The devil makes work for idle hands, so the saying goes, and Leigh Griffiths once proved the point by scoffing a Tunnock’s Teacake on the bench for Celtic. After climbing off of the substitute’s bench at half-time last night at Firhill though, he showed that it is the last place he ought to be for more reasons than one.

The SOS was put out to the striker at the interval as the champions toiled and ultimately trailed to a Conor Sammon penalty for a Partick Thistle side who had managed to frustrate and unsettle this Celtic side in equal measure to that point.

True, Celtic were rather gifted their equaliser by a clumsy Mustapha Dumbuya challenge on Scott Sinclair which allowed the winger to level from the spot, but it was the infectious enthusiasm and will to win shown by Griffiths that ultimately tipped the game in Celtic’s favour and resulted in the number nine’s winner to send his side 11 points clear at the top of the table.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers will look to replace Moussa Dembele should he leave Celtic in January

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on the other hand decided to stick with the same 11 men who swept Brechin aside with ease in the Scottish Cup. That wouldn’t last.

The rather insipid opening gave no clue as to the intriguing encounter that was to unfold, with Celtic enjoying plenty of possession without really looking likely to score.

Thistle boss Archibald had stressed to his players that they had to make Celtic work for their opportunities, but Niall Keown clearly didn’t get the message as he presented the ball to Olivier Ntcham to feed Odsonne Edouard, but he let Thistle off the hook as his tame effort was saved by Tomas Cerny.

A slack moment from Celtic then gave the home side their first glimpse, as Ryan Edwards latched onto a loose clearance to get in a decent cross that was fielded by Kristoffer Ajer.

Celtic’s early momentum rather died away after that, with the visitors having to display plenty of patience along with their possession, although Ntcham was close with a 25-yard effort that flashed just wide.

Ajer was seeing plenty of the ball at the back, but he was guilty of slackness as he allowed Edwards to rob him and set Blair Spittal on his way, who in turn set up Miles Storey to bring a decent save out of Craig Gordon.

Celtic had to give themselves a collective shake, and around 10 minutes before the interval, they were made to pay for their lax attitude at the back in particular. It was a howler from Mikael Lustig, who took a sloppy touch and allowed Storey to burst into the area only to be impeded by the Celtic full-back as he desperately tried to recover. Referee John Beaton awarded the spot-kick, but decided a booking was enough for the offence.

It was the red-hot Sammon who strolled up to send Gordon the wrong way from 12 yards for his fourth goal in three games, and the displeasure was clearly audible as the Celtic players trooped off the park at the break with shoulders slumped.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers will look to replace Moussa Dembele should he leave Celtic in January

Lustig was hooked as Rodgers looked inject a bit of fresh impetus into Celtic’s play, plumping for a back three and throwing Leigh Griffiths into the action to partner Edouard, and he should have dragged Celtic level as Cerny hesitated to meet a through ball, but the keeper redeemed himself by spreading his body well to save.

It was a short reprieve though, and Celtic had their own penalty soon after as Dumbuya’s rustiness was evident as he made a crude challenge on Sinclair to concede a needless spot-kick. Sinclair himself buried it, prompting Thistle to introduce Adam Barton to match up with the visitors.

It was a move that almost paid immediate dividends, as Sammon leapt to meet a Storey cross and glance just wide, before Cerny made another impressive stop after a mazy run by James Forrest.

James Penrice then burst down the Thistle left before drilling a beauty of a low ball across the six-yard area, but Edwards just failed to apply the finishing touch.

It was Kieran Tierney’s turn to venture forward to draw yet another fine save low down from Cerny, but Celtic wouldn’t be denied for long, and it was that man Griffiths who made the impact that his manager had desired. The forward bundled his way through a couple of soft Thistle challenges in the area before poking the ball under Cerny and into the net. Hardly a thing of beauty, and harsh on the outstanding Cerny in particular, but a testament to Griffiths’ desire and predatory instinct.

He almost had another as he latched onto a long ball from Ntcham, but Thistle new-boy Cargill, who was impressive, got back brilliantly to block his shot behind. It mattered not. The work of the super-sub was done.

PARTICK THISTLE: Cerny; Dumbuya, Keown, Cargill, Penrice; Osman, McCarthy; Spittal (Barton, 55’) Edwards, Storey (Erskine, 77’); Sammon (Doolan, 70’).

Booked: Storey (75’)

Scorers: Sammon (p.34’)

CELTIC: Gordon; Lustig (Griffiths, 45’), Boyata, Ajer, Tierney; Brown, Ntcham; Forrest, McGregor, Sinclair (Simunovic, 77’); Edouard (Bitton, 84’).

Booked: Lustig (34’)

Scorers: Sinclair (p.54’), Griffiths (69’)