The Irishman turned the clock back with his dug-out rage but when he settled down the Hoops boss was forced to reflect on a third consecutive Europa League loss

It was just like old times with Martin O’Neill letting rip at the referee in a clash with Celta Vigo.

But unlike his infamous bust-up when the sides met on the road to Seville in 2003, the Northern Irishman’s side failed to come out on top this time.

And in reality they only had themselves to blame.

Yes, whistler Georgi Kabakov could have given Celts a first-half penalty or at least a free-kick for a barge on Callum Osmand.

He definitely should have blown for a foul on Camilo Duran in the build-up to Celta’s leveller.

The Hoops got themselves into a strong position with Mika Baur’s opener against a middle-of-the-road La Liga side that were no more than neat and tidy.

But they retreated to the edge of their box and couldn’t hold out as two goals in three minutes from Javi Rodriguez flipped the clash and left Celts needing snookers to escape from the Europa League group stage.

O’Neill raged at the officials but the fans will once again look towards the directors’ box.

The Green Brigade went ahead with their boycott but it’s going to be tough to persuade others to stump up for a campaign that is circling the drain.

There were a few empty seats around the place but Viljami Sinisalo filled one – on the bench. Sam Johnstone was handed another chance between the sticks – in a clash Celts couldn’t really contemplate losing.

And they were running into a Sky Blues side in the same boat having lost to Juventus and on the road at Omonoia Nicosia.

Celta haven’t exactly been lighting up their home league this season but they seemed pretty slick from the get-go and it was clear the Hoops were going to have their work cut out.

The visitors were happy to knock it about with club legend Iago Aspas still pinging passes at the ripe old age of 39 and Celts barely getting a touch in a worrying opening 20 minutes. Then the penny seemed to drop that Celta were not exactly a Barcelona, or even a Benfica.

Haissem Hassan finally got the chance to whip over a ball by that stage and while Duran’s header didn’t cause too much concern, it was something to build on.

It also raised the noise levels, likewise moments later when Osmand hit the deck in the box after a slight nudge from Javi Rueda but all Celts got was a yellow for Duran for complaining.

It might have been outside the box but it certainly looked to be a foul.

Ref Kabakov wasn’t convinced and Parkhead fumed – but either way, Celts were finding their feet.

Hassan was getting involved down the right flank and Osmand’s pace posed a problem on the opposite side.

Duran was hassling and harrowing defenders, searching out any kind of sniff at goal.

Not that there was an awful lot to go on. There was a hint just before the interval but the ball just wouldn’t drop for him deep in the visitors’ box.

Any time Celtic tried to build momentum, the Spaniards responded with some keep ball in an attempt to pass the home side to sleep.

The Hoops had to be alert though. Dane Murray made a brave block on the edge of the area, earlier Colby Donovan had hooked away a cross from inside his six-yard box, and Celta had scooped a couple of hopeful long-rangers miles over the bar.

Johnstone didn’t have much to get worked up about until a couple of simple stops just before the break.

Osmand perhaps should have made Ionut Radu earn his corn when he got sight of goal but the youngster got too keen and lashed way over.

It was a different story with Baur just two minutes into the second half. The German was ice-cool to drill low into the bottom corner after Hassan hit the afterburners to burst down the right and cut across, with a nick from a defender putting the ball on a plate.

The goal was the lift the entire stadium needed but also sparked Celta into life.

They were far sharper when they almost nabbed a quick-fire leveller when Ajeix Febas got across his man to flash an effort just wide of the post. Benjamin Nygren was blocked by Radu at the near post after brilliant work from Osmand to wriggle into the penalty area.

The youngster had been lively all night but pulled up on the hour and had to go off.

James Forrest was a handy replacement, though, and Hassan got Parkhead going again with a 70- yard run to win a corner.

Liam Scales clipped the top of the bar with his header from the set-piece as the Hoops hunted a second goal.

O’Neill’s frustration at the ref boiled over when he got booked for one moan too many – and the boss’ blood levels spiked second later when Celta grabbed a leveller on 68 minutes.

The set-piece from Hugo Alvarez was whipped, the header from Rodriguez was fierce, but Johnstone’s attempt to keep it out was timid.

Barely three minutes later the roof came in when the same man unleashed one from 20 yards that fizzed into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

O’Neill’s rage didn’t drop but the heart had been ripped out of the Hoops as the punters headed for the exits.