Goalkeeper saves two penalties as Ross County give Celtic tough afternoon in Glasgow
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Scottish Premiership
Celtic 1
Ross County 0
Scorer: Johnston (1)
Ross County frustrated Celtic in their Scottish Premiership clash in Glasgow but still headed north empty handed despite a gutsy display at Celtic Park
Ross County did find themselves behind after 55 seconds when Alistair Johnston scored with a deflected low drive.
Goalkeeper George Wickens, on loan from English Premiership club Fulham, pulled off two penalty saves in the first half to keep the deficit to one at half time.
However the Staggies rarely threatened an equaliser, but Celtic never looked like adding to their lead as one goal decided the match.
The result means Ross County remain in the relegation zone in 11th place.
Ross County made five changes to the team that were knocked out of the Scottish Cup after a 3-0 defeat to Partick Thistle last week.
The Staggies fielded all seven loan signings in the starting 11, including new additions Loick Ayina and Teddy Jenks starting, along with new loaned player Brendon Khela in addition to Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and James Brown in the starting line-up.
Josh Sims, Max Sheaf and George Harmon were dropped to the bench along with Connor Randall and Ryan Leak out of the squad completely.
It took Celtic only 55 seconds to break the deadlock. The ball fell to Johnston whose strike took a deflection off Will Nightingale and trundled past George Wickens into the net.
Ross County responded well as they created chances to equalise, with Simon Murray's foot only inches away from connecting with Yan Dhanda's cross which would have brought an equaliser.
Midway through the first half, Celtic were awarded a penalty when Will Nightingale was guilty of fouling Callum MacGregor in the box.
George Wickens denied Luis Palma's spotkick when he dived to his right and parried the ball away from danger.
But referee Euan Anderson ordered for the penalty to be retaken again after VAR spotted there was encroachment.
However, Wickens guessed right again as he saved Palma's second penalty effort when he went for the same place at the bottom right corner and the score remained 1-0.
Nightingale almost levelled from Ross County six minutes before half time when he beat the Celtic defence in the air and his header crashed off the crossbar.
Ross County almost equalised in the dying minutes when Josh Sims sent Jordan White through one on one but his shot was saved by Joe Hart.
Sims went close in injury time when had shot in the six-yard box which went over the bar as Celtic held on for victory.
Celtic: Hart, Johnston, Scales, Palma (Kuhn 64), Furuhashi, Abada (Johnston 75), Carter-Vickers (Nawrocki 64), Bernabei, Bernardo (Turnbull 88), O'Riley, McGregor.
Substitutes: Bain, Holm, Vata, Ralston, Welsh.
Ross County: Wickens, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Dhanda, Loturi, Murray (White 67), King (Sims 80), Khela (Harmon 61), Jenks, Ayina, Nightingale.
Substitutes: Laidlaw, Sheaf, Henderson, Brophy, Reid.
Referee: Euan Anderson
