victory puts celts well clear

Gregor Kyle
CELTIC turned up the heat in this enthralling title race with a late 2-1 victory over Motherwell that extends their lead at the top of the table to eight points.

Georgios Samaras was the matchwinner after coming on as a second half substitute in this scrappy, nerve-ridden affair.

But Celtic once again had to pass a test of character in this match, with Scott McDonald levelling just two minutes after Chris Porter had fired Motherwell into the lead.

Gordon Strachan was forced to make one notable change to the side that beat Rangers 3-2 in last weekend’s thrilling derby, with Bobo Balde stepping into the centre of defence in place of the injured captain, Stephen McManus.

But the manager stuck with the on-form midfield partnership of Barry Robson and Paul Hartley, who more than repaid his faith with driving, committed performances over the course of the ensuing 90 minutes.

Motherwell were meanwhile approaching this game with their own ambitions, still pushing for the third place finish that would guarantee UEFA Cup football next season.

The match, played out once again on a pitch that is embarrassingly unfit for Premier League football, thus enjoyed a fairly tempestuous start, with Robert Malcolm pushing Shunsuke Nakamura early on and the Japanese midfielder uncharacteristically responding in kind when hit by a poor challenge by David Clarkson.

That wasn’t the first strong tackle on the Japanese playmaker during this opening ten minutes, which was rounded off by the first clear chance of the game when Keith Lasley screwed his close-range shot tamely wide of the post.

It was immediately apparent that this would be a much closer affair than last month’s 4-1 win at Fir Park and this time around, the home side did succeed in winning a series of first half corners that put the Celtic defence under pressure.

Throughout this testing first half hour the league leaders stuck to their guns, playing the better football and creating the better chances, with Andreas Hinkel sending a dipping effort wide from around 25 yards out, with a later goal-line stramash resulting in Scott McDonald’s shot being clocked by a covering defender.

A lovely back heel from Nakamura almost put through Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink as well, but Marc Fitzpatrick was the man who enjoyed the outstanding opportunity after Darren Smith outmuscled Lee Naylor and clipped in a cross that found the midfielder’s run.

Fitzpatrick had the time to look up and pick his spot, but drove the ball straight at Artur Boruc in what was a real let-off for Celtic and in the lead-up to half-time Motherwell continued to attack a flank that was perhaps weakened by the absence of left-sided centre back McManus.

The second half kicked off in a similarly busy, if somewhat scrappy fashion, with Boruc plucking a chip shot from Clarkson out the air after Motherwell had won yet another corner kick.

Then, in two dramatic minutes, this game exploded into life with Motherwell taking the lead and Celtic silencing a jubilant home crowd with a lightning-quick equaliser.

The opening goal came in the 60th minute, just as the pace of the game looked to be dipping and it was made on Celtic’s left, where Brian McLean got in front of Naylor and curled a ball across goal, where Chris Porter squeezed past Balde and simply headed home.

Celtic’s response was immediate and no sooner had the game restarted than Shunsuke Nakamura was lifting a ball in to the back post where Scott McDonald got above his man and headed past Luke Daniels.

In the wake of the goals Gordon Strachan immediately went for broke, bringing on Scott Brown and Georgios Samaras and within seconds of their introduction, both men had caused problems in the Motherwell box.

This game was now well and truly on, with both sides threatening as the pace intensified and then, with 11 minutes left in the game, the Greek substitute turned the tables with what would ultimately stand as the dramatic matchwinner.

Once again it was a ball to the back post that caused the problems, this time curled in from a Robson corner, with Samaras finding the space to bundle it over the line from a couple of yards out.

The remaining minutes of this match was less of a game of football and more a sickening ordeal as Motherwell went for the equaliser that would certainly have buried Celtic’s defence of the title.

But Gordon Strachan’s men held out for the victory that puts them eight points clear at the summit and maintains the pressure on Rangers, who still have four games on hand.

Scottish Premier League
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Fir Park, Motherwell

MOTHERWELL… 1
(Porter 60)
CELTIC… 2
(McDonald 62, Samaras 79)

WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH: Gary Caldwell

MOTHERWELL (4-5-1) Daniels; McLean, Reynolds, Craigan, Hammell; Smith (McCormack 74), Malcolm, Lasley (Murphy 87), Fitzpatrick, Clarkson (Hughes 82); Porter.
Subs: Smith, McGarry, Lappin, Meechan.
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Balde, Caldwell, Naylor (Wilson 76); Nakamura (S Brown 65), Hartley, Robson, McGeady; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 65), McDonald.
Subs: M Brown, O’Dea, Hutchinson, Pressley.