2011-11-06: Motherwell 1-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2011 – 2012 | 2011-2012 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic remain 12pts behind, but we've one game in hand.
• Internationals next week so no games!
• Celtic's first corner kick for three games! Amazing!!!!
• Debut for Dylan McGeouch (subbed on 90th min)

Review

(Wee Red of KDS)
Good 3 points in a tough game. Ref was consistent, problem was he was a homer throughout and thought he was reffing a juniors game.

But what can you say when the gaffer makes good substitutions, your central defenders were pretty difficult to get past, and for the second game running Sammy lays on a crucial goal with a header.

Add to that an improvement in the workrate in general, and that your main striking partnership is scoring goals again, and at crucial times. Stokes did really well with the equaliser, the fact that he was able to first touch that belly high ball into the net was quite superb.

Then Pat McCourt showed why he has displaced McNamara as the leader of the band, haufed, then up he gets and punishes their brutishness.

The RS radio people and Jim Whyte bitching when we win show that they expect the minimum of 10pts deducted, and that we may not even need the 10 pts. The seed of doubt and realisation is planted and germinating, green shoots expected soon. Hail feckin Hail.
—-
"The Scottish journos who saw nothing wrong today belong to the clique who averted their eyes from the Rangers tax case for an age"
McNally (Journalist from the Daily Mirror)

Teams

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)
• Audio Report: Paradise Report

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –
• 2011-12 Winners

Stats

Articles

Celtic grateful for Gary Hooper's late winner at Motherwell

Scottish Premier League 2011-12

Motherwell 1

Higdon 11

Celtic 2

Stokes 14,
Hooper 80

Ewan Murray at Fir Park
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 6 November 2011 14.32 GMT

Celtic's Gary Hooper

Celtic's Gary Hooper celebrates after scoring against Motherwel. Photograph: David Moir/Reuters

Celtic knew how important a win would be. Gary Hooper's late winner against Motherwell allowed the visitors to move into second place in the Scottish Premier League on goal difference.

Neil Lennon's team still trail Rangers by 12 points but the manager has been spared further speculation about his position on account of this hard-fought victory.

Back-to-back wins over Rennes and Motherwell have eased Lennon's predicament.

"If you want to go and win the title then I think the game was a must-win," said the Celtic first-team coach, Alan Thompson.

"If we don't win today it is virtually impossible but we hung on in there.

"So it was huge and it is a relief to get the last two games out the way. They were pressure games, no doubt about it, today more so I think."

In an engrossing, if bruising, encounter Michael Higdon had sent Motherwell ahead in the 11th minute. The forward met Tom Hateley's cross, after yet another set play that deceived the Celtic defence. It was also the third time in four matches that Celtic had fallen a goal behind.

This time a response was almost immediate. Georgios Samaras flicked a Kris Commons corner into the path of Anthony Stokes, who volleyed home an equaliser.

Samaras and Stokes passed up chances either side of the interval to send Celtic in front. Motherwell were far from bystanders, with Nicky Law denied by the visiting goalkeeper, Fraser Forster.

A Lennon substitution triggered victory. Paddy McCourt, who had replaced Samaras, danced through the Motherwell defence before feeding Stokes. The Irishman's low cross was met and converted, virtually on the Motherwell goalline, by Hooper.

Motherwell's Tim Clancy was dismissed, seven minutes from time, having kicked out at Hooper. Stuart McCall, the Motherwell manager, did not dispute the decision.

Man of the match Anthony Stokes (Celtic)

Motherwell1-2Celtic

Page last updated at 13:56 GMT, Sunday, 6 November 2011 By Colin Moffat

BBC Scotland Hooper knocked in the winning goal for Celtic at Fir Park Celtic leapfrogged Motherwell into second place in the Scottish Premier League thanks to a late goal from substitute Gary Hooper at Fir Park.

Michael Higdon headed Mothewell into an 11th-minute lead but Anthony Stokes replied from close range soon after.

With 10 minutes remaining, Hooper finished off a fine move involving Paddy McCourt and Stokes.

Motherwell's hopes of a comeback were dented when Tim Clancy was sent off for a foolish kick at Hooper.

The victory for Neil Lennon's team edges them ahead of Motherwell on goal difference, 12 points behind leaders Rangers, although they have a game in hand on both rivals.

Having weathered an early storm from the Steelmen, Celtic dug in and ground out a crucial result to relieve some of the pressure on Lennon.

Motherwell made all of the running in the opening exchanges, winning a series of corners against an uncertain Celtic defence.

And from the fifth of those set-pieces, Celtic were caught napping, allowing Tom Hateley to work a short pass with Nicky Law before swinging in a cross for Higdon to glance home from close range.

However, Celtic replied immediately with Stokes equalising from their first corner.

Georgios Samaras rose impressively to nod a Kris Commons delivery towards the back post and up popped the unmarked Irish striker to volley into the net.

Following the flurry of goalmouth incidents, the flow of the match deteriorated, with play disrupted by several robust midfield challenges from the home side.

Celtic defender Thomas Rogne saw his header from corner blocked on the goal-line by Keith Lasley but there was no further threat to either goalkeeper in the first half

Higdon managed to connect with low cross from Jamie Murphy but the striker's shot was tame, allowing Fraser Forster to gather comfortably.

The second half was four minutes old when Stokes raced on to a simple, long ball but 'Well keeper Darren Randolph was out quickly to block the shot.

Stokes set up Commons moment later and the midfielder, making his first start since his ordering off at Hearts on 2 October, did well to skip by one challenge in the penalty area but his progress was halted by a Steve Jennings tackle.

Motherwell broke swiftly and a lofted pass from Lasley fell for Law, only for Forster to use his large frame to close down the former Rotherham midfielder.

On 65 minutes, Murphy broke into the Celtic penalty area from the left and did well to thread a pass into the six yard box but Forster was alert and got a glove on the ball to deny Higdon a shooting opportunity.

Soon after, Murphy once again found the ball at his feet close to the Celtic goal but was crowded out by a cluster of green and white shirts as he shaped to shoot.

The winning goal came on 80 minutes, with substitute McCourt waltzing his way from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty box before feeding Stokes on the left and the striker's low cross was diverted home by Hooper.

Motherwell's day got worse when Clancy was sent off for a petulant kick at Hooper and Celtic held on to their lead with ease.