THE numbers continue to look good for the Scottish Premiership's Greens ahead of their inevitable landslide victory early next month.

Celtic's advantage at the top of the summit remains at seven points following this victory over Partick Thistle and Aberdeen's simultaneous defeat of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but this was another hurdle overcome on the way to what could well become the club's first domestic treble in 14 years.

Celtic have now passed the 30-game mark in the league and the polls are pointing to only one outcome. Aberdeen have done well to push the champions to the point where the matter will likely not be settled until after the split but any chance of Celtic slipping up at this late stage seems very slim indeed. They were thoroughly professional against a Thistle side reduced to 10 men late in the first half even if some poor finishing meant the scoreline was not as clear-cut as it ought to have been. Celtic had scored six against Thistle in the League Cup earlier in the season and with greater efficiency and composure in front of goal could have done the same again. In the end, two goals proved enough. This is not a league title that will be decided on goal difference.

An incident in the final minute of the first half tipped the game in Celtic's favour. Thistle, having survived an early onslaught and starting to look as comfortable as it is possible to be at Celtic Park, conceded a penalty and had James Craigen sent off in the process. Kris Commons knocked in the kick and any possibility of a shock to match St Johnstone's victory at Celtic Park a few weeks previously evaporated. Celtic added just one more goal after the break but it was enough to take another leap forward in their quest for a fourth successive league title. A trip to Inverness on Saturday, to face the side they will also face in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final, lies next in wait.

Thistle made for pesky and obdurate opponents for long spells. They had to be. The startling form of Motherwell and Ross County, in particular, has made what ought to have been a coast to the finishing line take on far greater urgency. Thistle had been in decent form themselves - taking seven points from their previous three matches ahead of this one - but the increasingly likely prospect of been drawn into the battle to avoid the play-off place means the luxury of idly daydreaming about their summer holidays remains some way off yet. Saturday's match against Motherwell, their final one before the split, could yet be season-defining, especially after their pointless return here.

Predictably, the visitors spent most of the contest on the back foot trying to repel one Celtic attack after another but they were not without one or two chances of their own. One acrobatic volley from Kallum Higginbotham required Craig Gordon to make the first save of the game midway through the first half, while a late Gary Fraser shot also brought out a smart stop from the goalkeeper who had to stretch every sinew to get his fingers to it. That aside, this was Celtic's night, despite some profligate finishing that kept the scoreline to a respectable level.

Ronny Deila's side had begun as if in something of a hurry to take care of business. The stadium clock had not yet reached the minute mark and Virgil van Dijk had cantered forward to flick a Stuart Armstrong against the crossbar, before only a strong Conrad Balatoni block kept out a Stefan Johansen shot. When Balatoni then leapt to nod the ball away from John Guidetti as the Swede looked certain to score, and Callum Booth got in the way of an effort from Gary Mackay-Steven, a long night looked in store for the visitors.

Thistle, however, stood firm and grew in confidence. Celtic, just as they had been for more than an hour in their previous encounter against St Mirren, became more frustrated. Commons delivered fresh hope with a long-range effort that arced over the crossbar but the heavy and sustained bombardment had undoubtedly dropped to the football equivalent of throwing pebbles at an armoured tank.

One last chance before half-time, however, bore fruit. Armstrong, filling the deeper midfield role vacated by the suspended Scott Brown, got himself higher up the pitch before working a 1-2 with Guidetti. That set him running free of Craigen whose tackle from behind looked reckless. Referee Willie Collum barely hesitated before awarding the penalty and showing the offender the red card, and Commons rolled in the penalty. Thistle heads visibly dropped, all their good work undone in an instant.

The second half opened as if Celtic were again intent of getting the job done quickly - Commons had a snap-shot well saved in the first minute - but once again they had to be patient before breaking Thistle down. The second goal arrived after 62 minutes and again Guidetti was involved. Stefan Johansen flicked a backheel to the Swede who played a simple ball back. Johansen's shot was low and into the corner. The game was up for Thistle.

Celtic showed no mercy, the only surprise by the end of proceedings that they had not added more. James Forrest had a shot expertly repelled by Scott Fox - Collum and his assistant mysteriously gave a goal kick - before substitute Leigh Griffiths somehow poked an inviting cross from Mackay-Steven wide of goal, and Johansen dribbled through a number of bodies before clipping his shot over the top via a deflection. Two goals were enough, however. There will be no debate needed to decide the best team in the country.