Forrest the hero on trophy day

Celtic 1 - 1 St. Mirren

James Forrest ensured the club’s title celebrations were not dampened as he netted a stoppage-time equaliser to preserve a 16-season scoring streak and deny St Mirren a memorable win. 

Author - Andrew Cheshire

Stadium - Celtic Park

With seconds remaining, the veteran winger swept the ball past St Mirren goalkeeper Zach Hemming, securing a 1-1 draw and extending his remarkable scoring run in every league season since his debut. It was a dramatic end to an afternoon where the visitors looked set to upset the champions and claim a rare win at Celtic Park.

Jonah Ayunga had earlier stunned the home crowd with a low drive into the corner after Celtic failed to clear a set piece, giving St Mirren hope of European qualification. A win might have been enough to leapfrog Dundee United into a Europa Conference League spot, especially with United trailing Aberdeen at one stage.

But United mounted a comeback in their match, and Forrest’s late intervention ensured that Stephen Robinson’s side left with only a point. Despite that, St Mirren’s performance was one of discipline and intent, frustrating Celtic for long spells and carving out the better chances.

Celtic, in contrast, lacked urgency for much of the contest. Hemming was rarely troubled in the first half and was only called into action in the closing minutes, saving from Johnny Kenny and Yang Hyun-Jun. Daizen Maeda also spurned a golden opportunity, heading over from close range following a pinpoint cross by Forrest.

Substitutes Forrest, Yang, and Luke McCowan added impetus in the final half hour, but St Mirren held their shape well, combining resolute defending with some neat counter-attacking play. Even a win would not have lifted them higher than sixth, thanks to Dundee United’s result.

For Celtic, it was an afternoon to toast another league title (their 13th in 14 seasons) and fittingly, it was Forrest, a symbol of their recent dominance, who provided the decisive moment before lifting the trophy in front of a jubilant home support.

A closer look at how Celtic said goodbye to a legend on his last home game

One Celtic fan told us: "The collective sigh of relief and outpouring almost lifted the roof off Celtic Park as James Forrest finally did what we’ve being willing him to do all season. It was a fantastic moment for a Celtic legend."

The player himself told the media, including the BBC: "It's hard to put it into words. I'm just trying to enjoy every last minute of playing for Celtic. It's been an unbelievable career and I've absolutely loved it and I hope I still have a few big moments and trophies like this."