2012-09-25: Celtic 4-1 Raith Rovers, SPL

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Trivia

• League Cup Round
• Lots of players rested and lots brought back, return for Zaluska, Watt, Rogne. Kayal and McGeouch.
• Debut for Efe Ambfose, impressive as well.
• Very low attendance but it is a lowly cup round and comes in middle of big matches (can't afford it in these austerity times).
  New 125th anniversary kit released, very impressive it is too.
• Gary Hooper good enough for England, says Neil Lennon
• UK rocked by floods and torrential rain….. partly responsible for low attendance.

Review

An easy enough game practically all one way despite our resting of many players. They got a jammy goal, but we showed our worth with some great goals. Hooper's four make him top scorer in the top league now.

Cracking debut from Ambrose with some great touches, and McGeouch's return with a splendid performance was warmly welcomed after a nasty injury.

(The Pin of KDS)
We played well tonight, those who were intimidated by the weather missed out.

His goals aside, Hooper is becoming increasingly adept at coming looking for the ball and playing passes. When we're playing with two wingers (as we were tonight) we need one of the strikers to do that, and Hooper does it well. I still think we're too focused on working the ball wide, I'd like to see us attempt to find a player 'in the hole' between the opposition midfield and defence more often, but when we do manage it, Hooper is usually the man.

He's infuriatingly one-footed, but his first touch is excellent. For a player to be able to drop into 'the hole' and collect the ball into feet, he needs to have a great first touch. In part this is because there is very little margin for error due to the crowed nature of that part of the field, but also because passes into that area often have to be drilled for the same reason. Added to his ability to cope with this, Hooper is extremely quick over 2-3 yards, which makes him good at showing for passes while marked. It's also one of the reasons he's so good at finishing, or rather; so good at getting to the ball first in order to make finishing possible.

McGeouch is someone I'd like to see Lennon try in a more central position. He played right-mid tonight and played well, but his best qualities are his control and clever feet, rather than his speed. He looks to me like he has all the attributes to be a very good attacking central midfielder, but this being Scotland, and him being small(ish) and skillful, his fate as a winger may be sealed. He's extremely skillful and two-footed, though, so I can only see McGeouch becoming an important player for us.

Ambrose could also become a fixture in the team. I wasn't surprised to see that he was powerful and a good tackler, but I didn't expect him to be so comfortable on the ball. He was also able to dribble forward at speed when given the chance, which was encouraging. He was playing against Raith Rovers, but for someone who also plays at centre-back, he appeared a remarkably rounded centre-mid.

I've not seen the goals again, but the build up to Hooper's 3rd (I think) was wonderful passing football. Forrest's effort off the post was also preceeded by some terrific passing.

Speaking of which; We appeared more willing to play it on the floor in defence tonight. That may be because of the lower level of opposition, but perhaps it was because Zaluska is seen as better with his feet than Forster. I'd like to see us playing like more often, we have a skillful team, time to stop firing it over their heads.

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Stats

Celtic v Raith Rovers

Possession
33% v 67%
90mins

Shots
19 v 4

On target
10 v 1

Corners
7 v 2

Fouls
3 v 12

Articles

Celtic 4-1 Raith Rovers: Gary Hooper steals the show with four-goal salvo

STV
25 September 2012 22:25 BST
Gary Hooper was a four-midable force as Celtic eased to victory against Raith Rovers.SNS Group
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Gary Hooper helped himself to four goals as Celtic eased their way to a 4-1 win over Raith Rovers at Parkhead and into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Communities League Cup.

The Hoops striker opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a trademark poacher's goal before Raith skipper Allan Walker levelled in the 27th minute with a deflected shot from 20 yards.

However, Hooper minimised any chances of a cup upset when he restored Celtic's lead before the break before completing his scoring spree in the second half against the Irn-Bru First Division side who were valiant but out of their depth.

With bigger tasks ahead in the coming weeks, especially in the Champions League, Celtic manager Neil Lennon would have been glad to see midfielders Beram Kayal and Joe Ledley get some game time following their lengthy absences out with ankle and groin complaints respectively.

Kayal recovered from the injury sustained in the 2-0 Champions League play-off win away to Helsingborg in August and his inclusion was one of six changes to the side which beat Dundee 2-0 in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Saturday.

New signing Efe Ambrose made his first start for the Hoops in midfield, with goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska together with Thomas Rogne, Dylan McGeouch and Tony Watt coming in against a Rovers side which had Grant Anderson in for David Smith.

The fixture did not capture the imagination of the home fans and the top tier of Celtic Park was closed, with most of the noise in the low-key early stages coming from the travelling supporters, encouraged by their side's efforts to pass the ball.

However, it was their desire to play football which saw the underdogs come unstuck.

Defender Jason Thomson's pass from wide on the right touchline was cut out by James Forrest who sped forward and switched the ball to McGeouch whose low driven cross was steered in almost casually from close range by Hooper.

It looked like it would be an early surrender by the visitors.

In the 14th minute Rovers goalkeeper David McGurn made a fine save from McGeouch's right-footed drive from 12 yards after he had been set up by Hooper.

Seconds later, the former Scunthorpe striker had a shot well saved by the Kirkcaldy number one in the same spell of pressure which ended with Rogne smashing the ball off the post.

The tempo then dropped as it appeared Celtic had everything in hand.

Watt flashed a shot over the bar from the edge of the box in the 25th minute but two minutes later the visitors, somewhat out of the blue, had their vociferous band of fans in raptures.

There was still plenty to do when striker Brian Graham played the ball into the unmarked Walker 20 yards from goal but his drive took a nick off Hoops defender Kelvin Wilson before spinning over Zaluska and going in off the post.

The mood inside Celtic Park changed immediately and the home fans groaned in the 33rd minute when Kayal scooped a Charlie Mulgrew corner over the bar from a few yards out.

However, order was restored in the 37th minute when Forrest raced down the left and his cross into the middle was, again, confidently converted by the unmarked Hooper.

Celtic's rearguard were prone to the occasional lapse and Raith should have levelled for the second time in the 50th minute when Walker set up Brian Graham with a fine cross but the big striker did not get enough on his header from eight yards and the ball went wide.

That was effectively the last hope Rovers had of pulling off a shock.

Hooper grabbed his hat-trick in the 58th minute when he finished off a fine move involving McGeouch and Adam Matthews by drilling an angled shot past McGurn and in at the far post.

On the hour mark the Englishman made it 4-1 when he tapped in from almost on the line after Kayal's shot lacked the power to see him on the scoresheet.

Kayal then made way for Ledley, who also returned for the first time since the win in Helsingborg, and watched in admiration, as did most inside Celtic Park, when Forrest hit the post in the 77th minute with a curling shot from outside the box.

McGurn was called into action again when he had to tip a powerful long-range drive from Matthews over the bar and thereafter it was simply a matter of Rovers keeping Celtic at bay.

BBC

Gary Hooper grabbed four goals against Raith Rovers as Celtic eased into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Communities League Cup.

Dylan McGeoch cut the ball back from the by-line and Hooper fired Celtic ahead after 12 minutes.

Allan Walker's deflected drive off Thomas Rogne put the First Division side level before the half hour.

Hooper fired his second from a James Forrest cross nine minutes later and added two more after the break.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon had taken the chance to give midfielders Beram Kayal and Joe Ledley some game time following their lengthy absences through injury and give recent signing Efe Ambrose his first start in midfield amid six changes to his side.

But, with the top tier of Celtic Park closed, most of the noise in the low-key early stages came from the travelling supporters.

They were encouraged by their side's efforts to build from the back, but that was to be their undoing when defender Jason Thomson's pass from wide on the right touchline was cut out by Forrest.

The winger sped forward and switched the ball to McGeouch whose low driven cross was steered in almost casually from close range by Hooper.
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Rovers goalkeeper David McGurn saved from McGeouch and Hooper, while Rogne smashed an effort off the post as Celtic threatened to run riot.

Somewhat out of the blue, Rovers were level when Walker gathered 20 yards from goal and his drive took a nick off defender Rogne before spinning over goalkeeper Lukas Zaluska and in off the post.

Kayal scooped a Charlie Mulgrew corner over the bar from a few yards out, but the groans in the home support turned to relieved cheers when Forrest's cross into the middle was confidently converted by the unmarked Hooper.

The Kirkcaldy side should have levelled for the second time in the 50th minute when Walker set up Brian Graham with a fine cross, but the big striker did not get enough on his header from eight yards and the ball went wide.

That was the last hope Rovers had of pulling off a shock as Hooper grabbed his hat-trick in the 58th minute when he finished off a fine move involving McGeouch and Adam Matthews by drilling an angled shot past McGurn.

On the hour mark, the Englishman tapped in from almost on the line after Kayal's shot lacked the power to see him on the scoresheet.

A Forrest shot struck the post and McGurn turned a powerful Matthews drive over the bar, but Celtic had already done enough for a comfortable win.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon : "Very pleased. Great performance going forward at times.

"Gary Hooper is a phenomenal goalscorer – he's a phenomenal player – and I'm delighted for him.

"He was the stand-out player for us with four great finishes and his general play as well.

"Ambrose's debut was as good a debut as you will see – composed, good pace to his game, played very well.

"He can play in a number of positions, but tonight in midfield we thought it was a good time to bed him in and it looked like he'd played here for years.

"Dylan started the game really well and James, once he's in full flow, is as good as any winger in Britain. Forrest, I think, is an exceptional talent and we saw that again.

"We've always wanted to play them together and it's given us food for thought."

Raith Rovers manager Grant Murray : "It was always going to be a difficult task and, when you go behind early, it does make it an uphill battle.

"But, credit to the guys, they got themselves back in the game and probably had a chance after that.

"But, when Celtic get the second and third, it does make it difficult.

"But my players can come away from here heads held high. They gave it everything they had."

Live Text Commentary
90:00 +2:23 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.
90:00 +1:59

Jason Thomson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kris Commons.
90:00 +0:44

Effort from 20 yards by Dylan McGeouch. Save by David McGurn.
89:51

The referee blows for offside. David McGurn restarts play with the free kick.
88:46

Direct free kick taken by Lukasz Zaluska.
88:46 Substitution

Substitution Edward Malowne goes off and Laurence Ellis comes on.
88:46

The assistant referee flags for offside against Brian Graham.
83:01

Kris Commons fouled by David Smith, the ref awards a free kick. Gary Hooper restarts play with the free kick.
81:42 Substitution

Substitution Kris Commons joins the action as a substitute, replacing James Forrest.
81:09

Unfair challenge on Brian Graham by Thomas Rogne results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Joe Hamill.
79:57

Adam Matthews takes a shot. Save made by David McGurn. Corner taken by James Forrest, Thomas Rogne has a headed effort from close range and clears the bar.
75:42

Short corner taken by James Forrest from the right by-line.
74:51

Shot by Patrick McCourt. Douglas Hill gets a block in.
72:13

James Forrest has an effort at goal from outside the box striking the post.
70:39 Substitution

Substitution Patrick McCourt joins the action as a substitute, replacing Tony Watt.
70:39

Shot by Brian Graham from just outside the area goes over the net.
68:14

Allan Walker takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by Joe Ledley.
67:08 Substitution

Substitution Greig Spence leaves the field to be replaced by Ross Callachan.
67:08 Substitution

Substitution Grant Anderson leaves the field to be replaced by David Smith.
66:40

Dylan McGeouch is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Joe Hamill.
63:25

Adam Matthews crosses the ball, David McGurn makes a save.
60:25 Substitution

Substitution Joe Ledley replaces Beram Kayal.
59:36

Assist on the goal came from Beram Kayal.
59:36 Goal scored

Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 4 – 1 Raith Goal scored by Gary Hooper from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Celtic 4-1 Raith.
57:38

Adam Matthews provided the assist for the goal.
57:38 Goal scored

Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 3 – 1 Raith A goal is scored by Gary Hooper from inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Celtic 3-1 Raith.
54:58

Brian Graham challenges Thomas Rogne unfairly and gives away a free kick. Beram Kayal takes the free kick.
52:24

Tony Watt has a drilled shot. David McGurn makes a save.
51:47

Edward Malowne challenges Gary Hooper unfairly and gives away a free kick. Beram Kayal takes the free kick.
49:34

Headed effort from deep inside the area by Brian Graham misses to the right of the goal.
48:34

Brian Graham fouled by Kelvin Wilson, the ref awards a free kick. Allan Walker takes the free kick.
46:41

Efe Ambrose has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
45:01

The second half kicks off.
45:00 +0:26 Half time

Half Time The whistle is blown to end the first half.
44:51

Effort on goal by Charlie Mulgrew from outside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the bar.
43:57

James Forrest has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal.
42:42

Unfair challenge on James Forrest by Grant Anderson results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Dylan McGeouch.
40:02

Efe Ambrose restarts play with the free kick.
40:02 Booking

Booking Grant Anderson goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
39:58

Grant Anderson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Hooper.
38:33

Grant Anderson has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide right of the target.
37:12

Charlie Mulgrew takes the outswinging corner, save by David McGurn.
36:05

Assist on the goal came from James Forrest.
36:05 Goal scored

Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 2 – 1 Raith Gary Hooper finds the net with a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Celtic 2-1 Raith.
35:27

Foul by Greig Spence on Lukasz Zaluska, free kick awarded. Lukasz Zaluska restarts play with the free kick.
34:27

Corner taken right-footed by Allan Walker from the right by-line, Beram Kayal manages to make a clearance.
31:39

Corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line, Beram Kayal produces a left-footed shot from close range which goes wide of the left-hand post.
31:14

Centre by Dylan McGeouch, Grant Anderson manages to make a clearance.
30:49

Short corner taken by Dylan McGeouch.
29:55

Dylan McGeouch gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Edward Malowne. Douglas Hill takes the direct free kick.
27:08

Brian Graham provided the assist for the goal.
27:08 Goal scored

Goal – Allan Walker – Celtic 1 – 1 Raith Allan Walker fires in a goal from just outside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Celtic 1-1 Raith.
25:52

Shot from just outside the box by Tony Watt goes over the crossbar.
24:53

Stuart Anderson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Beram Kayal. Kelvin Wilson takes the free kick.
24:07

Charlie Mulgrew crosses the ball.
23:16

Edward Malowne gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Adam Matthews. Free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
21:41

The assistant referee flags for offside against Brian Graham. Thomas Rogne restarts play with the free kick.
20:03

James Forrest fouled by Jason Thomson, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
19:29

Effort on goal by Beram Kayal from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.
18:04

Corner taken right-footed by Dylan McGeouch, Stuart Anderson manages to make a clearance.
17:26

The ball is swung over by Jason Thomson, Thomas Rogne manages to make a clearance.
15:42

Unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew by Simon Mensing results in a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
14:30

Gary Hooper takes a shot. Save by David McGurn.
13:54

Simon Mensing gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Beram Kayal. Dylan McGeouch takes the direct free kick.
13:09

Dylan McGeouch produces a drilled right-footed shot from 18 yards. Save made by David McGurn. Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Charlie Mulgrew.
11:29

Assist by Dylan McGeouch.
11:29 Goal scored

Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 1 – 0 Raith Gary Hooper fires in a goal from close range low into the middle of the goal. Celtic 1-0 Raith.
1:28

Shot by Beram Kayal from outside the box goes high over the target.
0:00

The ref blows the whistle to start the match.