Celtic reduced the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League to one point with a 2-0 win over Hamilton Academicals on Saturday.
A super first-half strike from Glenn Loovens was all that separated the sides at Celtic Park until substitute Niall McGinn curled in a last-minute goal.
Despite a plethora of chances for the home side, the Hoops failed to show any real prowess in front of goal in a frustrating afternoon for Tony Mowbray’s strikers.
Celtic made just one change from last weekend, with Stephen McManus coming in for the suspended Gary Caldwell as Mowbray kept faith with the side that lost to Hearts at Tynecastle.
Loovens was still in the Christmas spirit as his mistake gifted Marco Paixao a chance, but his ambitious effort from 25m out went well over the bar.
Good close control allowed Aiden McGeady to bring down a long ball over the top and break into the Hamilton box, but Thomas Cerny got down low to push his shot round the post.
McGeady was involved again as his cross picked out Scott McDonald in the box, but the Australian could only glance his header wide and his follow-up shot was deflected out. From the resultant corner, Celtic took the lead in the 14th minute through Loovens.
Robson sent his kick deep into the Accies box and the Dutchman smashed his powerful volley low past Cerny into the middle of the net.
Samaras then sent McGeady racing down the wing, but after beating Richard Hastings for pace, the Irish international fired high into the side-netting.
Cerny got out to make a good save at the feet of Samaras as the forward delayed taking his shot too long, before McDonald fired a low drive straight at the keeper.
Immediately after the break, Landry N’Guemo played in Robson, but the Scotland international was off-balance as he took his shot and sliced it high and wide. Hamilton survived another scare when Loovens headed Robson’s in-swinging corner goalward, but Mickael Antoine-Curier was on the line to clear the danger.
Marc-Antoine Fortune replaced McDonald up front and he almost had an immediate impact when he raced clear into the box, but Cerny got down to hold on to his low drive.
Hamilton finally had a shot on target on the hour mark. Artur Boruc had to be at his best to save substitute Flavio Paixao’s dipping half-volley that looked to be heading in.
Samaras showed great awareness to play Fortune in and he looked to have doubled Celtic’s lead when his shot beat Cerny, but it smashed off the base of the post and out.
A minute later, the Greek striker raced into the box and sent an angled chip over the keeper, but the ball fell just wide of the post as Celtic’s strikers continued to be frustrated.
Hamilton thought they had equalized with 10 minutes left. Flavio Paixao fired low past Boruc as the ball broke to him, but brother Marco Paixao had handled the ball in the build up.
McGinn finally got the goal that Celtic’s dominance merited in the final minute. He collected the ball on the edge of the box and jinked inside, before thumping the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net.
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