Two early goals by Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama were enough to overcome Dundee United at Celtic Park today but a cracking strike by John Rankin early in the second half ensured the table toppers had to fight all the way.
Anthony Stokes had an early opportunity to test Pernis in the United goal with a free kick, as is often the case with Anthony’s free kicks, he struck the defensive wall. United had the best chance of the opening exchanges after 7 minutes but Fraser Forster denied Garry Kenneth at his near post after a goalmouth scramble. The visitors kept the pressure on for the next few minutes but were to concede soon thereafter.
Thomas Rogne cleared his lines with a defensive header which Stokes won with an aerial challenge and reacted first to prod the ball forward to an alert Gary Hooper. Hooper made the most of the space available, opened his body and placed an immaculately measured shot inside the right post to put Celtic ahead.
Five minutes later Georgios Samaras earned hearty applause throughout the stadium for a robust challenge on Willo Flood before forcing Pernis to turn a shot behind. The resulting corner was played short to Izaguirre who through a deep and high cross into the box. Victor Wanyama was first to react and seemed to have jumped early but he somehow managed to hover a millisecond long enough to be level with the ball when he met it before propelling it high into the top left corner of the goal.
Shortly before half time Stokes had another opportunity from a free kick. John Rankin broke early from the wall, raised his arm and blocked inside the penalty box. Referee, Winter, penalised the player for breaking the wall and ordered a retake, not a penalty. Stokes had two opportunities to make the points safe within a minute of the break. He met a Mulgrew corner on the six yards line with a glancing header that went narrowly passed the far post. Pernis then denied an excellent Stokes strike with a fine save.
The Celtic defence had not lost a goal in eight domestic games before today and could do little about the goal that put United back in the contest. John Rankin struck from 26 yards, the ball clipped the inside of Fraser Forster’s right hand post and bounced in. Shortly before the hour mark John Daly had Dundee United’s best chance of the game but Forster was equal to his header.
Georgios Samaras had Celtic’s best two chances of the second half. The first a diving header from a Matthews cross which was saved by Pernis. The second a cross from Matthews which Samaras pulled down with his chest before shooting over.
You can order a hard copy of CQN Magazine, issue 5, with credit/debit card or Paypal and buy direct from the UK for only £3.50 + £1.50 postage and packing. Shipping costs £2 to ROI, £3 to Europe and £4 to elsewhere. Click on the link below to order.
Click here to view the new issue of CQN Magazine online for free. You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
820 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- ...
- 22
- »
Starry Plough?
Summa
No sales please! £10 million price tag should be slapped on every player although I’m not sure Peter’s bonus could cope with the £10 million salaries he might have to pay.
No sales till seasons end.
MWD
MB
I think the Oz bhoys have been away from dear old Scotia too long.
.
Muillac..
Scruphys is still there but No longer the SydneyCSC..
Martin the Owner is a Good Mate think he has Sold Now..
Summa
Moonbeams
Very descriptive point – as always
Hope to catch up soon
Hi Ghuys, Salve salve;- Why all the angst? we won didn’t we? I thought Dundee Utd gave us a very decent game but what was really good about them, was they played football, there were as far as I could see (admittedly from a dodgy stream):- no assaults on our players. Utd’s goal, no defensive mistake or bad positioning, just a great strike. We have still a bit to do but we were strong enough in the second half as earlier typically prescient CQN’rs pointed out we surrendered two goal leads to ICT and The Arabs last year.
We all know that there are times when we will have to dig for victory, we are now showing we can. Great to see Kris Commons back I hope any problems between him and the coaching staff have been resolved;- if they ever existed in the first place.I would like another striker I daresay Neill would too but I would also like to see some more of our excellent youngsters get a chance.
On a different topic and one for the FOI savants among us, regarding policing costs for the soon to be extinct Govan strollers, how are they met? are they billed monthly or is it an annual payment?
In view of their perilous financial position, should Strathclyde Polis not be asking to be paid upfront?
Upon consideration of the preceding misgivings, it would surely be crimminal if our friends went bust owing even more money to the public purse No??
Greenwells
Pacta Sunt Servanda
macjay1
I know he’s a Tim.
I’ve never doubted that.
But at times he is worse than a trolling Hun on the Blog.
MWD
MWD – be very careful or he will put you in one of his wee pots….
MB
I’ll take 2-1 wins till the end of the season.
Not sure the old ticker will.
Moonbeams
Relating to your post at 00:24 – my last post
Gordon64 says:
15 January, 2012 at 00:27
For me ,30 years isn`t long enough.:-)
Seriously,though,from what I read on here,I`m glad my kids aren`t growing up there.
Please say it isn’t so..
Why Willie and Danny had to go…
Heading to bed soon bhoys but before i go –
Four Green Fields one for you bro –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d30rpdvtiA&feature=related
HH
Gordon64
Ole Kit/Summa/macjay1/Ramie/Kano seem to deal with it.
Personally I think Sydney just needs a nice cold glass bottle of full sugar Irn Bru and a Mortons crispy roll with square sausage and fatties scone.
MWD
Summa
Remember watching us hammer aberdeen at start of barnes season,larsson and viduka ht each if i remember correctly!
one for the Dubs (well, my generation anyway): A House – Victor
CQN has dipped this last few days, dipped below the standards it sets itself – some moderator intervention required.
Spoke to one of the best CQN-ers on here tonight and he said he was scunnered with it.
Obsession with Huns real and actual, total intolerance of anybody who steps out of the ‘party line’ and on the other hand equally boring dwelling in the limelight.
Just my opinion – go on -tell me I’m a hun…somebody else will if you don’t!
Four Green Fields
I guessed that.
:-)
MWD
Bhoys sorry if this wee stat has been posted.
In w/end games this season RFC have played before Celtic 14 times. Celtic have played before RFC 4. They’ve dropped pts in 3 of those 4
TourGreenFields
I heard a rumour that the next CQN night was for bhoys with hair only, so that’s me and you sorted :-)))))))
Stop press San Diego. Huns win last 3 leagues
Just thought I would let u know :(((
Are you happy with that???
If not how do we change that ?
Or do we just do nothing
Macjay
Now is the time for all Scots to be in Scotia.
I’m sorry you and your kids are not here trying to make
this country a better place.
HH
hamiltontim says:
15 January, 2012 at 00:37
I shave mines mate, i usually have hair ;-)
HH
.
MWD..
Agree 100% but if they want to Go give them away for Nada.. Tear the Cloth.. See Liam Miller..
Why do You think l Love Big Georgious so Much..;0)
Summa
PS..I too have Met SydneyTim he’s 7ft Tall and His Guid Lady is a Better Manager than WGS.. Don’t know why she Has Stopped Picking the Team must Trust Lenny..
#InLennyWeTrust
muillach, 00.34
I was at that game. One of my alltime favourite away trips. At halftime we started singing “we’ll meet again”. Fantastic.
I didn’t make it back up for the second visit to Pile o Dung, a game which included my favourite ever bit of showboating by a Celtic player – even better than Lubo trapping the ball with his arse. All of this clip is worth watching, but my highlight happens from about 7:40. It ends with a goal from Regi Blinker!
Aberdeen 0-6 Celtic
This match also includes a bizarre goal celebration from Ian Wright in which he could have broken his neck; and less bizarrely, a stonewall penalty denied by Rev Mike Simply The Best McCurry.
Cultsbhoy @ 12:35
CQN has dipped this last few days, dipped below the standards it sets itself – some moderator intervention required. Please provide examples
Spoke to one of the best CQN-ers on here tonight and he said he was scunnered with it. Can they not speak for themselves or are you their new found Oracle.
Obsession with Huns real and actual, do you mean the Huns or the Huns situation? total intolerance of anybody who steps out of the ‘party line’ and on the other hand equally boring dwelling in the limelight. So people who agree with a particular view point aren’t allowed to question the viewpoint of others because they hold a non-party line view point. Hmmmmmm!!!
Just my opinion – go on -tell me I’m a hun…somebody else will if you don’t! You said it. :-)
MWD
MWD
Cults
I agree with you to an extent. I’ve had a look at other Celtic sights and at best they’re a poor second, this is the place to be if you’re a cyberTim.
However, I do get frustrated, and rarely post, when the topic of conversation drifts towards the huns. This is a Celtic sight efter aw :-)
Hamiltontim-
Does that mean “Silky Sammi” will be the guest speaker?
Bundran
What about your head?
Cults. Many a cqn chased away from this site if the everything in garden is rosy is not followed
St
hamiltontim says:
15 January, 2012 at 00:42
SIGHT x 2,
Kafflik Skools is it:-))
Sydneytim-
Haha! See? There you go again!!!
Read, re-read and read again my post at 00:04.
Thanks for giving me a chuckle though, I’m sitting on the couch with a broken ankle…
To Victor the spoils
hamiltontim says:
15 January, 2012 at 00:05
No you didn’t. You’re fooling no one you idiot.
Goodnight all tims, sydney Tim included
CaltonTongues
Na vino buddy:-)
Were you out?
Gordon64 says:
15 January, 2012 at 00:38
Now is the time for all Scots to be in Scotia.
I’m sorry you and your kids are not here trying to make
this country a better place.
What a generous thing to say.
My 21 year old daughter spent 10 days in Scotland pre-Xmas.
Raved on about how nice the people were.
I was really referring to the divisions.
STOP PRESS
New CQN rules.
All topics must be Celtic orientated with no mention of Huns/Rangers/SFA/Refs/Aberdeen/Dunfermline/Dundee Utd/Hibs/Hearts/Motherwell/Kilmarnock etc./HMRC/Administration/Liquidation…
Anyone found guilty of such a breach of the rules will be liquidated and will not be afforded a parachute back into the CQN fold under a Newco Monicker.
MWD
ST
If nothing else i admire you for your perseverance.
HH