Celtic 3-2 Partick Thistle

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Highlights: Celtic 3-2 Partick Thistle

Celtic progressed to the Scottish Cup quarter-finals as James Forrest struck a hat-trick against Partick Thistle.

Forrest scored twice in the opening 10 minutes as Celtic raced into an early advantage.

Kris Doolan, in his 350th Partick Thistle appearance, replied following a defensive mistake by Jozo Simunovic.

Forrest completed his first treble after the break, and Conor Sammon struck a consolation in the closing minutes.

• Celtic need to improve, says Rodgers

Before kick-off there was a minute's silence in tribute to former Celtic midfielder Liam Miller, who died after a battle with cancer aged 36.

Celtic held a minute's silence before kick-off in memory of Liam Miller

Thistle were in trouble within minutes of the kick-off, when a loose ball from defender Baily Cargill conceded possession to Scott Brown.

The Celtic captain instantly knocked the ball forward and when striker Moussa Dembele's shot was blocked by Partick Thistle defender Danny Devine, the ball spun to Forrest who stabbed it in from eight yards for his 14th goal of the season.

Forrest doubled Celtic's advantage when he picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran almost unimpeded to the edge of the Thistle box before checking and driving a shot past Partick goalkeeper Tomas Cerny.

Six minutes later the Thistle keeper denied Forrest a hat-trick when he stretched down to his right to tip the winger's drive round the post.

Celtic winger James Forrest doubled his side's advantage with a curling finish past Partick Thistle goalkeeper Tomas Cerny

Yet for all Celtic's early onslaught, in the 20th minute, and out of the blue, Thistle were handed a lifeline.

Under no pressure, Simunovic, back in for the injured Dedryck Boyata, was woefully short with an attempted pass back to goalkeeper Dorus de Vries and from the edge of the box the alert Doolan lofted it over the Dutchman and into the net.

From looking down and out, the visitors were rejuvenated, but they found themselves two goals adrift again eight minutes after the restart.

Winger Scott Sinclair took a Kieran Tierney pass inside the box and cut the ball back for Forrest to squeeze a close-range drive past Cerny, despite three Thistle players in close attendance.

Partick Thistle striker Kris Doolan scored no his 350th appearance for the club

The goal deflated the visitors and Celtic continued their search for more goals. Dembele fired just wide from outside the penalty area in the 72nd minute before Sinclair drove straight at Cerny when he only had the former Hamilton keeper to beat.

However, again Thistle unexpectedly came back. With six minutes remaining, Sammon took a Chris Erskine pass and held off Simunovic before hooking a right-footed shot past de Vries and into the far corner of the net.

There was more drama in three minutes of added time, when a fine cross from Erskine almost fell for Ryan Edwards inside the six-yard box, but Tierney defended well before allowing de Vries to gather the ball on the goal-line.

Partick Thistle striker Conor Sammon scored a late consolation

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Celtic

• 24de Vries
• 23Lustig
• 35Ajer
• 5Simunovic
• 63Tierney
• 8Brown
• 21Ntcham
• 49ForrestSubstituted forKouassiat 87'minutes
• 67MusondaSubstituted forMcGregorat 65'minutes
• 11SinclairSubstituted forEdouardat 79'minutes
• 10Dembele

Substitutes

• 12Gamboa
• 18Rogic
• 22Edouard
• 29Bain
• 42McGregor
• 59Miller
• 88Kouassi

Partick Thistle

• 1Cerny
• 16McGinn
• 15DevineBooked at 38mins
• 4Cargill
• 3Booth
• 37WoodsSubstituted forMcCarthyat 79'minutes
• 13BartonSubstituted forOsmanat 57'minutes
• 7Spittal
• 19Edwards
• 10Erskine
• 9DoolanSubstituted forSammonat 60'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Dumbuya
• 6Osman
• 12Scully
• 18Sammon
• 21Penrice
• 24McCarthy
• 39Storey

Referee:

Steven McLean

Attendance:

24,191

Match Stats

Home TeamCelticAway TeamPartick Thistle

Possession

Home63%

Away37%

Shots

Home13

Away5

Shots on Target

Home6

Away2

Corners

Home4

Away4

Fouls

Home10

Away21

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Celtic 3, Partick Thistle 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Celtic 3, Partick Thistle 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Moussa Dembele (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Danny Devine (Partick Thistle).

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 89'

Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle).

Posted at 88'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Ryan Edwards (Partick Thistle).

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Celtic. Eboue Kouassi replaces James Forrest.

Posted at 87'

Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Blair Spittal (Partick Thistle).

Goal!

Posted at 84'

Goal! Celtic 3, Partick Thistle 2. Conor Sammon (Partick Thistle) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Chris Erskine.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 81'

Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Andrew McCarthy (Partick Thistle).

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Celtic. Odsonne Edouard replaces Scott Sinclair.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Partick Thistle. Andrew McCarthy replaces Martin Woods.

Posted at 78'

Attempt saved. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 74'

Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Moussa Dembele (Celtic).

Posted at 74'

Baily Cargill (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 70'

James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Conor Sammon (Partick Thistle).

Posted at 70'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Baily Cargill.

Posted at 68'

Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Conor Sammon (Partick Thistle).

Substitution

Posted at 65'

Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces Charly Musonda.

Posted at 64'

Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle).

Posted at 63'

Attempt blocked. Blair Spittal (Partick Thistle) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Substitution

Posted at 60'

Substitution, Partick Thistle. Conor Sammon replaces Kris Doolan.

Posted at 60'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Ryan Edwards (Partick Thistle).

Posted at 59'

Foul by Moussa Dembele (Celtic).

Posted at 59'

Baily Cargill (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 58'

Foul by Moussa Dembele (Celtic).

Posted at 58'

Danny Devine (Partick Thistle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 57'

Substitution, Partick Thistle. Abdul Osman replaces Adam Barton.

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