celtic v motherwell

celtic needed to win today to keep a safe gap at the top of the league with rangers due to play against aberdeen the next day. it was a chilly day and there wasn't too much to warm the fans up and it wasn't as if celtic had to put much effort in against a poor motherwell side.

apart from a rebounded hartson shot which hoops striker, chris sutton should have scored from, there wasn't much to shout about until the half hour mark when bulgarian captain, stilian petrov powerfully struck past 'well keeper, gordon marshall after some smart work by sutton.

young talent, aiden mcgeady skilfully skipped past the lanarkshire side's steven hammell, but marshall just managed to parry his effort.

the bhoys looked eager to finish the match as they started the second half, with a few half chances going begging.

there was some more smart play by mcgeady when a flashy back heel from found sutton, for sutton to find hartson, only for the linesman to stop for offside.

just below the hour, hoops striker, chris sutton scored after there was a mix up with aussie striker, scott mcdonald which had left the motherwell players stranded for alan thompson to superbly cross for sutton to cooly finish off.

celtic manager, martin o'neill then sent on brazillian, juninho paulista and on-loan henri camara, but the points were already wrapped up and there wasn't much for them to do.

you couldn't pick a man of the match because players like chris sutton, stilian petrov, alan thompson and john hartson were all stand outs, but the whole team looked calm through the match.


CELTIC.....2-0 MOTHERWELL
Petrov 32,
Sutton 58

saturday 22nd january 2005

wrote on 29th.
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