Celtic Edge Out St Mirren to Maintain Pressure on League Leaders Hearts

Celtic secured a narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren, keeping the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. The winning goal came courtesy of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half strike, which propelled Martin O'Neill's side into second place, three points adrift of Hearts. Despite a promising start, Celtic struggled to replicate their early form, while St Mirren failed to capitalize on their limited opportunities. The hosts' best chance to seal the win came when substitute Kelechi Iheanacho missed from close range in the second half. This match marked the first encounter between the two teams since St Mirren's surprising 3-1 win in the Premier Sports Cup last December. Celtic's Green Brigade, back in attendance for the first time since November, provided vocal support in a dress rehearsal for next week's Scottish Cup semi-final. The victory was a hard-fought one, with Celtic manager Martin O'Neill acknowledging his team's lack of energy and St Mirren boss Craig McLeish expressing disappointment at not securing any points.