Sport

Celtic lack cutting edge again

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Motherwell 1 Celtic 1: IF GOAL difference is to play a defining role in the destination of this season…

EWAN MURRAY At Fir Park
Mon Feb 23 2009 - 00:00

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Motherwell 1 Celtic 1:IF GOAL difference is to play a defining role in the destination of this season's championship, Gordon Strachan has cause for concern.

Rangers, who moved to the top of the table for the first time in three months following their victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday, remained there by a margin of 10 goals after Celtic failed to win here yesterday.

Strachan, whose team has lacked a cutting edge in recent weeks, again had cause to point to profligacy. Celtic’s manager hardly stands accused of not giving his strikers due opportunity to end their drought. He played all three of his main men from the outset and Scott McDonald scored his second goal in three games, but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras must contribute more. “It was nothing like a fair result,” Strachan said. “At the moment, we can’t score goals. Scott is doing well but the rest of the team needs to join in.”

The visitors’ midfield was reinforced for a bruising encounter by the introduction of Gary Caldwell from defence, but McDonald (twice) and Vennegoor of Hesselink failed to turn early dominance into a goal. When the breakthrough did arrive, the bad surface played a part. McDonald appeared to mis-hit his shot after a mistake from Stephen Craigan but a bobble took the ball beyond Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

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Motherwell seemed as likely to equalise as their pitch was to be selected for a lawn bowls competition but when Glenn Loovens failed to clear a Jim O’Brien cross full back Paul Quinn slammed the ball home from 12 yards.

There was time for Celtic to push for a winner, but Samaras was again profligate and Scott Brown failed to round off a superb run with a suitable finish.

Guardian Service

MOTHERWELL: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Klimpl, O'Brien, Hughes, Fitzpatrick (Murphy 68), Sutton, Clarkson. Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Malcolm, Darren Smith, Lasley, McGarry, Aydilek. Booked: Klimpl, Hughes.

CELTIC: Boruc, Hinkel, Loovens, McManus, Naylor, Scott Brown, Caldwell, Nakamura, Samaras, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink (McGeady 63). Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Hartley, Flood, Crosas, Hutchinson, O'Dea. Booked: Scott Brown.

Referee: I Brines(Scotland).