Search the Community

Rudderless Caley Jags sunk at Parkhead With a new manager still not in place, John Docherty and Charlie Christie took control of the side and they sent out the same team that took a point the previous Saturday at East End Park. Mark Brown was fit enough to play and Celtic welcomed back Chris Sutton into the side as they eased the pain of their midweek CIS Cup defeat to Rangers with a comfortable win over Inverness. ICT found themselves a goal down after three minutes when Aiden McGeady curled in a cross from the left and Chris Sutton rose high to head into the net. It was not looking good at that stage as the home side pressed to increase their lead but it was ICT who gradually clawed their way back into the game and had a good amount of possession, especially in the midfield area. Graham Bayne was once again a tireless worker and he neatly set up Barry Wilson but a good tackle by Neil Lennon thwarted the danger. The play swung to the other end and Mark Brown pulled off a tremendous save from Henri Camara before Juanjo was fouled and Roy McBain's kick went inches over the bar. Half Time: 1-0 The home side increased their lead in 52 minutes with the first of a double from John Hartson. Jackie McNamara swung over a low cross from the right and Hartson swept the ball into the net. ICT rallied well and Magnus Hedman produced an excellent save from a 30 yard effort by Barry Wilson. Hedman later denied ICT skipper Stuart Golabek by turning his fierce effort round the post. Liam Fox replaced Juanjo and he was immediately involved in some fine passing with Russell Duncan and Roy McBain. ICT were then given a great chance to get back into the game in 73 minutes when Stanislav Varga brought Richie Hart crashing to the ground. A stonewall penalty but Wilson's weak effort was easily saved by Hedman. To rub salt into the wound, Celtic increased their lead five minutes later with another effort from Hartson. McGeady passed to Jackie McNamara who moved in on goal. Mark Brown narrowed the angle but McNamara managed to squeeze the ball goalwards and it was eventually put into the net by Hartson. Full Time: 3-0 A double substitution by both teams was made but by that time the game was lost for Caley Thistle and Celtic ran out easy winners. The goals... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Celtic: 3 (Sutton 3, Hartson 53, 77) Team: Hedman; McNamara, Varga, Balde, Valgaeren, McGeady, Lennon, Sutton (Pearson 80), Thompson, Camara (Juninho 80), Hartson. Subs not used: Marshall, Sylla, Lawson, Quinn - Booked: McNamara (26), Varga (74). Inverness CT: 0 Team: Brown; Tokely, Dods, Golabek, Munro, McBain, Hart (Keogh 80), Duncan, Wilson (Prunty 80) Juanjo (Fox 67), Bayne. Subs not used: Fraser; McCaffrey, Thomson, Black. Referee:- Hugh Dallas. Attendance: 56594

Neil Lennon - Shameless Cheat This was the big one - at ‘home’ to the champions in the SPL and live on Setanta TV. It turned out to be a day of drama and excitement but it ended in disappointment for the vast Caley Thistle support. John Robertson made one change to the line-up with Barry Wilson starting and Steve Hislop reverting to the bench. Chris Sutton was missing from the Celtic line-up through injury but new signing Senegalese striker Henri Camara made his first start. Celtic came out on top thanks to a wonder strike from Stan Petrov and a double from John Hartson but the defining moment of the afternoon was the 17th minute red card for ICT’s Juanjo. The home side started confidently and Juanjo hit over in the first minute. Mark Brown saved from Alan Thompson and Petrov then pressure on the Celtic goal ended with headed clearances by Bobo Balde and Petrov. Camara hit past the post then Celtic ‘keeper David Marshall had to come out of his area to head away from Juanjo in 16 minutes. The Spaniard’s game came to an end a minute later when he clashed with Neil Lennon. TV evidence confirmed that Lennon hit out at Juanjo after an accidental collision then Juanjo pushed Lennon’s chest. The Celt went down clutching his nose and fourth official Alan Freeland brought the incident to the attention of the referee – both he and his assistants saw nothing but a red card was produced for the Spaniard and Lennon received no punishment. Shameless cheating from Lennon. [note: the red card was later rescinded] Despite protests the decision stood and it was an uphill struggle for Caley Thistle after that. The team responded well and put up a great show but Celtic took advantage of the extra man in 25 minutes when Hartson headed in a Didier Agathe cross to make it 1-0. Mark Brown was in fine form and he saved from Thompson in 29 minutes and Camara three minutes later. At the other end Marshall saved from Barry Wilson in 40 minutes but it fell for Liam Keogh – he shot over from 18 yards. A Roy McBain corner in 42 minutes led to some confusion then a penalty award for hand-ball by Balde. It seemed a soft award but Wilson stepped up, sent Marshall the wrong way and it was 1-1. Stan Varga headed over at the other end and it remained 1-1 at the break. Half Time: 1-1 The second half was virtually all Celtic. Hartson headed wide in 52 minutes then a minute later Brown brilliantly tipped over an 18 yard shot from Hartson. The second soft penalty of the match came in 67 minutes when Grant Munro’s arm made contact with the ball but Brown dived to his right to deny Petrov. In the aftermath Ross Wallace crossed from the left and Petrov was there to score with a marvellous angled strike from the edge of the box. Hartson sealed it in 76 minutes when Brown parried a Joos Valgaeren shot and he was there to score from the rebound. A Richie Hart curling free kick in 83 minutes was missed by everyone and three minutes from time Thompson hit the bar with a 25 yard free kick. After three minutes of added time an Ian Black corner led to an old-fashioned stramash in the Celtic box, two shots blocked then a third saved by Marshall. Full Time: 1-3 Celtic deserved their victory but with ten men it was a hard task for Caley Thistle. The teams have now met four times in competitive games and it is two games each. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inverness CT: 1 Team: Brown, Tokely, McCaffrey, Munro, Golabek, Wilson (Prunty 70), Hart, Keogh, McBain (Black 81), Juanjo, Bayne (Hislop 65). Subs Not Used: Dods, Duncan, Proctor, Fraser. Booked: McBain, Hart, Hislop. - Sent Off: Juanjo (18). Goal: Wilson 44 pen. Celtic: 3 Team: Marshall, Agathe, Varga, Balde (Laursen 84), Valgaeren, Petrov (Lambert 80), Lennon, Thompson, Wallace (Pearson 80), Hartson, Camara. Subs Not Used: Douglas, McGeady, Cuthbert, McManus. Goals: Hartson 25, Petrov 68, Hartson 76. Att: 8,736 Ref: D McDonald ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~