Celtic 8 Hamilton 1: Leigh Griffiths and Celtic blitz Hamilton Accies

Just a few hours later across the city, Celtic were busy bulldozing the opposition already in their path.

All member clubs of the SPFL were at the national stadium for the latest summit about how to improve various aspects from behaviour of fans to bulking up the Ladbrokes Premiership, presumably to try and add some competition to the highest stage in our game.

On the evidence of this 8-1 blitzing, there are sides already operating at that level who simply cannot cope with the defending champions in full flow.

Granted, lowly Hamilton Accies, who prior to kick-off occupied 10th place with only goal difference keeping them out a play-off place, were never tipped to cause Ronny Deila’s team much problems.

Even the modest tailwind provided from a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone was not enough to waft an air of upset through Parkhead’s half-empty stands last night.

Indeed, as emphatic as this scoreline eventually was, it could have been so much worse for Accies and Martin Canning, a man whose future continues to cause much debate.

The manner of his team’s collapse against Celtic will do little to help his cause. A goal down after just four minutes and five behind at half-time, the perfunctory nature of Hamilton’s play was galling at best.

What does this say for the likes of Falkirk, Queen of the South or Raith Rovers?

For all Accies’ deficiencies and glaring problems, it should not detract from what was an immaculate performance from Deila’s team.

Already in fine fettle after Friday night’s 4-1 trouncing of Dundee United, their efforts last night were even more impressive.

At times the gulf in class between the two was staggering as the hosts steamrollered over the top of their opponents, who looked like conceding within seconds of kick off.

Ahead after just a matter of a few minutes through Mikael Lustig, Celtic sensed the opportunity to exert their full power and did it ruthlessly. Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic, James Forrest, Callum McGregor and a Leigh Griffiths hat-trick providing the main highlights.

On a night where the numbers stacked up for Celtic, the most important was number six – the amount of points they are now clear at the top of the Premiership table.

Deila chose to make three changes to his starting line-up from the one that garnered three points at Tannadice as Stefan Johansen, Kieran Tierney and Kris Commons, with Emilio Izaguirre, Gary Mackay-Steven and Bitton coming back in.

Despite those switches, most of the pre-match chatter revolved around the Hamilton line-up, with Celtic’s stadium announcer reading out the Partick Thistle starting line-up from earlier this month as the giant stadium screens also colluded in the charade.

How Accies wished it wasn’t all just a big mistake.

In fairness to the New Douglas Park side, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference if both teams were on the park given the mood of their opponents.

After Griffiths had a shot cleared off the line within the first minute, the writing was already on the wall for Accies as they were forced deep into their own territory from the start.

It was therefore little surprise when the breakthrough did come just three minutes later. A Stuart Armstrong free-kick was bent into the box to Lustig who, unmarked in the middle of the box, glanced a header into the bottom corner.

On nine minutes it was two, this time Bitton demonstrated his keen eye for goal by flashing a stunning 30-yard rocket into the top corner by Michael McGovern.

There wasn’t even enough time for Hamilton to regain their composure before rampant Celtic struck again. Within a matter of seconds they were forced deep into their own box as the Parkhead club drove for goal. Eventually the ball worked its way to Rogic who managed to spin on the edge of the area and sent a low shot at goal, which took a heavy deflection off Michael Devlin and bounced into the net.

The biggest shock at this stage came with the fact the home support had to wait another 13 minutes for their next one, and that it took until the 23rd minute before their top goal scorer struck.

Mackay-Steven should great determination to pierce through the middle of the Accies defence towards goal, only to slip the ball to his left. Griffiths burst into the box and after one touch guided the ball neatly under McGovern from a tight angle.

At this point odds ever-decreasing odds of 10-0 were sitting at 45/1, and the bookies will have got the slightest bit nervous when No.5 arrived on 34 minutes. After having an effort blocked, Rogic recycled the ball and with time to spare fired a fizzing pass across the six-yard line as the unmarked Griffiths appeared at the back post to turn it in.

The half-time break offered little relief for Hamilton who emerged every bit as panic-stricken as they looked before it. Indeed, their mental state will not have been helped by the arrival of a sixth goal eight minutes in, Forrest working the ball well with substitute Scott Allan before receiving it back and sidefooting under McGovern.

Just like the first half, Hamilton were stung again within a matter of seconds, allowing Griffiths to grab his hat-trick. Devlin’s attempted cross clattered off the Celtic striker, who should tremendous composure to burst in on goal and audaciously chip McGovern to make it seven.

The fact Accies substitute Eamonn Brophy scored the smallest of consolations wasn’t enough to take the shine off this for Deila and his team, a matter that was underlined as McGregor guided in an eighth from 20 yards on the 90th minute.

Many topics around Scottish football will be debated over the coming weeks and months. If Celtic keep up this form, finishing top of the Premiership, no matter how many teams, won’t be one of them.