Motherwell 1-2 Celtic

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Paddy McCourt was the difference between the teams today as Celtic came from behind for the second time in three days to beat Motherwell at Celtic Park, securing second spot in the league.  Craig Higdon opened the scoring for Motherwell after 11 minutes with a header from a corner kick but Anthony Stokes levelled, also from a corner, two minutes later.  Substitute Gary Hooper scored the winner late on.

Despite a sprightly first minute Celtic were on the back foot for most of the opening period and it was no surprise Motherwell opened the scoring.  Nor was the manner in which they lost the goal a surprise.  Tom Hately crossed from a short corner which Celtic slept at, failing to mark-up.  The defence also pushed out in instalments, leaving Craig Higdon free six yards from goal to head home.

Celtic immediately pushed forward and Georgios Samaras flicked a Kris Commons header onto Stokes at the back post, who volleyed into the net.

A Commons free kick was blocked by Samaras, whose shot was saved.  Thomas Rogne headed a Commons’ corner on target but the ball was blocked on the line.  On the half hour mark Higdon drew a good save from Fraser Forster.

Four minutes into the second half Stokes should have given Celtic the lead when he latched onto a long ball from Daniel Majstorovic which evaded the defence but Darren Randolph closed the space.  On 54 minutes the lively Stokes cut-back for Commons who took one touch too many and was robbed.  Fraser Forster was called into action again soon thereafter when he blocked a Nicky Law effort.

Paddy McCourt replaced Samaras with 15 minutes to go and transformed the game.  On 79 minutes he collected the ball inside his own half, drifted through a nervous looking Motherwell midfield until he reached the edge of the D before feeding Stokes on the left.  Stokes made space before rifling the ball into the six yard box for Gary Hooper to score the winner.

Tim Clancy was shown a straight red card late on for kicking Gary Hooper.  If referee Charlie Richmond had taken an earlier opportunity to control Lasley or Jennings, Gary Hooper, James Forrest and Beram Kayal would perhaps have finished the game with fewer injuries.

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1,066 Comments

  1. Paddy Gallagher on

    jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ says:

     

     

    6 November, 2011 at 23:04

     

     

    Paddy and Maggie cut you off at the pass :-)))

  2. Ok, that and the Tax case should give us something to talk about when we have no game next week.

     

     

    Those of us in Ireland will get to watch us qualify (hopefully) for the European Championship.

     

    I’d like to see Stokes get a run out. It seems he upset Trappatoni by pulling out of a friendly some time ago.

     

    Trapp doesn’t forgive and we have suffered on the pitch because of this.

     

    Playing games without McCarthy, Andy Reid and Stokes because they have upset him.

     

    Darren O’Dea has been getting a few games, and has been doing very well !!

     

    They are hard to watch under Trappatoni, however, we are on the brink of qualification, which would

     

    lift some of the gloom around the place.

  3. CultsBhoy hates being 2nd on

    Paddy G

     

     

    My son is a decent Goalkeeper (U10!! but is at Jim Leighton Academy for promising Goalies) – so I see a lot of specialist Goalie training, given me more appreciation of the role – I definitely see Paul Gallacher as a very good Keeper and not just shot stopping – he has really good technique and presence. With FF – I only see shot stopping.

  4. Great result and a really brave performance in the face of Murderwell’s attempts to kick us off the pak

     

     

    Anyone wondering why Scotland do so badly in European competitions and internationals only needs to watch the way the referee influenced the nature of today’s game

     

     

    Here in our little shameful bigotted backwater teams like M’well are allowed to play a game that would see you arrested in the rest of Europe

     

     

    There are two ways of overcoming this type of physical intimidation

     

     

     

    One way is fill your team with ball players like Barca do – however we do not have the money to buy such players

     

     

    The other is to do what MON did – make sure that you are bigger stronger faster than the rest

     

     

    We still need a physical CF – capable of holding the ball up and attacking the ball in the air

     

    Dixie Deans wasn’t the biggest but could do the job

     

    Frank Macca wasn’t either but led the line like a lion

     

     

    Victor has been excellent in the past two games – another couple like him wouldn’t go amiss

     

     

    HH

  5. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    I thought young Forrest took some abuse in the first 15mins. Protect the ball player my ar”e!!

  6. Hullbhoy Andrew Young

     

    by celticrumours

     

    Rangers Grant Adam charged over sectarian behaviour. Reports are that SNP are desperately looking for ways to ‘even this up’. #killthebill

  7. Paddy Gallagher on

    CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:

     

     

    6 November, 2011 at 23:09

     

     

    I have to agree with you on FF although I thought he has had two excellent games Thursday and today.

     

    I think young keepers are a bit over coached nowadays and natural instinct and ability is being replaced with robotic goalies.

     

    I hope your son is enjoying the experience and good luck to him.

  8. fan-a-tic says @ 22:48

     

     

    >> Today and Thursday big Dan turned into a leader.

     

     

    So I’m not the only person to thinks so.

     

     

    Ignoring the negatives (and we cant afford or attract players without negatives) I think big Dan is the best leader we have in the defence. Not leading through example, sadly, as he is culpable in the bad side of the defence as well. However, I like what I see in the leadership side of his game.

     

     

    Yes, alcohol was involved in this post.

  9. tommytwiststommyturns on

    Joe Jordan interviewed after the Fulham v Spurs game….just the type of guy that should have been appointed along with Neil.

     

    Would probably have saved us a lot of grief !

     

     

    T4

  10. Paddy Gallagher on

    jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ says:

     

     

    6 November, 2011 at 23:10

     

     

    P G

     

     

    What one of ewes is Annie Get Your Gun???? lol

     

     

    Butch and Sundance – Jessie and Frank James – Gallagher and McGill, teamwork partner, teamwork :-)))

  11. Neil Lennon Is A Celtic Soul Brother says:

     

    6 November, 2011 at 22:31,

     

     

    Brilliant. Thanks for that.

     

     

    I caught one of his tweets (Number 3 on your list) today on twitter.

     

     

    Very funny.

     

     

    Árd Macha

  12. thought today we done a them performance and ground out a win

     

     

    motm for me was Stokes – the guy is playing out of his skin at the minute, fair play to him, i wasnt a big fan of his since the end of his Falkirk days

     

     

    everybody got pass marks and some because that was a game we showed we had the heart

     

     

    Mr Richmond – that was a shocking display, hopefully that will be your last game for another year

     

     

    just a wee thing that annoyed me all day

     

     

    ESPN (Derek Rae?) kept coming out with stats that were negative against us

     

     

    we hadnt got a corner in 2 games(this was told twice to my knowledge) – 1st corner we got today we scored from, no mention of that fact again

     

     

    and everytime he mentioned Cha – he mentioned the og v rennes

     

     

    im warming to Craig Burley, a couple of things Derek Rea? has said Burley has pulled him up about it and fair play to him (= pro us for a change)

  13. Fraser Forster is a keeper in the Boruc mould who keeps you in games you would otherwise lose. He has done that today and on Thursday against Rennes.

     

     

    We don’t need to buy Paul Gallagher, Kello, Pernis or Cammy Bell.

     

     

    We need to buy Fraser Forster.

     

     

    And we need to cure some fans of their gigantophobia.

  14. CultsBhoy hates being 2nd on

    sftb

     

     

    I think FF has gigantophobia..he’s scare of himself!

     

     

    Can’t see him as the answer at this stage in his career – love to see him nurtured as a No 2 Goalie but for me he can not dominate his box and lacks presence – he does have a skill in shot stopping but he is no Boruc to my untrained eye..

     

     

    Personally like a “personality” goalie who has super confidence as that in turn bolsters defenders.. FF is not that Goalie yet.

  15. Boys use the link creator please.

     

     

    I’m away to the scratcher as I have polished off the remaining roast beef from today’s dinner.

     

     

    Oiche mhaith agus coladh sámh.

     

     

    Árd Macha

  16. Paddy Gallagher on

    setting free the bears says:

     

     

    6 November, 2011 at 23:23

     

     

    Fraser Forster is an improving keeper, thats for sure. The thing is the better he gets whilst playing for us the more Newcastle will want for him, unless a fee has been built into his loan contract.

  17. Paddy Gallagher on

    CultsBhoy hates being 2nd says:

     

     

    6 November, 2011 at 23:31

     

     

    PG

     

     

    I think we have a £2m option on FF…?

     

     

     

    Thanks bud..

  18. Cults/Paddy

     

     

    My comparison was not with Boruc’s confidence. FF is obviously less extrovert so you lose some dominance but you gain some consistency/concentration. He is doing exactly what he is coached to do as a young(ish) keeper. This is his 3rd season playing at a decent level- he now needs to kick on and most observers feel he is doing just that.

     

     

    His performance at the incident in the 2nd half today when the ball broke to the Well player and he blocked with his legs before recovering the ball, was an example of that.

     

     

    I worry that Newcastle have set the fee too high (Can we afford £2m for a keeper?) and we will go for the cheaper option in Craig Gordon as Sunderland now have Westwood and Mignolet. But, is Gordon still in peak condition or damaged goods?

  19. Fraser Forster was good today and Thursday.

     

    Thought he did well on crosses and is improving every week

  20. Evening Gents

     

     

    What time is the kick off for the Athletico Madrid game? Want to go but if its a 6PM start then its a struggle

     

     

    Thought we done enough today but losing the first goal all the time is giving me palpatations!!

     

     

    HH

     

     

    We will still win the league

  21. Sutton’s volley

     

     

    6pm.

     

     

    Still look on the bright side….the ground is going to be empty so I can take that ticket off yer hands – no charge.

     

     

    hail Hail

     

     

    Estadio

  22. Estadio

     

     

    Ha I’ve no even bought the ticket yet!! but think a might just take a half day and enjoy a wee tour of some of Glasgows shadiest watering holes!!

     

     

    HH

  23. Neil Lennon Is A Celtic Soul Brother says:

     

    6 November, 2011 at 22:17

     

     

    That is some quality commentary, if you are still on, what is the web address for this dudes twitter.

     

     

    Celtic were absolutely Magic today despite the most naked and emphatic answer that the SFA has not reformed in the slightest.

     

     

    It was good to see Neil back being the way he should be on the touchline, I hope that fire in his belly that is back, is projected into all his players psyche from here on in. Celtic Must overcome this adversity, there is nothing else for it, and when we do, watch this club Flourish.

     

     

    The fight off the field must be as relentless as our desire to be successful on the field, that Desire Neil is currently instilling in these young men.

     

     

    I thought Big Dan today was superb, Matthews has the head of a 30year old and is playing out of position, Beram is getting his mojo back also.

     

     

    I’m gutted that Victor was not up to his usual 8+ out of 10 performance today, first performance I have seen him look a bit jaded, no bad for one so young.

     

     

    James Forrest, wow, he was not allowed to play at his optimum but he was there teasing and tormenting in the second half and showing tremendous guts and courage in the face of relentless brutality, I am more impressed with this young guy every time I see him, even when he it is just a few moments of magic in a game, this guy has a Big future ahead of him.

     

     

    No failures in the Celtic team today and after a tough Euro game as well.

     

     

    Also Brilliant to see so many Kids promoted to the bench today, yes it may have been because of a shortage of fit players but I genuinely think we have a few players ready to make the big transition and IMO Neil Lennon is brilliant with young players, especially those that are Celtic fans first and foremost.