Motherwell 0, Celtic 4
| Match Date: Wednesday, May 7 2003 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 12,037 | |
| Motherwell Team (4-4-2): |
Woods, Corrigan, Partridge, Vaughan, Hammell, Cowan (Kinniburgh 19), Adams, Leitch, Pearson, McFadden (Offiong 70), Clarkson (Lehmann 76).
Subs not used: Lasley, Dubourdeau. Sent off: Adams.
Yellow Cards: Corrigan, Vaughan, McFadden, Partridge.
Red Card: Adams.
ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS
Motherwell 0 Celtic 4
DESPITE A PROMISING START Motherwell soon found that nothing would go their way at a wet and windy Fir Park. Playing with 10 men for over an hour they were also up against perhaps the worst Referee ever to take the field in the Scottish game.
Within the first sixty seconds McFadden and Hammel combined to force an early corner. Cleared as far as Hammel his low shot wasn't so far past the far post. David Clarkson then beat Laursen to a loose ball before squaring towards McFadden but Broto got down to gather. And Motherwell kept things in the opposition half with Partridge clearing a Petrov ball long towards McFadden. He in turn found Clarkson but Balde came across to end the danger. The first of many extremely soft free kicks in favour of the visitors wasn't long in coming. Firstly Thompson went down all too easily as Adams challenged then, just a minute later, Larsson was at his usual old tricks when Corrigan appeared to win the ball fairly. Thompson drove the ball off the wall and past for a corner which, when swung in, found Larsson unmarked but he prodded the ball past the far post. Motherwell should have had a corner of their own when Pearson forced an error by Balde but despite being well-positioned Referee McDonald decided it was a goal-kick. Play swung to the other end of the park and it took a great block from Woods to keep the scores level. Agathe crossed for Larsson and his lay-off was met by Lambert though Woods was there to parry the ball behind. As the corner was swung in Petrov was guilty of handball but play continued and the ball was cleared. Partridge then looked to have cleared ahead of Larsson but his dramatic fall convinced McDonald to award another free kick. Maloney remained on his feet long enough to test Woods who was equal to the shot. There was a very nasty moment when Cowan was caught by Lambert inside the box. Play continued despite Cowan's obvious distress and only stopped when Adams was sent flying by McNamara. Cowan was stretchered from the field with a fractured leg and was replaced by Kinniburgh. Referee McDonald further angered the Motherwell support when he decided to change his free kick decision and give a bounce ball instead. Larsson then looked well offside when he collected a long ball but play was waved on and his cross found Petrov who headed over. A pull by McNamara on McFadden gave Motherwell a free kick though it was wasted by a take from Adams who found only the touchline. McFadden then raced way upfield to the opposition box but his shot was held by Broto. Opposition teammate Maloney then was beaten quite fairly by Hammel who looked to take the ball upfield until once more Referee McDonald awarded a free kick. Motherwell cleared and it took a vital stop by Balde who just beat Clarkson to McFadden's pass. A quite superb tackle by McFadden then seemed to have won possession for Motherwell in the middle of the park but again a blunder by McDonald, who decided that Maloney losing possession was a free kick, saw Celtic regain possession. A minute later Lennon was lucky not to be sent off when he deliberately cannoned the ball off McFadden as he lay on the ground following a Maloney challenge, Lennon only seeing yellow. Partridge drove the ball off the hand of Balde but there was no penalty. Motherwell were then reduced to ten men when Adams was sent off for raising an arm at Thompson who was clambering over the back of the Motherwell man. Motherwell should have taken the lead moments later and only a great save denied them. Pearson and McFadden combined to set up Corrigan and his net bound effort was superbly turned round by Broto. This was cleared and Celtic won a corner of their own when Kinniburgh mis-hit a clearance though Thompson weakly shot past. Woods then got down to hold a shot from Thompson but the visitors took the lead shortly afterwards. Petrov gathered a ball inside the box and from a very tight angle beat Woods at his near post. Martyn Corrigan then saw yellow for the first time this season for a very soft foul on Lambert. It was almost two to the visitors though Woods made an excellent block from Petrov. In the four minutes of injury time a flailing fall from Maloney was enough to convince McDonald of another free kick. Thompson eventually shot for goal though Woods did well to hold.
Half-Time Motherwell 0 Celtic 1
Maloney picked up from where he left off, on his backside, when within moments of play resuming at the start of the second half a tackle from Kinniburgh, who won the ball, had the Celtic man writhing in agony. Needless to say soon as the whistle went Maloney sprung to his feet and was fit enough to blast the free kick well over the cross bar. Tony Vaughan was the next Motherwell man to see yellow, no surprise that it was Maloney who was involved in the incident. Vaughan then had to make a superbly timed tackle to deny Petrov as he looked set to meet a pass from Larsson near the penalty spot. An error from Kinniburgh allowed Larsson to force a corner which, when swung in, Maloney sent the ball wide from a position in space inside the box. Motherwell then gained a corner of their own and from an immediate second Hammel drifted the ball across the six-yard line and although all it needed was the merest of touches to draw the Fir Parkers level it wasn't for coming. And a minute or so later that was made all the more important a missed opportunity. Petrov strode into the box and upon receipt of the ball drove it high beyond Woods. Motherwell tried to hit back and although Clarkson seemed to have sent McFadden clear Lennon recovered to concede a throw. A schoolboy error from Woods almost presented the visitors with a third. He failed to check behind him and as he put the ball down to drive upfield Maloney, lurking behind, dispossessed the keeper who managed to recover just in time to clear. Motherwell were failing to get any passing movements together and fell further behind on the hour mark. After a Larsson shot had been saved Lambert did find the net from near the penalty spot. Motherwell fans and players alike were enraged when Clarkson, well on side, was flagged off as he raced clear on the wing. And it got worse for the Fir Parkers when Lambert gathered a Maloney pass to knock the ball up and then sent it over a stranded Woods and into the net for a fourth. McFadden was booked a minute later for a late challenge on McNamara. And within sixty seconds or so Partridge joined him in the book and for once the tackle on Maloney was a free kick. McFadden then left, replaced by Offiong and he had to be consoled by Boss Butcher who no doubt explained that either he subbed him or the visiting players would ensure he left with a second yellow. Stevie Woods then got down well to hold a drive from Maloney as he ran onto Larsson's pass. Both teams then made changes, Clarkson left to be replaced by Lehmann before the visitors took off Maloney and Agathe in place of Smith and Sylla respectively. A mistake by Broto almost let in Lehmann but he was rescued by McNamara near the spot inside the box. Lehmann was causing some problems and his lay off almost found Offiong but McNamara again came to his team's rescue. Smith then found Larsson inside the Motherwell box but he was guilty of a bad miss sending the ball wide. Richard Offiong should have pulled a goal back for Motherwell when he raced away but the placed shot was turned behind by Broto. A final change from the visitors saw Thompson replaced by Crainey.
Full Time Motherwell 0 Celtic 4
Match Report by Ricky Mullen