There were two changes from the weekend's starting eleven. Clarkson and Paterson were replaced by Hamilton and McLean. Corrigan moved into the midfield and we shaped up 4-5-1 with McDonald looking to lead the attack.
We were level at this stage!
We looked the part for the first fifteen minutes. Posession was fifty-fifty and we had plenty of the ball in Celtic's last third. Unfortunately we had nothing resembling a goal threat during this period. The opposition then took it upon themselves to show how goals could be scored.
In the space of seven minutes we were three down and the contest was over. First, Petrov looked offside to the travelling support as he ran through the centre to give Smith no chance of a save. Next, we lost one which was the mirror image of the thirty second howler at Ibrox. A deep cross was met by Maloney and he duly dispatched number two. Hammell (presumably injured) was replaced by Quinn on the twenty minute mark and as soon as the switch was made Petrov fired the third in off the post from twenty odd yards.
A rare second half attack
The home team were then able to relax and stroke the ball about at leisure. They held unchallenged possession in their own half and probed our defence at will. We should have snatched one just befor the break when a short back pass from Balde let Foran in on the keeper. He managed to get the ball to the touchline with the goalie beaten but lost control.
Kerr started the second half with a thirty yard attempt which sailed over the bar and later we had a wee thrill when Foran raced onto a long punt. The ball bounced high inside the box and a lobbed header would have found the net. Again, his touch was poor and the chance was squandered.
Nakamora scored the fourth with precise free kick to the postage stamp and Petrov completed his hat trick for end the rout.
We will know in a week or two if the team has a reaction to these two games. With any luck a win at Dunfermline will get us back on track.