errant flag for offside from assistant referee Martin Cryans.

"I definitely thought I was onside when I made the run," said Cowie. "It's hard for the linesman looking at the player making the run and looking at the ball. With a big crowd shouting, though, sometimes they can automatically put their flag up."

The sight of Boruc being booked for time-wasting in stoppage time, the Polish goalkeeper even risking further punishment when he sarcastically applauded referee David Somers as the caution was administered, simply underlined Celtic's desire to garner a win by any means necessary.

"Whether the performance was there or not, it is another three points on the board," observed striker Scott McDonald, who was not alone among the home ranks in delivering a listless display on an afternoon when Esson had little to do apart from pick the ball out of the net.

"With Rangers losing, we knew the value of winning this game. That's 12 straight league wins now without a settled team, so it shows you the squad is much stronger than last season.

"No-one in the dressing room has discussed the winning run, but we know if we keep it going it puts more pressure on Rangers. A seven-point lead is nice, but anything can still happen as we saw at the end of last season.

"We have got the Aalborg game out of our system, everyone is just getting on with it. There are still three trophies up for grabs for us this season and we want to win all three."