Celtic 3, Motherwell 1
| Match Date: Sunday, December 1 2002 |
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| Competition: Scottish Premier League | |
| Attendance: 56,733 | |
| Motherwell Team (3-5-2): |
Dubourdeau, Corrigan, Kinniburgh, Dempsie (Quinn 67), Hammell,
Ferguson (Khaled 65), Fagan, Leitch (McDonald 84), Adams, McFadden, Lehmann.
Subs Not Used: Woods, Clarkson.
Motherwell scorer: Lehmann.
Yellow Cards: Fagan, Dempsie
Red Card: Fagan.
FLEDGLING WELL DO US PROUD
Celtic 3 Motherwell 1
ONE OF THE YOUNGEST EVER TEAMS TO Take the field at Parkhead put on an impressive display despite ultimately losing to their more expensive, experienced opponents. Fielding several players under 21 Motherwell swept away any crazy talk of a record score line and indeed came close to causing an upset.
However, as has been the case in recent weeks the fir parkers were slow out of the blocks and were almost behind within 90 seconds. Fernandez made a run from midfield and as Adams challenged inside the box the Parkhead man went down and immediately Referee Rowbotham pointed to the spot. Larsson stepped up but sent his spot kick well past the post with Dubordeau covering. From the kick out Ferguson appeared to be caught late by Fernandez but play continued. Celtic attacked again with Agathe going wide but Lehmann was on hand to stop the cross from the winger. Lehmann, playing centre-half, then prevented Hartson from causing trouble. However, a few moments later the Welshman out jumped Motherwell's makeshift defender to head over the bar fro the cross by Guppy. Great defending from Corrigan, blocking Larsson from reaching a deflected Hartson effort, kept the score line blank as the home side pressed. However, Motherwell pushed upfield themselves and some neat skill from Fagan took him wide though the cross was too deep. Celtic broke with Fernandez looking well offside but as play continued he set up Thompson who drove well over. Play should have stopped when Larsson went over the top on Fagan but it took Motherwell to kick the ball out of play before the youngster received treatment. The home side attacked again with Fernandez picking out Larsson but he headed well over the crossbar. Motherwell were not for sitting back and came close themselves. Ferguson whipped in a cross for Corrigan and finding Kinniburgh his resultant flick only needed a touch but there were no takers. Motherwell then conceded three successive corners but dealt with each effectively. The Parkhead team were awarded a soft free kick when Leitch looked to have won fairly from Fernandez. Hammel cleared the kick for a corner and Motherwell were temporarily reduced to ten men with Lehmann having to leave the field for treatment. Despite the lack of height at the back Motherwell denied the home side, Hartson heading off Kinniburgh with Dubordeau taking the ball.
Another Well player had to receive treatment a minute later, Dubordeau himself taking a blow with Kinniburgh having to kick the ball out of the Frenchman's hands and out of play before Referee Rowbotham would allow treatment. The Fir Parkers then had to defend another corner but the impressive Dubordeau punched well clear. Motherwell had an opportunity when Valgaeren body-checked McFadden 30 yards out. Although partially cleared Fagan returned the ball where Ferguson met it and forced a terrific save from Douglas. Motherwell were pressing and forced three successive corners and from the third came agonisingly close to taking the lead. Again it was Douglas who denied Ferguson who thought he had done enough connecting with the low ball from Dempsie. And just a minute later Motherwell were once again denied by the Scotland goalkeeper. This time Corrigan's net-bound header was parried and cleared. Celtic were rattled but attempted to hit back. Crainey crossed deep for Thompson but he sent the ball well into the stands. Then some great defending from Corrigan denied Larsson. As the break was approaching Kinniburgh conceded a corner and as this was swung in Hartson at the back post was left unmarked but failed to connect. Well past the two minutes injury time Fernandez shot past from 25 yards.
Half-Time Celtic 0 Motherwell 0
Motherwell pushed up right from kick off and should have had a free kick near the corner flag when Balde barged over Ferguson, however Referee Rowbotham was quick to award one to the home side when Ferguson tackled back. Loose defending almost let in Crainey but a terrific Fagan tackle stopped him at the expense of a corner. Dubordeau could only punch partially clear and Larsson hooked over the bar. A minute later the Swede shot past from a Hartson flick with the Motherwell defence again slack. The home side again pressed and it took a Leitch header off the line to deny Larsson with a header. However, two minutes later the brave Motherwell side went behind. Larsson snuck in at the back post and his mis-hit shot crept in despite Dubordeau's efforts to block it. The game's first bookings came when Fagan caught Valgaeren. However, rather unnecessarily Lambert chose to get stuck in and was very lucky to only see yellow when a red would not have been inappropriate. A slack pass back from Hammel then nearly let in Larsson for a second, with Dubordeau quickly off his line to force the Swede wide and ultimately shooting over. The next Motherwell man booked was Dempsie for a late tackle on Crainey. Celtic then missed a great chance to double their advantage when Hartson mis-hit his effort allowing Dubordeau to parry behind. There should have been a yellow, and given his first-half offence a second for Larsson when he was late on Dempsie but unsurprisingly play went unstopped. The quiet McFadden showed his undoubted skill to beat several players and shoot from 25 yards but unfortunately for Motherwell his shot went narrowly past the upright. Motherwell made a change, Ferguson making way for Kemas. Just after the change the home side rather fortuitously doubled their lead. Guppy cut in from the wing and his low cross was inadvertently diverted past Dubordeau by Leitch. Another change for the Fir Parkers saw the tiring Dempsie, on his full debut, make way for Quinn. Larsson then set-up Fernandez on the edge of the box but his shot sailed high over the bar. Kemas tried to then break down the home defence and he looked to have been fouled by Balde on the edge of the box but Referee Rowbotham waved play on. A dramatic Larsson fall near the corner of the 18-yard-line saw a free kick awarded and despite a superb block by Dubordeau the ball cannoned off Valgaeren and rolled into the net to give the home side their third. However, Motherwell hit back and scored with a superb goal. McFadden was brought down by Valgaeren and from the free kick picked out Lehmann whose looping header from just inside the box sailed over Douglas and into the net.
The home side made a triple change, Agathe, Guppy and Larsson making way for Sylla, McNamara and Maloney respectively. Motherwell had another chance to cause problems when Maloney brought down McFadden but this time the Motherwell man hit the wall. Adams curled the ball back in from deep and when it looked like Fagan would score he inexplicably punched the ball into the net. Referee Rowbotham was left with no option but to send the Motherwell man off for his second yellow card. A moment later only a brilliant Dubordeau save from Crainey's shot prevented a fourth goal for the home side. There was still over ten minutes left yet thousands of the self-proclaimed most loyal fans in the world were streaming for the exits. Dubordeau then made another great block, stopping Sylla with the ball running to Maloney and he cracked his effort of the bar. Motherwell's' third change saw Leitch replaced by another 18-year-old, McDonald. The Fir Parkers were tiring and given space Hartson passed up another easy chance with a header at the far post. There should have been a yellow for Thompson when he whacked Khmers but again there was no card. The lax home security was exposed near the end when two home fans invaded the pitch with not a single Steward or Police officer in pursuit. Right on full time Dubordeau superbly stopped the shot from Valgaeren, turning it over the bar. It had been a brave, impressive showing from the young Motherwell side giving great hope for the future.
Full-time Celtic 3 Motherwell 1
Match Report by Ricky Mullen