A James Forrest hat-trick earned Celtic a 3-2 victory against neighbours Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup fifth round at Celtic Park.
The 26-year-old netted twice during the opening ten minutes but Kris Doolan soon replied at the other end.
However, Forrest completed his treble after the break before substitute Conor Sammon grabbed a late second for the visitors.
A minute’s silence was observed prior to kick-off respecting former player Liam Miller, 36, who sadly passed away last night.
The holders were ahead inside a couple of minutes, Forrest on target after Danny Devine initially blocked from Moussa Dembele.
The Frenchman soon headed over a Kieran Tierney cross before Forrest skipped past challenges to add a second goal with only ten minutes played.
Tomas Cerny then made a low save to deny him a hat-trick, until Doolan seized upon Jozo Simunovic’s attempted back-pass and reduced the deficit on twenty minutes.
However, Forrest duly restored Celtic’s two-goal cushion from Scott Sinclair’s early second-half cross.
Both Dembele and Sinclair saw further efforts for the home side before substitute Sammon grabbed a second to offer their visitors late hope.
Celtic: de Vries, Lustig, Ajer, Simunovic, Tierney, Brown, Ntcham, Forrest (Kouassi 87), Musonda (McGregor 65), Sinclair (Edouard 79), Dembele
subs (unused): Gamboa, Rogic, Bain, Miller,
Goals: Forrest (3, 10, 54)
Partick Thistle: Cerny, McGinn, Devine, Cargill, Booth, Woods (McCarthy 79), Barton (Osman 57), Spittal, Edwards, Erskine, Doolan (Sammon 60)
subs (unused): Dumbuya, Scully, Penrice, Storey
Goals: Doolan (20), Sammon (84)
Ref: S. McLean
Att: 24,191
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