Celtic’s run of 27 games unbeaten in domestic football came to an end yesterday as Kilmarnock surprised even their own fans, who bought fewer tickets for the final than they did for the semi-final, perhaps anticipating a reversal.
The bedrock of that magnificent run has been incredibly strong defensive performances; even when Aberdeen scored to take a point earlier this month, their goal benefited from an enormous deflection and the interaction of two debutant defenders.
Kilmarnock’s goal yesterday benefited from no such fortune. Ki didn’t match the forward run of Lee Johnson and Kelvin Wilson didn’t attack the cross. It was, however, a good goal, exploiting the expansive Hampden pitch with some fine passing and excellent movement.
Cammy Bell deservedly won Man of the Match but none of his many saves were spectacular. It could be argued that the stop from Gary Hooper five minutes in turned the match but it was a gift to Bell’s highlights DVD.
Celtic looked like a team who have run out of steam. Profligacy in front of goal and a momentary lapse in defence was all Kilmarnock needed to secure the cup.
I didn’t get a good view of the Anthony Stokes penalty incident at the game, it was Hampden after all, but on the radio going home I heard the evidence clearly confirmed it was not a penalty, which Neil Lennon would realise after he calmed down a bit, despite his initial reaction on seeing a replay.
Television evidence could not be clearer. Michael Nelson went to ground to tackle Stokes and didn’t come within 2 feet of the ball but clipped the Celtic player’s ankle while he was in the process of controlling a fast moving ball.
There was no dispute that Stokes ankle was clipped. No claims were made that Nelson played the ball, or even got close to playing the ball. The incident was an indisputable foul.
When you are running at speed the contact required to force you to lose to lose control of the ball is slight, more than enough contact was made on Stokes to hugely reduce his chances of scoring. Nelson made a rash and ill-timed challenge which should have resulted in an injury-time penalty.
Our sincerest condolences to the Liam Kelly, his family, Kenny Shiels and the Kilmarnock players on the death of Liam’s father Jack in the minutes after full time.
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LiviBhoy
Pulling Rogne off mystified me. I wasn’t concerned about Wilson before the game, thinking he was there to combat their pace on the break, but he was very disappointing throughout (not intending to open dialogue about him specifically). He was a more likely candidate to be subbed – IMO.
I thought the whole team looked sluggish – poor passing, slow in thought & movement off the ball. There were one or two exceptions to that, but it was not a team performance expected of a team contesting a cup final.
Now focusing on Sunday in the expectation of a victory and hoping to escape serious injuries from their assassins.
Awe Naw
I’d like to tell you that I’m too young to recognise Joni Mitchell. I’d like to, but….
TET
THE EXILED TIM on 20 March, 2012 at 11:23 said:
Afternoon bhoys from a snowey hun free mountain.
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You should take some pictures and gives us a link sometime.
and hows the bhoy.
BRT&H
Another terrific post. Never heard that story of Peat at the semi-final before.
Without resorting to ad hominems, the calibre of appointees to SFA office-bearer positions has been woeful, pitiful and lamentable in recent years.
If they aren’t clearly out of their depth, then you can at least depend on them to be utterly partial.
Dearie me!
jimmci on 20 March, 2012 at 10:31 said:
Jackson on Talksport reassuring the UK audience that all will be well; it is in HMRC’s interests to do a deal and he again, stupifyingly, tells us that the BTC result is not material in getting them out of admin.
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Purely on a technical point, since RFC went into admin due to non-payment of current year PAYE & NIC, then they could come out of admin IF they settle those specific sums due to HMRC. In that limited respect the BTC is not relevant.
Of course they will not even try to escape the current admin untill the FTTT reports so in that regard the BTC is entirely relevant if you get my drift!!!