A penalty spot double from Adam Idah has reinstated Celtic’s three-point lead at the top of the cinch Premiership after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Hibs at Easter Road tonight.
The Norwich City-loanee converted from the spot once in each half and either side of a fabulous Dylan Levitt equaliser to earn Brendan Rodgers his first victory at Easter Road as Celtic manager.
Idah’s injury time winner keeps Celtic three points clear of Rangers at the top of the table, but Philippe Clement’s men have a game in hand.
Despite an impressive performance, Nick Montgomery’s Hibs are now winless in seven league matches and they remain seventh in the league table.
The manager did not agree with the referee’s decision to award Celtic two penalties in the match. He said:
“My honest opinion is Nectarios (Triantis) is committed, he’s gone to win the header, there’s no malice in it whatsoever. It’s two players going to win a header…
“The second one… maybe looks like it’s just outside the box, Joe (Newell) pulls out. Again, I just think that not one person or anybody in the stadium thought about asking for a penalty.
“To lose it on the moment like that when I thought we were the team that looked more likely to win the game it just rubs salt into the wounds.”
Furthermore, Montgomery thought that Hibs should have had a penalty of the their own when Martin Boyle went down under the challenge of Alexandro Bernabei in the second half. However, the Australian international was booked for diving. He said:
“He gets caught from behind on his quad, he’s got a dead leg. He’s limping around in there, he’s got a sore one.
“It’s irrelevant how he goes down, he’s been caught from behind and that’s knocked him off balance.
“If he goes down on one leg, two legs, head first, if that’s seen by the VAR, and the ref looks at it, then he’s got no option but to give a penalty.”
