Motherwell lose a late Goal as Celtic Sneak a Point

This game started off with some hard tackling especially from the Celtic defenders and the last of the early tackles left Scott Leitch on a stretcher. Brian Kerr who came on to replace him had a very good game.

In fifteen minutes Hartson headed home for Celtic after two defenders failed to jump with him and Marshall flapped as the ball went into the corner of the net.

This should have been the goal that lifted Celtic’s spirit and confidence but five minutes later they were pegged back by a very good Motherwell goal. Some lovely interlinking play by McCormack and Quinn resulted in the ball landing at Kerr’s feet and he unleashed the trigger and the ball ended up in the left corner of the net and it was 1-1. This goal was no more than Motherwell deserved after a brave and combative start.

In thirty three minutes Celtic reclaimed the lead with a header from Hartson. A nice move down the left was the build up, not marking was the first crime, a goalie going down in instalments was the second crime and a ball trickling into the net was the punishment. After that goal Motherwell didn’t play at all for the remainder of the first half and many in the Main and East stands were praying for a half time score of 1-2.

Sadly this didn’t come to fruition. The fourth goal of the half was from a penalty after Marshall clipped an onrushing forward. This looked like a dive from where I was but I am reliably informed it was a stonewaller and Hartson knocked it home. So 1-3 it was at half time.

Motherwell’s first goal was good and the second one from an attacking point of view was fairly decent as well. The new look Slim Jim Paterson dashed down the left wing and put in a nice cross which was maybe a tad on the heavy side but McCormack was there to put across for Jim Hamilton to score his first goal at Fir Park for Motherwell.

Three minutes later it was all square as a McDonald header went passed the helpless David Marshall. The defending from Celtic was atrocious but that wasn’t Motherwell’s problem and the chants of ‘Easy’ were going round the home stands. Three minutes later it should have been 4-3 for ‘Well. McDonald and Paterson broke through and a lovely ball to Paterson had him one on one with the keeper but he was unlucky that his shot having passed Marshall came off the post.

Another chance for a 4-3 lead came from a Craigan header at a set piece as he was also left unmarked. Seconds later the ball fell to Fagen about thirty yards out and he tried to emulate Scott McDonald’s first from May 22^nd but his audacious effort never had the ‘Well fans excited.

The long-term ‘Well fans among us knew the dangers of missing chances in a level game against the Old Firm so it was welcome relief when William Kinniburgh headed home a cross shortly after a free kick to give us the 4-3 lead we probably just about deserved. Don’t for a second be kidded that it was all Motherwell but the best chances at 3-3 all came to us.

The defending got deeper and deeper for a couple of minutes but it was a counter attack that looked that it had Hartson’s umpteenth foul on a defender in the build up that did for us. The ball came for Craig Beattie who put it past Marshall for his third goal in Celtic’s last four visits to Fir Park to make it 4-4.

Entertainment, passion and goals aplenty at Fir Park today and a good point for us; however there must be concern about some of the defending and goalkeeping.

Bring on Dunfermline next week!