Joe Ledley scored the only goal of the game that saw Celtic leapfrog Rangers at the top of the SPL. Celtic dominated throughout but it was a game full of controversial incidents. Lee Wallace appeared to have opened the scoring for Rangers but Fraser Forster scooped the ball out of the net. In the second half Gary Hooper was sent clean through by Georgios Samaras but was incorrectly flagged for offside.
Referee Willie Collum declined to show a red card to Lee McCulloch, David Healy and Kyle Lafferty despite plenty of provocation but Rangers never looked like forcing an equaliser once they went behind.
Celtic had the ball in the net early on when Rangers’ keeper, Allan McGregor spilled the first of two Gary Hooper shots he failed to keep hold off. Georgios Samaras was on-hand to clip the ball over the keeper but was flagged for offside. Despite Celtic enjoying the majority of possession Rangers had the best two chances of the first half. Wallace’s header which Forster’s alertness kept from hitting the net and then Carlos Bocanegra had a gilt-edged chance from six yards out but made a clumsy connection with his knee and sent the ball over.
Sone Aluko caused Celtic some problems early on when playing wide right but with Celtic dominating central midfield Ally McCoist pulled Aluko into the middle, which didn’t prevent Beram Kayal and Victor Wanyama from controlling midfield but blunted Rangers attacking options.
The gales which blew through Glasgow today faded as the game wore on but they were still strong throughout the first half with Celtic playing into the wind. On a couple of occasions Fraser Forster’s clearances didn’t reach the halfway line, in contrast to the second half, when his clearances repeatedly ran through to McGregor in the opposite goal. As a result, half time was a welcome break for Celtic.
The second half was five minutes old when Charlie Mulgrew got his first opportunity to send in a wind-assisted in-swinging corner. There is something curious about a 6’3” central defender taking corner kicks instead of trying to get on the end of them but Mulgrew’s delivery provided evidence as to why this is.
The corner was fast and direct but dipped five yards from goal at the far post. Four players jumped for the ball but Joe Ledley picked the flight of the ball out of the blustery confusion. All the ball needed was the faintest touch to send it bulleting high into the net.
Adam Matthews dominated the right side of the field. His pace allowed him to recover to inhibit any attack down the Rangers left while his control and passing pegged Rangers back throughout. Rangers played Nikica Jelavic on Thomas Rogne, who was hooked when the pair met at Hampden in March, but the 21-year-old Norwegian was never in trouble this evening. Jelavic was a sorry looking shadow of a football player who is flattered by reported interest in him.
Beram Kayal was taken out of the game by Lee McCulloch, who was red carded on his last appearance against St Mirren, but with Kayal on the deck McCulloch hung a limp ankle in the air while writhing in pain. It looked like a break for the Rangers player but he got up after referee Collum decided against showing a red card.
The league’s poorest player, David Healy, made a late cameo and should have been shown a straight red card for a dangerous lunge at James Forrest. Fellow Irishman, Kyle Lafferty, was also lucky to escape a red when he took Adam Matthews out of the game as Rangers lost their discipline late on.
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Top 10?
1st
HAIL HAIL
2nd just like the Huns
Visual pain from Fascistx2 tonight
Vive la revolucion!
It’s gonna be ‘fascinating’ the nicht…………
HHH.
awesome
Can’t disagree with any of that Paul. Telling that there’s no mention of last year’s ‘PotY elect’ Davis.
m_i_a_CSC
Paul67
Well Said as Always.
Partizan
Mail back
Great atmosphere in O’Sheas’s in Manchester tonight-with rebel sing song at the end-can’t get that in Scotland.
Also great to meet GoogyBhoy-top bloke.
Very good team performance tonight-no failures for Celtic.
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooood evening !!
:)
HE EXILED TIM says:
28 December, 2011 at 23:03
My oldest lad had a tenner on Ledley at 25/1! No bad eh?
Best performance by a team’s support in any arena for 2011 goes the Supporters of Glasgow Celtic Football Club.
Remember that 15 point thang????
They’re now discussing a 17 point SWING!!!!
Being back in it was good. Leading the pack? Priceless…
U
Joe Ledley goal
happy new year !!
thankyou Joe !!
summed up perfectly paul
they are thugs
hail hail bhoys
The youngest 17 point swingers in town.
Paulsatim
Brilliant
Paul disagree healy’s challenge will never be a straight red especially yer 1st tackle unless studs showing.
We are Celtic Supporters…
Faithful through and through..
wee totty scone says:
28 December, 2011 at 23:22
To Partizan:
It was after the Lubo game 5- 1
—–
Thanks mate. Hope I can find it somewhere. I still smile whenever I hear that song.
Thought all the defenders were immense. MOTM could be anyone from Mathews, Rogne, Ledley, Charlie, Broonie or Kayal. Thought Rogne just edged it. Congrats to Lenny – you are a hero.
Celtic were superb. I knew second half with the wind in our backs we’d get better delivery!!
Several ‘men’of the match!
McCulloch ‘tackle’ ouch!
Healy ‘challenge’ straight red.
Jelavic, Papac and Lafferty should also have been booked
Hooper ‘offside’ tut tut tut
Rangers ‘goal’ … Even the ‘scorer’ and ‘crosser’ didn’t celebrate… Tells you all you need to know!
C’mon Celtic!!!!!
Good summation on the main points
Collum no red card show for Rankers was embarrassing
Only Celtic showing exemplary discipline prevented the game deteriorating into a brawl
Do you know what bhoys, I’m sitting in the room myself eating tesco’s cheesy puffs wae a magners just canny get enough so relax man 15 down to 2 unreal.
Quiet satisfaction is what I feel but it might get louder since my wife has just opened a very nice bottle of red for me.
3 of our next 4 SPL games are away from home. We will enjoy leading the race but cannot relax at any of our fixtures.
Not long in from the game with my youngest son. Thought we dominated most of the game, with the orcs only showing very occasionaly. Very happy with most of the performances in the team tonight, i have not had a chance to look over the game on tv yet, but from where i was sitting i was very impressed especially by Rogne, my man of the match, Broonie for his 2nd half efforts, and Victor Wanyama, who simply looks better as every game goes by.
Disgusted but not surprised by the reverting to type of McCulloch, Lafferty and Healy, how that little runt stayed on the park i dont know.
Nice couple of cold Fosters will be had now.
Hope all the Bhoys and Ghirls get home safe.
Hail Hail
Auldheid
Delighted for your young fella.
I won many bobs the other week when Barca humped Real, I won even more bobs tonight, Jan wants a new car, not going to happen btw, I will stick to quality old wans :>)
As for the colum tonight.
He was better than I ever thought he could be.
The hun should have been down to 8 men, but he didn’t give them every 50/50 that he normally would have, jeez, I don’t believe I am typing this.
So he was an improvement on what I expected, still a feckin cheat, but an improvement.
Celtic phone-in show on live now (phone in via Skype, search Beyond The Waves)…
Beyond The Waves
When the dust settles – the result was true and fair. They played to form, got dirty as expected and lost by the narrowest margins. We should have won 4-1 tonight such was our superiority. We watched it in a bar in Spain, locals loved young James Forrest – said he was the best player on the park by a distance. Certainly the most creative. Hail, Hail.
Celtic Soul Brother- Supporting Kano 1000says:
28 December, 2011 at 23:27
Thank you Celtic for a great night. Bouncing in O’Sheas tonight.
Great to meet Celtic Soul Brother and his son. Think they may be back.
Lurgan53 met your lad. He is a credit to you. A gentleman of the first order.
Lads please yer embarrassing yourselfs, we have beat the scum enjoy but if you think mcullochs was a red then i give up.
Fair summary Paul, felt we dominated without killing them off
Defence was solid with Charlie and Thomas won most of their punts up the park
Adam and Scott ran them ragged down the right beryam and victor wer superb – well done to Neil playing victor in their and trusting Thomas
Front three worked and created a fair few chances
they offered nothing and got lucky to finish with 11 men collum seemed determined not to send anyone off
what a great feeling we can win the treble
Hope kayal is ok
On bus on way home. We WILL Win!
Whatever you fat loser…
Hail! Hail!
hen1rik says:
28 December, 2011 at 23:34
Why was it not?
There’s a reason why, when both players hit the ball, that McCulloch’s straight legged tackle was the only one to go over the ball and carry on for another yard or so when Kayal’s did not.