Celtic eventually overcame Hibernian at Easter Road in the Scottish Communities League Cup quarter final tonight but not until they endured a fraught first half. The game was 3 minutes old when Ivan Sproule gave the home team the lead off an unfortunate Daniel Majstorovic. A Hibs corner was not defended at the edge of the six yard box and had to be cleared off the line by Adam Matthews at the near post but Sproule fired the clearance into the six hard box where is ricocheted off Majstorovic and into the net.
Celtic struggled to get into the game but after 19 minutes Beram Kayal broke free on the right and crossed for Gary Hooper, who missed the ball with his leading foot and saw it bounce off his left knee and behind.
The best two chances of the first half for Celtic came within four minutes. Ki and Hooper combined before Kayal released Stokes on 23 minutes but the Irishman’s shot skimmed the outside of the post.
In a move that would have a more productive second half facsimile, Stokes was unmarked at a Ki corner but missed the ball with his head and saw his shoulder contact go wide.
On 33 minutes Sproule ran half the field and cut inside Ki of the edge of the area before shooting over. Minutes later Sproule released Agogo, who dispossessed Celtic midfielders throughout the first half, but Forrest saved at the big striker’s feet.
Five minutes from half time Leigh Griffiths should have doubled Hibs lead when Celtic’s scourge in recent times, the long forward ball, returned to haunt them. Griffiths ran unattended from his own half but Fraser Forster did his best gable end impersonation to narrow the angle inside his box and block the shot.
Things soon picked up.
James Forrest underlined his Most Valuable Player status to Celtic a minute after the break. Ki played a forward pass to Hooper on the edge of the area, which was nipped onto Forrest by the Celtic striker. Forrest cut inside, dropped the shoulder and shot home from 17 yards.
It was a remarkably simple goal but the strength of shot by Forrest was particularly noteworthy. Being able to shoot from the edge of the area is a crucial part of a wingers play.
Beram Kayal was booked on 48 minutes for being kicked in the face by Ivan Sproule, who also saw a yellow card.
Forrest got his second, and best, goal on 57 minutes. He collected a throw-in on the wing, beat two Hibs players, played a one-two with Stokes and finished with a well-placed left foot shot.
Celtic then went into overdrive as Hibernian faltered. Forrest skinned his marker and crossed but Ki slipped inside the box when the ball broke to him. A minute later Anthony Stokes make a good connection with a Ki corner to head Celtic’s third goal from the six yard line.
Gary Hooper was having an off evening but he timed his run onto an Adam Matthews long ball, controlled and scored to finish off the scoring. Ivan Sproule received his second yellow card 20 minutes from time for kicking Mark Wilson as he ran through on goal. On this occasion his victim escaped punishment.
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jhilday says:
27 October, 2011 at 09:42
Yeah, I was wondering that. When was the last time we scored with a header from a corner?
Ciao——-
For what it is worth——–
The first half was dire . The ‘ defense ‘ made mistake after mistake after mistake ——- Primary school level defending . These defensive failings were compounded with attacking profligacy——— Joke defending and failing to take your chances can be fatal— fortunately Hibs were mince . Hibs are mince . 2 very good saves from Forster.
Much better in the second half. Seemingly obligatory dreadful officiating..
First half was deeply worrying — Celtic were a shambles . . — The second half gave me reasons to believe..
Warm and sunny . Pomegranate / Persimmon time -way down south.
Thanks for the feedback folks.
I’m looking forward to Saturday now when I wasn’t before. Anyone in that same boat?
Eddie Pearson on the CU podcast seemed to have the feeling of your average Celtic fan at the moment, thoroughly fed up.
I think if we show some fight at least it’s an improvement we can get behind in the stands (though many don’t need an excuse!)
Fritz
Women should not be allowed to write about football,I can’t believe there’s grown men discussing a woman’s take on the game.
Morning, All.
Philvis: good to see you contributing to the economy so early in the morning.
Sorry to cast an eye back to an exchange from yesterday re: pensions, when you were somewhat disparaging towards public sector workers enrolled in their employer’s ‘gold plated’ pension scheme. (In the passing, I should perhaps add that I am not a public sector worker.)
Are you willing you give us a pencil sketch of how your own provision for old age is being arranged. Just a very broad outline, like is there an employer contirbution to this, or are you wholly self sufficient in these matters: I’m genuinely interested.
Of course, if you’re too busy propping up the UK’s fragile economy to reply to this, I’ll understand …
FF
I don’t know.
We have 8 players side-lined through injury.
I concede,they missed two great chances in the first half – we missed two equally good chances.
They scored a fluke,via a bizzare own goal.
So at half-time,all things considered,Hibs should have lead by 3 goals to 2? A goal in it? Hibs lead by 1 goal to nil.Same scenario,a one goal lead no matter what way you look at it – We are splitting hairs here.
Now we have more or less covered the events of the first half.
What was the story in the second period of the game?
Please feel free to correct me if you think that i am wrong – i can only comment on what i seen – But did that Celtic side not put on a show of exhibition football?
Football is a simple game – the objective is this – score more goals than your opponents,and you win the game.That’s how easy it is.
Moira Gordon knows nothing about football.
philvisreturns says:
27 October, 2011 at 09:43
I had forgotten Vic was so young. He doesn’t play like a youngster. Wee James still plays like a youngster much of the time but with a bit of luck he’ll grow out of that as long as he carries on with the black boots and lays off the ole elixir of eternal youth.
Moira Gordon, whatever her allegiances (ok, looks like she ain’t a Celtic fan), made some good points.
Nothing wrong with criticism if it hits the mark. Having said that, I thought the strikers didn’t emerge too well out of last night. Despite their goals, they had a rash of missed chances, and if Georgios had played like Hooper did in the first half, there would be a fatwah on his head.
Matthews looks like the real deal. It’s been a long time since we’ve had someone who can play both fullback positions with such assurance. Can’t wait till Izzy returns and we have them on either side. Meanwhile, Joe Ledley just gets better and better.
The main thing is that the players take confidence from that 2nd half – it was a reminder of the great performances of last season, and I think we were all wondering whther we’d see that type of fluency re-emerge.
Same old same old defence. However, saame again in Saturday would give us the boost of a hat trick of wins.
Tiny Tim is 48″
and many happy returns to every one of them.
Good Morning to the Celtic Family from an overcast and showery Central Scotland. Well we have all heard of the proverbial game of two halves and if there ever was such a thing we saw it at Easter Road last night. In the first half we played poorly and were lucky to go in at half time only one goal down had Hibernian got a second goal which they should have it would have been a whole different ball game.We woke up in the second half and looked a totaly different team but we have to sort out this poor start to games as its going to cost us . I was happy to see both Hooper and Stokes scoreing and the MOM James forrest looked good but for goodness sake Bhoys the game is played for 90 mins.not 45. H.H.
Simple solution, abandon defending completely and go 1-1-8 for the rest of the season.
The desired 5-0 win every week becomes 5-4.
Suddenly there are more fireworks watching Celtic than you’ll see if you ask Mario Balotelli if you can use his facilities.
So:
Some bloke in goal.
Charlie Mulgrew
Victor Wanyama
Forrest\ Ki \Kayal\ Hooper \Stokes \Some bloke upfront \Another bloke upfront\ Ledley
Maks sense tae me.
Anyways, emb’dy else think wee Pat Nevin looks more and more like Woody Allen with every passing week?
DBBIA
Pat Nebbish?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15445636.stm
Great win for Cliftonville last night over the Linfield scum. Biggest win i’ve ever seen over them in my 30 years supporting the Reds.
hooped dreams- enough already!
bamboo says:
27 October, 2011 at 09:42
True – we could have been 4 -0 down at half time. But we weren’t
We could have been 4 – 1 up. But we weren’t
DBBIA
….he looks more like Gollum!
No offence meant to LOTR fans.
Or should that be supporters?
DBBIA – mibees we should keep wee Pat away from our young Korean!!
T4
woody woodpecker mair like
I preferred Pat Nevin’s earlier, funny films
Dontbrattbakkkinanger
Can’t believe you would play Another bloke upfront so far out to the left.
I’ve just looked at a few videos of him on Youtube and speaking as the expert I’ve instantly become he is clearly a naturally right-footed winger.
Why would you play such a talented person so far from their natural position?
Are you Neil Lennon? Sack the board!
BelfastCityCelt
Let me know when you find a Celtic journalist in mainstream broadsheet, tabloid or anywhere outwith Celtic media, that writes even a marginally pro Celtic match report.
I’m immune to Moira Gordon and her ilk, they don’t see the game the way you, or I do.
However, we have defensive problems again evident last night, and certain to recur when we play a better side than bottom of the division Hibs, because the back four simply isn’t right, any combination regardless of who NL fields.
If they don’t exist, why is Neil Lennon so many half time game saving speeches.
BelfastCityCelt says:
27 October, 2011 at 09:53
Talking far too much sense this morning. :)
Y’ not well?
53
up_over_goal says:
27 October, 2011 at 09:31
I don’t think that i have ever called anybody a hun on here old bean.
Some of you though,i wish you were huns to be honest.
A hun is a hun,that’s fair enough – i can accept that,no problem.But this constant negativity on here is bringing me down.
Wtf do yous expect? Catch yerselves on – Buy FIFA 2012 or Pro-Evo and build yer own Celtic team from scratch – it’s brilliant so it is,ye can even drop players and make up your own formations – try it out sure,and even if ye make a balls out of it – nobody will call for you to be sacked.
Were my ears playing up last night when before the game started, the commentator read out Gollum’s red and yellow card record so far this season?
This guy is as big a problem we will face this seaon and Celtic need to refuse his appointment to our games.
Proverbial game of two half’s.
First half was prominent for a shocking defensive performance from our bhoys coupled with poor finishing from the hibs strikers. I was delighted by the performance of Forster starting to come off his line and much better distribution. Sadly A decent side would have finished us off in the first 45 minutes. Happily hibs are not a decent side they are very poor.
However, whatever Lenny said to the bhoys at half time he has to keep saying every game, as we were in my humble view brilliant in the last 45. Delighted hopper got a goal as he has been shocking lately and forest was cracking.
This may be the turning point
Hope we can go on a run and the Huns go bust shortly
Hail Hail
TTTT – I see Scarlett Johansen has left ML2, and is now causing a minor sensation in the ole Port.
She must lurk on CQN.
Portonian?
And very humble apologies for the dreadful misspelling of your name.
Ian58 -I don’t mind the extra k, keeps me in touch with my redneck roots.
Wee Scarlett’s film features zombies [again].
Alec Salmond should object to this stereotyping of Scotland as a wee place overrun with the living dead.
Ayrshire, fair enough, but don’t tar all of us with the same brush.
Lurgan 53 says:
27 October, 2011 at 10:11
Im not too bad thanks L53.
Just enjoyed watching that wee Celtic team,and the way they played.
Take Dan and M Wilson out of the equation,and the rest are basically only kids.
I only hope that they don’t read a lot of what is being written on here.
Thank God for our away supporters – they encourage the team.
Give them a break.
The lack of cover at the back when we were up in the Hibs box for set-pieces during the first half was schoolboy stuff, it was ridiculous.
The combinations of CB’s don’t work because our full-backs don’t provide enough cover for them. Think back to the many interceptions made by Agathe and Macnamara or further back to Wim’s season, when the full-backs were told to just defend.
Lenny needs to make sure that when one of the FB’s is attacking then the other is tucked in to protect the CB’s.
TTTT
James Forrest, jugador del Celtic de Glasgow
Fritzagrandold 09:51
Same here, was a bit of a feel no bad factor after that game last night another confidence building win on Saturday and build from there, though not taking a win for granted.
Listened to the latest CU podcast on way to work this morning, was a bit more upbeat than recent Celtic podcasts, interesting interview with a fella from the Green Brigade.
CU Podcast 158 – Fans Against Criminalisation
EN
Under Martin O’Neill we rarely got hit on the break from corners or set pieces because the man left at the back was Didier Agathe who got to all clearances first. I remember him famously getting fouled at Dens Park as he outpaced the attacker…and getting sent off for the pleasure.
We did get hit on the break from open play when Didier was up the park, notable when we played 3 at the back and Lovenkants dropped wide, but that was not entirely pace related.
Last year the man we left at the back was most often wee Izzy who is blessed with pace and swept up well. Two points to make are that in the 2nd half Matthews should a nice turn of pace and he needs to be the man on the half way line when we have set plays into their box, him being too far up the park very nearly led to a 2nd Hibs goal, and secondly on the whole we lack pace. Forrest is blessed with it in abundance but not a tackler and too wet behind the ears to do the Didier Agather role, Hooper has a good turn of it but must be the attacker, and apart from that we’re very, very one paced. Just something we need to work on. Positioning is really important when you don’t have the pace to rescue the situation.
bournesouprecipe – Very un Pob like, cheered up at full time though.
Not like Craig Whyte at all:
http://www.childofthe1980s.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/pobs-programme.jpg (thumbsup)
Folly Folly – Do your friends and family know you as Nosey McNoserton of Nosetown?
I have a SIPP.
Would you also like my NI number? (thumbsup)
The Pantaloon Duck – I preferred Pat Nevin’s earlier, funny films
Pat Fiction? (thumbsup)
BelfastCityCelt says:
27 October, 2011 at 10:20
I know.
The way I read it is – Neil is getting criticism for having to talk to the players at half time. A talk which – I assume – played some part in a wondrful second half performance and four goals.
Maybe he shouldn’t have talked to them?
I’m confused.
Glad to have so many tactical “know it alls” on this blog to keep me right though.
53
BlantyreKev
Guess who the ref was who sent off Agathe in that game when Ratboy was outpaced.