Celtic 2-1 Kilmarnock

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Kilmarnock substitute Danny Racchi scored with a thunderous striker after 87 minutes to turn an otherwise pedestrian Celtic victory into a late drama.  Georgios Samaras scored a goal either side of half time to give Celtic the platform to secure a victory which moved them to within a point of the top of the table.

Victor Wanyama played in central defence, which left his midfield partner, Beram Kayal, bereft of a solid accomplice in midfield.  As a result, Kilmarnock found it easy to run through the Celtic midfield with Paul Heffernan and Dean Shiels causing problems.

Neil Lennon must have been wondering what he would need to do to spark Celtic into action after the break when Cha Du-Ri sprung clear on the right and threw in a high cross which Samaras attacked six yards out and headed into the net in first half stoppage time.

8 minutes after the break Samaras made it 2-0.  Gary Hooper collected a through ball on the right and knocked it into the Greek’s path.  Samaras looked to have lost the ball, which was caught between his feet, but he recovered, evaded some flaying defenders and cracked a left foot shot into the net from the edge of the area.

Kilmarnock looked well out of the game until Racchi’s late intervention but after they pulled a goal back Celtic looked rattled.  Celtic scarcely held possession for the remaining minutes and hardly put two passes together in three minutes added time.  Fraser Forster was forced off his line to challenge Heffernan with seconds remaining.  The keeper did well to block but the ball broke free to Dayton who failed to convert an excellent change to equalise.
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648 Comments

  1. First time in years I’ve managed two games on the trot!

     

     

    Wednesday’s (let’s all do the) huddle will be awesome.

     

     

    Have a great Christmas Paul and all at CQN.

  2. Fifteen to One was a popular general knowledge quiz show broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom

     

     

    McMoist to host new series of Fifteen to One

  3. Just in for a quick one as there’s kids, wrappin paper, dugs, n turkeys everywhere.

     

     

    A very merry christmas to one and all. Hope its a belter for you.

  4. Merry Christmas!

     

     

    To Paul67 and all CQNers in TIMdom – hope all of you and your families have a wonderful day.

     

     

    To those who have lost loved ones recently and others who are going through difficult times – you are in the thoughts and prayers of the many passionate contributors to this great blog.

     

     

    Christmas Eve got the Festive Season off to a great start – let’s hope that we continue it into 2012 and beyond.

     

     

    H!H!

  5. Merry Christmas from a chilly but dry Toronto, no snow so far which is good for the getting around etc.

     

     

    A big thanks to Paul 67 for giving us the venue to express our love for one another.

     

    To knoxy and wee oscar, my heart goes out to you and i will say a prayer and light a candle for you at mass later today.

     

    BRTH, absolutely stellar stuff my friend, sums up today and every day of being a Celtic fan:)

     

     

    And to all those that i have had the pleasure of meeting both on and off the blog, i raise a glass of rioja to you all:) 8:25am here but i’m allowed a wee snifter anytime today, as someone posted that earlier;)

     

    slainte

     

    tony

  6. Hope this is the correct page for the Boxing Day horses.

     

    First of all I’d like to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas – it has been merrier than usual for me, I hope it has been for you too.

     

    Today’s tip from me is Blackstairmountain 2.20 Leopardstown.

     

     

    Good luck to everyone, and keep safe.

     

     

    Cathal.

  7. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    CATHAL’

     

     

    I hope this is the correct page too!

     

     

    Been a bit of a disaste for the last six weeks or more,I seem to be always wrong.

     

     

    So gonna go for

     

     

    ALWAYS RIGHT 145 WETHERBY

     

     

    Backed it at Musselburgh last time-or was it Kelso-and it might have been the last time I troubled the pay-out desk!

  8. Merry Christmas fellow mug punters….

     

     

    Todays one to avoid

     

     

    Stevie Gee 225 wolves, a dodge pot of a horse but ive a feeling that Mr Williams may just have found an opening for him, on top of that he has the assistance of a cracking 5lb claimer…ill bet him with same combination in the 330…you have been warned

  9. Too many meetings today.

     

     

    I’m going for a Monjeu horse in the 2.30 at Down Royal.Fils De Mont, hasn’t run for three years,just wishing for some luck.

  10. Merry Christmas Fleagle and other napsters.

     

     

    My choice is ‘midnight chase’ 1.45 Wetherby.

     

    Good luck.

  11. Merry Christmas Bhoys… i’m also going for Midnight Chase in the 145 @wetherby sorry voguepunter…

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    With the exception of my nap,every bloody nag I picked was first or second. Sadly too many of the latter.

     

     

    Gutted.

     

     

    Close to a great day,ended up far from that. C’est la vie.

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