Scottish League:The way Rangers' supporters and players celebrated a first win against their city rivals in 18 months and seven games, it would have been easy to believe they, and not Celtic, were poised to capture the Scottish Premier League title.
The championship race is all but over but that did not affect the passionate intensity of this Old Firm derby. Evidence of that came when Neil Lennon became engaged in a heated verbal joust with a home supporter as he left the field. Celtic's captain displayed his anger by firing a plastic bottle into the empty Rangers dugout and appeared, at one point, to be trying to challenge the fan physically.
Lennon was ushered down the tunnel by stewards and the fourth official, Kenny Clark. While it never appeared likely the midfielder was going to - or even attempt to - hit the supporter with the bottle, his conduct, not for the first time in one of these fixtures, was unimpressive.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan walked out of the press conference when asked for his opinion on the incident and it is believed neither Strathclyde police nor the referee, Stuart Dougal, will seek further action against Lennon. Dougal, ironically, clashed spectacularly with Lennon when Rangers defeated Celtic early last season.
Lennon's frustrations must have been partly down to the fact his team, which has a virtually unassailable 16-point lead in the league, failed to turn first-half superiority into goals. Ugo Ehiogu's overhead kick, five minutes into the second half, secured victory for Rangers' manager Walter Smith in his first derby since returning to Ibrox in January.
Smith insisted his record in these games - he lost only seven times in as many years during his last tenure - bore no relation to proceedings yesterday. Whatever message he passes to the players as they exit the away dressingroom at Parkhead, it clearly has the desired effect.
Celtic dominated early on, Kenny Miller guilty of abject profligacy as the home side sought to move to within one win of a successive title. Evander Sno and Steven Pressley passed up opportunities and Aiden McGeady felt he should have been awarded a penalty when falling under a challenge from Ehiogu.
Rangers had set out to stem Celtic's attacking prowess by adopting a physical approach but any suggestion Strachan's team were indulging solely in flowing football would be wide of the mark. The manager had deployed a combative midfield of Sno and Lennon while Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in attack ensured an abundance of high balls in to the Rangers penalty area.
In the first meaningful attack of the second half, Celtic's defence froze amid a routine corner from Charlie Adam and, as the ball bounced about eight yards from goal, Ehiogu produced a spectacular finish into Artur Boruc's top left corner. The Polish goalkeeper did get a hand to the ball but was unable to stop it from crossing the line. The goal rattled Celtic, who may have been suffering mentally and physically from last week's Champions League exit in Milan.
Strachan's options for freshening up what was now a stagnant showing were limited by his bench: there were three defenders among six outfield players and Thomas Gravesen ruled out due to injury.
"When you are clinging on to a lead with a few minutes to go, the tension hits you," said Smith, whose players seem to have regained the spirit which ebbed away under Paul Le Guen.
Guardian Service
