2012-01-29: Falkirk 1-3 Celtic, League Cup

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

Trivia

• Semi-final match.
• Celtic into the final in March v Kilmarnock; the treble still on.
• Polish international striker Brozek, 28, is close to signing from Trabzonspor on a six-month loan deal.
• Club trying to sign Fojut before window shuts. €250k has been offered. If deal cannot be done other loan options considered
• Celtic signed Rabiu Ibrahim.
• Jay Fulton scores for Falkirk; his father Steve Fulton played for Celtic in the 1990s.
• Clear goal by Hooper chopped offside! Cracking free-kick by Stokes.
• Falkirk manager and ex-Celt/ex-Hun player Steven Pressley through a wobbley at half-time and was sent to the stands. He later apologised for behaviour on radio interview. It was a penalty so no complaints.
• Neil Lennon: "Never felt we were in that much danger today…Emilio a little but pedestrian…can't ask any more of players at moment."

Review

(Jungle G of KDS)
Flat but comfortable for most of first half till equaliser came. Falkirk are a decent wee footballing team who done themselves and BMcF proud today but even at h/t was in no doubt we'd find ways to avoid an upset, as they were still leaving far too much space and being made to look good by a Celtic team whose passing was far from sharp and rarely out of first gear in terms of dictating the pace. Second half and to be fair we didn't really seem to be responding the way I imagine NL would have liked after some half-time truths but Stokes showed his mercurial streak with a touch of class from a set piece and that was the spark we needed to see it out without any real alarm. Relaxed at last, the third was a tap-in on the end of a glorious turn and burst of pace from Hooper. Incredible really that plenty continue to insist he produces little other than feeding on the scraps, lacks a first touch, questionable workrate etc. Strong as an ox and a brilliant outlet, deceptively fast on the turn and can be as selfish as he is deadly.

Downside was Izzy's performance which was setting off alarm bells long before he was done by Baggio jr for the Bairns' equaliser. Hooked at half-time and worryingly NL at a loss as to why he's looking so lethargic as on the radio the manager refused to make excuses for the player and said that with every game a big one right now, if the Honduran is looking for time to get up to speed, we can't afford that at the moment. Wanyama was also out of sorts.

But in summary front two showing their class, keeper there when we needed him, a 14th domestic win on the bounce, some character shown to secure the result with room to spare and a cup final and the first leg of a potential treble to look forward to. Happy with that alright.

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Falkirk 1 – 3 Celtic: Anthony Stokes double fires Celtic to final

The Scotsman

Published on Sunday 29 January 2012 17:39

CELTIC will meet Kilmarnock in the Scottish Communities League Cup final after Anthony Stokes’ second-half double took the Glasgow side past battling Falkirk in their semi-final at Hampden.

Skipper Scott Brown fired the Hoops into the lead from the spot in the 26th minute after Bairns skipper Darren Dods had wrestled with Thomas Rogne at a corner and it looked like the Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders would go on to win with some ease.

However, 17-year-old Falkirk midfielder Jay Fulton, son of former Celtic player Stevie Fulton, dramatically levelled for the Irn-Bru First Division side before the break.

But there was to be no repeat of Celtic’s shock 2010 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to First Division Ross County thanks to former Bairns player Stokes.

The Irishman’s free-kick from 25 yards in the 56th minute gave Falkirk keeper Michael McGovern no chance and he tapped in from a Gary Hooper pass with five minutes remaining to make sure Celtic return to the national stadium on March 18.

Celtic were not at their best for long spells but their treble hopes remain alive with their next game in the William Hill Scottish Cup at Inverness next week.

Falkirk will continue their chase of Irn-Bru Division One leaders Ross County and they can take plenty of positives from their performance.

Celtic went into the game having won 12 successive SPL matches on their way to the top of the table.

Steven Pressley’s side had knocked out Rangers and Dundee United on their way to Hampden and they started brightly and with a confidence not often displayed by SPL teams when faced with Celtic.

However, in the 11th minute the Bairns were let off the hook with what appeared to be a contentious offside decision in their favour.

Brown’s right-footed drive from the edge of the box was tipped onto the post by Bairns keeper McGovern before Hooper rattled the rebound in to the net, only to turn and see the flag up.

Then, from a Charlie Mulgrew corner, Rogne crashed a header off the post, which perhaps led Dods get too close in the 26th minute when referee Euan Norris pointed to the spot and booked the Bairns skipper for wrestling Rogne to the ground at a Mulgrew corner.

There was little cause for complaint from Pressley’s side and Brown, who had scored last week at St Mirren, stepped up to slam the penalty past McGovern.

Celtic looked comfortable but there was even more drama in the 39th minute when Fulton drew Falkirk level with a fine goal.

Midfielder David Weatherston turned inside Celtic defender Cha Du-ri on the left and passed inside to Kallum Higginbotham who switched to Fulton who was running in to the box and he knocked the ball low past Fraser Forster before taking the cheers of the jubilant Bairns fans and his team-mates.

The Parkhead side were stunned but with seconds remaining of the first period remaining McGovern came to Falkirk’s rescue with a great point-blank save from James Forrest.

After remonstrating with Norris at the end of the first half about the penalty decision, Pressley found himself watching the second-half from the stand where he squirmed in frustration.

Emilio Izaguirre, who was missing at Falkirk’s goal, was replaced at the interval by Ki Sung-yueng with Victor Wanyama moving to centre-back and Mulgrew moving go to left-back.

Five minutes after the break Fulton had another chance when Higginbotham stood the ball up at the back post but this time, from 10 yards out, the midfielder bounced his shot over the bar.

In the 55th minute Rogne hit woodwork again, crashing a close-range shot off the bar from a Mulgrew corner which the Bairns had failed to deal with properly.

However, that only delayed the Hoops’ second goal which came a minute later when striker Anthony Stokes curled a wonderful free-kick from 25 yards over the defensive wall and past the helpless McGovern.

With that goal, Celtic regained their grip on the game and on the hour mark Ki had a powerful drive from 30 yards which was gathered by the Bairns keeper.

Falkirk substitute Blair Alston, who had replaced Fulton, drove wide from inside the box as the game began swinging from end to end.

With one goal in it and Higginbotham at the top of his game, the First Division side always had a chance and in the 78th minute Forster made a fine double save following a corner, first from Dods and then from Stewart Murdoch.

However, there was to be no shock and in the 85th minute Celtic’s final appointment was booked when Hooper got away from Dods on the right-hand side of the box and set up Stokes who knocked in from barely a yard out.

Falkirk 1-3 Celtic

Page last updated at 17:00 GMT, Sunday, 29 January 2012 By Andy Campbell

BBC Sport Scotland Stokes (centre) is contratulated by his team-mates after scoring Celtic's second Celtic will face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Communities League Cup final after overcoming Falkirk at Hampden.

Scott Brown's penalty gave Celtic a 27th-minute advantage.

But Jay Fulton, son of former Celtic and Falkirk midfielder Steve, levelled five minutes before half-time with a composed finish.

Anthony Stokes restored Celtic's lead with an excellent free-kick on 56 minutes and the striker got his second with a tap-in late on.

With the Bairns having knocked Rangers and Dundee United out of the competition in an earlier round, the First Division side were hoping to claim a third Scottish Premier League scalp, while Celtic were looking to continue their push for the domestic treble.

Falkirk's top goalscorer Farid El Alagui was unable to test Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster with a first-time shot that flew wide early on.

Celtic began to assert themselves and Brown's well-struck shot was touched onto the post by Michael McGovern.

Gary Hooper converted the rebound only to have his celebrations cut short by the offside flag but television replays suggested the goal should have stood.

The frame of the Falkirk goal was struck again when Thomas Rogne's downward header from James Forrest's corner bounced up onto the bar.

Rogne's presence at a corner was the catalyst for the opening goal as Darren Dods was penalised for grappling with the Celtic defender in the box. El Alagui (left) was unable to maintain his record of scoring in every round Brown confidently stroked the spot-kick to McGovern's left as the keeper dived in the other direction.

El Alagui's shot into the arms of Forster lacked power as Falkirk tried to respond quickly.

A slack pass from Victor Wanyama allowed the Bairns to mount the attack that would give them their equaliser.

David Weatherston retrieved, pushed down the left and cut the ball inside for Kallum Higginbotham.

Higginbotham had the awareness to spot Fulton's advancing run on the right-hand side of the penalty area and the inch-perfect pass was coolly converted by the 17-year-old.
Rogne was unable to connect with a teasing Brown free-kick and Forrest was denied by McGovern in the closing stages of the first half.

Steven Pressley marched onto the pitch just after the half-time whistle to remonstrate with referee Euan Norris and, as a result, the Falkirk manager watched the second half from the stand.
Fulton scooped the ball over after meeting Higginbotham's high, hanging cross shortly after play resumed.

Rogne was frustrated by the crossbar again with a deflected shot from Charlie Mulgrew's corner and, in the melee that followed, Stokes claimed unsuccessfully for a handball against Murray Wallace before the ball was cleared.

However, Celtic quickly won a free-kick and Stokes superbly curled the ball home to register a goal against his former club.

Fulton's replacement Blair Alston fired wide from the edge of the box before Forster made a double save to deny Dods and Stewart Murdoch as Falkirk continued to threaten.
At the other end, Joe Ledley's effort was deflected wide by Kieran Duffie and McGovern held a curving Mulgrew free-kick.

But Celtic did get a third goal on 86 minutes when Hooper burst towards the bye-line and cut back for Stokes to apply a simple finish. Neil Lennon's side will return to the national stadium to face Killie on 18 March,