Celtic 1, Motherwell 0

Match Date: Wednesday, February 21 2001
Competition: Scottish Premier League
Attendance: 58,880

Motherwell Team:

Goram, Corrigan, Strong, Kemble, Hammell, McMillan, Leitch (Lasley 45), Adams (Ramsay 74), Townsley, Spencer, McCulloch (Elliott 59).
Subs not used: Connolly, Nicholas.

CONTROVERSIAL LATE STRIKE DENIES BRAVE WELL

Celtic  1    Motherwell  0

BUNGLING WHISTLER JOHN ROWBOTHAM Ensured that Celtic's title bid continued unabated at Parkhead last night with a string of decisions which must have baffled even the home supporters. Just as the game was heading for a no-score draw he awarded a soft free kick which ultimately led to the game's only goal.

Motherwell were much changed from the side which lost in the Cup, defensively a much more settled look. Vega conceded the game's first free-kick when he climbed all over John Spencer near the halfway line, but the ball was played too far forward of McCulloch. A minute later Stevie Hammel made a great interception to stop Larsson near the by-line allowing the ball to run behind for a goal kick. It didn't take Rowbotham long to make his first inaccurate decision when he awarded Celtic a free kick after Petta had pushed Corrigan. The Motherwell defender recovered to gather a loose ball and send it up field where Valgaeren just managed to stop it reaching the breaking Spencer.

Former Fir Parker Lambert then caught Townsley late but again the free kick went the way of Celtic. Petta fired the ball goalwards but Strong was there to hook it clear. Spencer picked up the loose ball and his long ball fell inches ahead of the outstretched foot of McCulloch allowing Douglas to gather gratefully. Agathe then made the by-line racing past Hammel to send in a cross which Larrson rose but didn't connect properly with. The ball struck Townsley on the chest before rolling along the ground and into Goram's arms. Hesitation by Hammel then gave Larrson the chance to break and he made the by-line before cutting the ball back along the six-yard line but there was no connection and the ball ran out wide. Motherwell were losing the midfield battle allowing Celtic to break forward. Petta raced to the 18-yard line but what seemed like a solid but fair challenge by Strong was punished unsurprisingly by Rowbotham.

Larrson's effort was deflected into the path of Agathe and his shot was well blocked by Kemble for a corner. Goram came for it but flapped and it was Hammel to the rescue at the expense of another corner which Townsley headed well clear. The first yellow of the game went, without surprise, to a Motherwell player. Scott Leitch won the ball fairly from Larrson but Rowbotham deemed that in itself illegal and booked the Motherwell midfielder. Larrson sent in a fierce drive which Goram parried. Sutton laid it back for Larrson but this time Goram held the shot. Larrson was at it again soon afterwards and his flick was well intercepted by Townsley who headed behind. Motherwell for the most part were defending doggedly though a loose ball in midfield was pounced upon by Spencer giving the chance to break. He pinged the ball in the direction of McCulloch but again Valgaeren just got there to deny the forward.

Another great interception, this time by Strong, stopped Larrson as he bore down on goal and a minute later Townsley made a terrific tackle to win the ball from Sutton on the edge of the box. Kemble then attempted to find Goram with a header from Lambert's cross but the ball ran behind for a corner. Motherwell then enjoyed a spell of possession without actually penetrating the home defences, the final ball asking far too much. A late Lambert tackle on Hammel did gain a free-kick in a dangerous position but the take was poor summing up the key pass being Motherwell's downfall so far. The home fans were screaming for a penalty when Larrson made one of his trademark dives in the box as Kemble challenged. For once Referee Rowbotham called it right though he failed to book the Swede for the dramatic way he unnecessarily fell to the ground.

Motherwell had a great chance to break when Spencer had the ball but his pass to Adams was a touch late and the move was flagged off-side. Agathe escaped a booking for a very high challenge on Leitch and more incredibly there was no free kick with play waved on. Stevie Hammel picked up possession and his pass found Spencer but there the move broke down as the forward pass on to McCulloch was way too strong. The Motherwell fans were up in arms seconds later when Strong, lying injured in the box after taking a Sutton shot full in the midrift, was denied treatment for well over a minute as Celtic deliberately played on. Play only stopped when Lambert's shot was held by Goram who immediately put the ball right out.

Petta then had to leave injured after his shot was brilliantly blocked by Hammel. the Celtic player pulling up and being replaced by Petrov. Play had ran on with Agathe catching Townsley very late though again there was no card. As if to underline this Sutton then went right through on Kemble but play once more was waved on. This had been shortly after the same man had injured Leitch with a high tackle. Kemble required treatment during which the home fans jeered, though no doubt had it been the other way about play would have been stopped with Kemble leaving the field not to return. Right on the interval Celtic missed an open goal when the ball broke luckily for Larsson who knocked it along the goal line where Vega missed from point-blank range.

Half-Time     Celtic  0     Motherwell  0

Scott Leitch failed to appear for the start of the second half as a result of Sutton's knee-high tackle, with Lasley taking his place. Motherwell almost took the lead within a minute of the restart when a good move almost paid dividends. Strong's long ball found Spencer who mad a stunning stop to lay off for McCulloch but the volley was well held by Douglas. Celtic hit back with Agathe forcing a corner of Hammel which Goram punched well clear. Agathe regained possession but was quickly dispossessed by a great Lasley challenge. Or so it seemed. Play was instantly stopped by Rowbotham and Celtic given a free-kick 25 yards out. Larrson took it but drove over the bar.

A poor pass back by Agathe almost put his own team under immense presssure with Douglas only just able to beat McCulloch and clear. Derek Adams became the next Motherwell player to be booked for a rather innocuous challenge on Thompson near the box. Thompson recovered enough to leap to his feet once the free-kick had been given and it was McCulloch who got in the important header to clear. The ball ran to Spencer and he made a great run up the wing but his cross-field pass to Adams was cut out by Valgaeren. Celtic attacked with Sutton allowed to hold up the ball for Larrson. His lay-off found Petrov who drove way over the top. Lennon then took the ball to 25 yard from goal but likewise he was well off target. Another dive, this time by Petrov, failed to gather a yellow with play waved on after the challenge from Corrigan. As if to add insult to injury Townsley was then booked for a tackle on Larrson though quite how it could have been deemed bookable only Rowbotham knows.

Petrov met the ball as it was cleared out and his 25-yard drive was expertly dealt with by Goram. There should have been a foul given against Sutton after he lost possession and attempted to down Strong, the ball running behind. Just on the hour mark McCulloch made way for Stuart Elliott. Centre-half Benni Kemble was again the subject of a high and late tackle, this time from Mjallby, but there was little surprise as play continued. Young Keith Lasley was playing well and he linked with Spencer inside the box but as he looked to pull the trigger Lennon nipped in to usher the ball out. There appeared no way a Celtic player was going to be booked, this emphasised when a loos ball was won by Lasley with Valgaeren catching the Motherwell man late and Celtic allowed to regain possession. Celtic then came close when Thompson's cross was met by Sutton who rose ahead of Strong to crack a header off the post, Goram gathering the loose ball. Valgeren then left to be replaced by Boyd.

Despite being on the receiving end of some meaty challenges Kemble was next to be booked after Larrson made a Luganis-style flop after the two clashed. As the ball ran loose Elliot clipped it home but there was no way a goal was going to be awarded, at least not to Motherwell. Adams almost threw it all away when his error in midfield gave Larrson the chance to break but his shot from 16 yards was high and wide. It was Adams last involvement as he made way for Dougie Ramsay to come on, with the home team replacing Lambert with Moravcik. Motherwell had a great chance for a penalty denied when Vega deliberately controlled a Spencer pass and cleared. Goram then was sharp to stop Larrson's header from Petrov's cross out wide. Stuart Elliott was looking lively and he almost sent Lasley racing through, a very tight offside flag coming to Celtic's rescue.

With seven minutes to go Celtic were awarded a free kick when Moravcik took a leaf out of Larrson's book when shadowed by Townsley. There appeared to be minimal contact at most but Moravcik hit the ground as if hit by a hammer. He recovered quickly enough and curled what proved to be the only goal beyond the wall and Goram in goals. A minute later another stone-wall penalty was denied for Motherwell when Vega once again played basketball, this time with Corrigan's ball in, Corrigan then shooting but the ball was saved. Celtic almost finished the game off when Townsely's pass was intercepted by Thompson. His shot hit the bar with Larrson heading the rebound over from 8 yards out.

Larrson was then way off-side when he ran clear and his cross in was met by Sutton who had pushed Hammel out of the way, Townsley however was on hand to clear. Another off-side denied Elliott who looked to have timed his run perfectly onto Lasley's pass. Lasley and Petrov then clashed in midfield with the Celtic man retaliating quite strongly. Unsurprisingly there was a yellow card for Lasley but Petrov was allowed to escape without punishment. Celtic ran the clock down to gain the three points.

Full-time     Celtic  1     Motherwell  0

Match report by Ricky Mullen

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