Celtic moved 20 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League this evening with a 2-0 victory over bottom team, Dunfermline at Celtic Park in one of the most one-sided league encounters of the season. A screamer of a goal from Charlie Mulgrew in the first half and a James Forrest effort 15 minutes from the end were the two polished incidents while Kris Commons battered the Dunfermline goal throughout the game without success.
Playing against a packed defence, the Celtic game-plan was clearly to have shots flying in from outside the box and Ki tested Chris Smith from fully 40 yards early on. Scott Brown played an inch perfect forward pass into space for Cha to run onto before the full back crossed but Anthony Stokes was unable to get on the end.
Gary Hooper was sent clear by a magnificent Stokes pass after 20 minutes but shot wide, although the referee incorrectly awarded a corner kick. Stokes was next to try his luck from outside the box before the ball was worked to Kris Commons for his first, and possibly worst, attempt of the night.
Commons turned provider next with a deep cross into the box which Hooper headed and forced a save from Smith. Charlie Mulgrew opened the scoring on 33 minutes. Cha’s cross was cleared to Mulgrew who shot from 33 yards high into the net giving Smith little chance.
Commons and Ledley continued to find space to create chances while Ki’s passing was the most impressive feature of the game. Dunfermline’s only moment inside the Celtic box in the first half was a corner 5 minutes from the break which eluded the Celtic defence beyond the back post, allowing Alex Keddie to get a header on target.
An incredible miss fell to Stokes early in the second half. Ki’s 40 yard pass split Dunfermline open for Izaguirre to cross. Stokes brought the ball down 7 yards from goal but with the keeper stranded on the line, shot wide. Hooper was equally culpable when Joe Ledley’s shot was blocked and the striker shot over with the goal gaping.
The entire stadium seemed to will Kris Commons to score his first goal of the season. The fact that it didn’t happen was not for the want of trying. He even came close with an in-swinging corner which was cleared off the line. The points were secured when Gary Hooper controlled a loose ball and sent in an excellent cross from an unlikely-tight position, which James Forrest knocked over the line from three yards.
Dunfermline’s second moment of possession inside the Celtic box came late in the game with another corner kick. Neil Lennon will be concerned that it resulted in another free header at the back post which was cleared off the line.
In a gesture which tests the boundaries of the word magnificent, the Celtic fan who paid £5000 towards the Vanessa Riddle Appeal for the signed Celtic jersey we auctioned last week asked us to put it back up for auction again.
Auctions are a magnificent way to help get Vanessa the lifesaving treatment she needs but the cost of participating at the business end soon gets out of the reach of many fans. With this in mind, we have started an eBay raffle; you can win the jersey for the cost of a £1, or the entire purchase price of Rangers FC PLC.
There are no excuses to sit this one out, Vanessa needs your help, you would like to own a signed Celtic jersey, and you too can afford the kind of money Craig Whyte used to buy Rangers. Click here to participate.
Thank you for the dozens of response to the request for writers for CQN Magazine. I’m still working through them, will be in touch soon. Issue six, our Fit and Proper edition, is set to become a landmark collectors item. You can browse the magazine online here but you can buy your own hard copy by clicking on the link below. Fill your boots…..
You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
226 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Lionroars67
As Moonbeams is getting away without scrutiny so is Mr No surrender, why didnt AJ and Paul Murray buy out the bank debt? the package they put together in the days before the Whyte deal was finalised ignored the debt Rankers owed LBG, Mr no surrender, his board and his football managerial staff ridiculed LBG in public statements, oh what a payback LBG gave him and his board, selling to Craig Whyte.
Absolutely correct. The LL have still not conducted any investigation of their own. All the news is what they have been told from Apartheid Dave to the Administrators. They still peddle lies, just for the different side. “Whyte used the fans season ticket money to buy the club”. No he didn’t. He used a pound coin. That was the worth of the company. He used the season ticket money to pay off Lloyds that Mr No Surrender, as you so aptly put it, declined not to find the funds for.
Rogue and Kayal
Chico and Joe both outstanding candidates for POTY.
But in the dark autumnal days when we needed to get results the player that stood up when it was really needed – Tonmy Stokes. Never my favourite player, not the most consitent (how did he miss that chance last night?) and definitely not the best perfromer throughout the year.
But most important contribution when it really mattered. Step forward Tony.
Craig Beattie has joined Hearts until the end of the season.
have heared that the good old bbc are putting the finishing touches to a program about minty that will show him for what he is there is info about him before he even took over rankers,it taken a bit of time but the (£5 to £10) comment is coming to kick him where it hurts now Hail Hail
BlantyreKev
are your sure about the season ticket revenue being an asset – as theres an uncertainty over the revenue surely its more like invoice finance and as its like a loan vat doesn’t apply?
season ticket revenue has never been listed as an asset on the balance sheet
Johnstone is the guy who told the huns AGM that MIH, not the club, had responsibility for the big tax case.
So he’s either a liar or an idiot.
Before I read this mornings posts a wee word to Darryl King,he offered up the defence to title stripping as no laws of the land were broken so he couldn’t see how the spl could strip titles but why does he think law should take precedence over sporting integrity when UEFA say a countries law has no jurisdiction over football?
The huns actively sought and employed a way to gain an unfair advantage over other clubs,who would’ve won those trophies otherwise THAT is the basis for the spl to go on.
Congratulations to our Serge on his recent engagement!!
All the very best from Jersey mate…
tooheys new says:
23 February, 2012 at 10:13
Vic Wanyama has made a huge contribution as well. Him forcing his way into our first team coincided with our good form starting. Gone off the boil a bit of late, not as consistent at Joe or Chaz but he is very young. He is a champ!
On the POTY debate
Charlie Mulgrew for me no question, was easily the best defender on the pitch last night, his reading of the game seems to go unnoticed he covered a few mistakes last night, topping off a MOTH performance with a terrific goal.
Izzy is going to need time on the pitch to fulfil his recovery our 20 point lead is just what the doctor ordered
My punctuation is all over the place in the 2nd paragraph.
It was the school I went to.
See now, this is the kind of stuff that really gets on my thrupenny bits. It is an extract from Hugh McDonald’s piece in the Herald this morning:
“There is, increasingly, the appetite among football clubs in Scotland to explore the Murray era, specifically the payment of EBTs. Any SFA inquiry on this subject would be open to charges of conflict of interest, given that the professional game body includes Peter Lawwell, chief executive of Celtic and Rod Petrie, chairman of Hibernian.”
Can I point out that the singular conflict of interest at the SFA is the dual status of both Campbell Ogilvie and Donald MacIntyre.
Both were Directors of the SFA while simultaneously being Directors of Rangers during the period in which EBTs were introduced and implemented.
Ogilvie in particular is now President of the SFA.
These people misled, and perhaps continue to mislead, the SFA while being Directors of the SFA: A prima facie act of bad faith.
They approved Rangers’ Annual Return and Club License application while knowing, KNOWING, that the information was incomplete and that undisclosed financial arrangements contravened the Articles of Association that bind the members together.
Someone take Hugh McDonald aside and have a quiet word.
Celtic 00s goals part 1
Celtic 00s goals part 2
Celtic free kick goals
And just in case we never get to see another one…
Celtic goals at ibrox
Celtic goals in the 60s
Celtic goals in the 50s
And for a wee smile…
Celtic own goals and gaffes
Did I hear 2 (yes 2) ‘Celtic positive’ pundits on Radio Shortbread last night? The times are indeed-a-changing.
Anyone from Derry know of any bars in the city that will show this saturdays match?.
ernie lynch says:
23 February, 2012 at 10:16
Johnstone is the guy who told the huns AGM that MIH, not the club, had responsibility for the big tax case.
So he’s either a liar or an idiot.
+++++
It’s true though – MIH are responsible for the big tax case; Rankers are responsible for the big tax bill
Twenty points clear is a great place to be obviously – but ten clear would have been a winning lead too. I don’t think any one of us will be celebrating any less than usual when the title is clinched.
Sounds like we should have scored a few more last night, but two was enough.
Glad as I am to see Mulgrew playing so well recently, it does highlight the maxim of finishing the season well and folk will forget how you did early on. The season has a long way to go and I’m keeping an open mind, but at the moment no way should he get player of the year.
Realise it’s partly an emotional decision (witness the cringeworthy gong for Robbie Keane), but the fact that there is no clear candidate shows this winning run to be very much a team effort.
If you go onto the Bloomberg website halfway down on the right hand side there is an advert for Duff & Phelps featuring a footballer !
Among the amusing ditties from last night was, ‘passing wee Andy when Rangers die’ (I thought it was wee Marky at the time), looked up to see this wee guy crowd surfing the GB. Doesn’t beat lateral movement though.
Ernie @ 10:16
In keeping with the utterances of many of the main protagonists in this wonderful saga, I think Mr Surrender No was merely being economical with the truth: by which I mean, I think he may have been correct in claiming that MIH has throughout retained responsibility for the big tax case and any dealings with HMRC thereon.
By this means, therefore, he can be accused of using clever patter to disguise the fact that the fallout from any adverse result from the tribunal would be for RFC plc ([now] in administration) to deal with.
Of course, he may also be a liar and an idiot …
FF
new article posted.
Paul67
“Mulgrew who shot from 33 yards”….very precise. I thought it was more 34 myself.
Generally an excellent display breaking down a packed defence. Thought Hoopers movement and control was fantastic throughout(with the exception of the blast over the bar), Ki’s passsing and vision superb, Cha’s engine (just unbelievable), Commons occassionally brilliant (but some times the flicks don’t come off), Ledley his usual efficient self, Charlie was explosive, Broonie excellent controlled aggressive tackling performance (four years on I am warming to our captain)….I could go on.
I thought it was between Hooper and Ki for MOTM.
Only down side was our defending from corners..still a bit suspect.
Greetings fellow Celtic fans from Phuket.
Mrs RobinBhoy is a big Baggies fan so they are my English team too. Worked in West Brom for a few years so have Baggies supporting friends still down there.
Word is that Walter (cardigan) Smith will be unveiled as the new Wolves manager today, so now I officially hate Wolves (always liked big Mick) and hope they get relegated every year then liquidated.
Hail Hail!
RobinBhoy
Dobbo says:
23 February, 2012 at 10:06
Strangest piece of text commentary ever?!
86:53 Effort from 18 yards by Gary Hooper. Save made by Fraser Forster.
+++++
That reminds me of driving home and listening to the away game v Rennes on the radio. I was just parking outside the house when we got a free kick 25 yards from goal ‘in a dangerous’ position – Cha Mulgrew was lining up one of his OMGs and the next thing ‘GOOAAAAAL’ – turn off engine and quickly run in the house – Rennes had flippin scored.
thegreatcelticrollercoasterCSC
Sometimes, just sometimes, the most skilled locksmith fails to pick a lock.
That’s when you send for Charlie “the Battering Ram” Mulgrew.
Thought for the day;
Insolvency
Its happening!
Back to work now.
The Battered Bunnet says:
23 February, 2012 at 10:21
Is it possible McDonald is being subtle here?
That he’s knows what the obvious rejoinder to his statement is?
ernie lynch says:
23 February, 2012 at 10:35
Ernie, I agree with you about Hugh MacDonald. He’s a self-confessed Celtic supporter. It might be difficult for him to come out and CCuse Ogilvie of being in an untenavble position but by doing what he has done, the followers of TFOD will be quick to pick up on it and our own people will then come out and indicate the historical position of Ogilvie during EBT introduction at Rangers and Hearts.
I thought our play was brilliant last night. Superb football throughout the game. Passing and moving and tricks, dummies and flicks for our entertainment. I was delighted to see so many players shooting from distance and troubling the goalie. Charlie’s magnificent rocket, Kris Common’s with two shots that the goalie could only parry, Hooper and Ki also making great efforts. I thought Ki and Commons played very well as did Charlie and Joe Ledley. Cha was brilliant going down the wing with pace and power but his final ball was often woeful and only once can I remember him finding a hooped jersey with a ball into the box. If he could improve on this by even 50%, he would be a top class player. So many other good performances from our lhads as well.
Keep it up Celtic. Let’s create a new record. It’s great to be talking about our Bhoys again rather than obsessing over every little bit of information regarding the struggles of RFC.
NorthAntrimBhoy i watched a game in the dungloe bar before on waterloo st there is a few good pubs in a row there
Long time reader and now decided to join in.
Noticed this slight weaknes last night also. I am sure the Hearts “goal” 2 weeks ago came from a similar set piece.
I am sure this will be sorted out very quickly.
Shane o’Doirebhoy (Lenny’s brother from another mother) says:
23 February, 2012 at 08:56
My little sister is in Beijing, with the DFA, also from Doire. I can get you her details, as her Gaelic club would definitley know where the games are on.
Uttering
Knight
Accounts
Valuation
Football Stadium
Just some words if structured in a sentence could/could not be perceived as an allegation alledgedly.
MWD
Paul67
So glad that “uttering” is being uttered in the east.
……wise men a’naw that ye ken.
TAL
Unlucky not to score more. Ashamed at the way the other team played, it was disgraceful for Scottish Football!:/ Bhoys did well, on any other night we would have score 5/6 more, can’t believe Stokes missed a sitter, oh well. New bhoy played well when he came on almost scored and set up Hooper ! WONDER GOAL FROM CHARLIE ! Hail Hail x