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BHOYS BATTLE FOR VITAL WIN – CELTIC GO EIGHT POINTS CLEAR
By The Lone Gunman
Motherwell 1 CELTIC 2
SPL
Saturday 3rd May
Kick-off: 1230pm
CELTIC scorers – McDonald 61 and Samaras 79
Motherwell scorer – Porter 60
CELTIC (4-4-2): Boruc; Hinkel, Balde, Caldwell and Naylor (Wilson 75); Nakamura (S Brown 65), Robson, Hartley and McGeady; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 65) and McDonald
Referee: Steve Conroy
It's game on in the race for SPL Championship as Celtic battled back from being a goal down against Motherwell to win 2-1 at Fir Park, thereby surging eight points clear of second-placed Rangers and intensifying the pressure on the Huns.
After a dire and dour first-half struggle, with Motherwell the better side, Motherwell seized the first goal in the 60th minute when abysmal defending on Celtic's left flank allowed the cross to come in. Chris Porter manoeuvred himself goal-side of Bobo Balde, who should have done better, and the Motherwell striker powered his header into the net.
Motherwell 1 CELTIC 0
With Celtic's Championship challenge necessitating all three points, the Hoops displayed superb character and spirit to immediately strike back, equalising seventy seconds later.
After the serious setback of conceding the opening goal, Aiden McGeady attacked down the left flank, the ball eventually finding Shunsuke Nakamura on the right-hand side of Motherwell's penalty box. The Japanese genius flighted a superb cross towards the back post and Scott McDonald rose to head the ball high into the net.
Motherwell 1 CELTIC 1 and Scott McDonald's 30th goal of the season.
Gordon Strachan then made two substitutions, replacing Celtic Captain for the day Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink with Georgios Samaras and Shunsuke Nakamura with Scott Brown.
However, it was the arrival of the Greek international striker that was to prove pivotal in Celtic's continuing challenge for the SPL Championship.
After Scott McDonald had won a free-kick wide on the left wing, the cross was fired towards the back post, where Bobo Balde challenged and won a corner kick – Celtic's first corner kick of the match.
And from the 79th minute set piece, which was whipped into the six-yard box by Barry Robson, Georgios Samaras stooped to head the ball into the net.
Motherwell 1 CELTIC 2 and a priceless goal from Georgios Samaras.
Celtic survived intense pressure from Motherwell in the final nail-biting minutes of the match, but emerged victorious and with all three precious points.
Consequently, the Hoops are now eight points clear of Rangers, who have four games in hand, the first of which in the Huns' crowded fixture calendar is at Easter Road on Sunday against Hibs.
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