Lennon rues Celtic´s dropped points

Neil Lennon says his Celtic players need to learn how to hold on to a lead after Dundee United snatched a 1-1 draw with a goal deep into injury time.

The result means the Hoops trail league leaders Rangers, who needed a Kenny Miller hat-trick to help them come from behind to win as they narrowly defeated ten-man Kilmarnock 3-2, by three points at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Celtic looked to have claimed all three points thanks to Gary Hooper’s first-half strike but Sean Dillon popped up in the fourth minute of injury time to head a Barry Douglas free-kick past the despairing Fraser Forster to claim a point.

It was a blow to Celtic manager Lennon, who says his players will need to learn lessons from the match quickly.

“It is galling to drop points but the gap is not insurmountable. It is only three points and our goal difference is still pretty healthy,” the Hoops boss said.

“But the players need to learn from this. There is a mentality you have to have and you have to see games out and we didn’t do that against Dundee United.

“I wasn’t sure if it was a free-kick but still we shouldn’t have to give the referee an opportunity to give a free-kick.

“You just have to stay on your feet and win a throw-in or give a corner and defend it from there but the goal was cheap and it’s annoying.

“If you give away silly free-kicks then you are asking for the ball to be put into your box.”

Lennon added: “They have to recognise important moments in the games. When you are 1-0 deep into injury time you have to see it out.

“I didn’t think we were in massive danger. It wasn’t as if we were hanging on yet Dundee United forced a few set-pieces and a few corners.

“I always felt we were capable of scoring at any time as well. I don’t how many good chances were created but it was more than enough to win the game.

“I haven’t got time to keep saying this is a leaning experience – it’s not. It’s two points dropped at home and it’s disappointing but we’ll come again.”

Goalscorer Dillon said his goal, his first in two years, was revenge for United’s last-minute defeat by the Hoops at Tannadice in October.

“It was a little bit. I think we earned it; in the second-half I felt we were well on top and it was the least we deserved,” the Irishman said.

“Obviously they had a lot more chances than we did but I think we deserved it.

“Celtic and Rangers get last minute goals all the time and they are not lucky.

“You are not first and second in the league all the time through luck. They keep going and you need to concentrate until the final whistle goes and I think we deserve a lot of credit for doing that.

“We never gave up and got what we deserved in the end.”

In the early kick-off at Rugby Park Connor Sammon had fired Kilmarnock into a first-half lead before a Miller penalty levelled the scores at the break.

Mohamadou Sissoko, who conceded the first penalty, saw red for his second bookable offence when he hauled down Kyle Lafferty in the box with Miller converting the resultant spot-kick.

Sammon got his 13th of the season on the hour mark but Miller completed his hat-trick five minutes later to take him to 18 for the season and hand Rangers the win.