DARREN O'DEA believes Shunsuke Nakamura scored the most important goal of his Celtic career at Love Street yesterday afternoon.

The Japanese international curled a controversial free-kick past Mark Howard with just three minutes left in a game that came perilously close to all but costing Celtic their title.

Dropping two points would have left Gordon Strachan's side six points adrift of Rangers, but Nakamura's goal got the Hoops out of jail.

The midfielder has scored some memorable goals for Celtic - against Manchester United in the Champions League and at Rugby Park to clinch the title, to name but two. But, to O'Dea, yesterday's eclipsed even those.

"We have seen him do it time and time again, not just in training, but in games at every level for Celtic," said the Irish defender.

"I think the goal he scored against St Mirren is as important as any he has scored for the club. It's not for me to decide whether or not it was a free-kick, but when you see Naka step up to take the free-kick you are always confident he is going to score.

"We have so much belief in him, but he has so much belief in himself when he gets into that kind of position.

"He knows he can do it and you have to applaud him because it's something he is constantly working on.

"When we get to the end of the season it is one of those that we could well look back on and see how vital it was.

"I don't think we ever thought it was two points gone, but I did think for most of the second half one goal would probably decide it.

"I know we didn't play well and it wasn't the easiest on the eye, but at this stage it is all about getting the three points. That's the way we have to look at it.

"You need to win these games if you want to win the league, that's the bottom line."

While Saints boss Gus MacPherson and Gary Mason were furious at the free-kick, Naka was adamant there was contact.

"It was a foul," he insisted. "He came in from behind and tripped me.

"I aimed it at the other side because I could see that the keeper favoured his right-side, so I decided to hit it to his left."

As for himself, O'Dea said: "Any chance that comes along I have to take. We have a lot of important games coming up, but every game is vital because I think both ourselves and Rangers feel that we really can't slip up at all in the league.

"We've got Inverness on Wednesday and that's another hard one for us. I am always hoping to get my chance and I'm ready to take it if I get an opportunity now."