Sloppy ’Well go down to Celtic at Parkhead

May 6 2010 by Andrew Weston, Hamilton Advertiser

IF ever there was an example of an end-of-season kickabout, this was it.

A crowd of just 24,000 witnessed a game where the players, certainly in the first half, seemed to be going through the motions.

Celtic decided to move out of first gear in the second half but Motherwell didn’t and in the end the visitors were made to pay as four second-half goals gave Neil Lennon’s Celtic a convincing victory.

Motherwell have their cup final to come this evening against Hibernian; Celtic missed out on their chance of Scottish Cup glory in painful circumstances last month.

Nevertheless with Rangers to come just three days later, Celtic’s interim boss, who is trying desperately to convince the board he is the man to take the club forward, made six changes to his previous starting XI.

Motherwell made three and you got the feeling even before the game that both teams had more than half an eye on the midweek fixtures which could have major implications for both clubs, albeit in completely contrasting ways.

’Well gaffer Craig Brown described this performance as the most inept display since he took over at Fir Park at the turn of the year.

“There was a real slackness about us,” he commented after the game. “I had to say to them: ‘you are allowed to tackle, you know’. We seemed to spend an entire 90 minutes hardly putting a tackle in. We have the best disciplinary record in the league, but you have to get a tackle in.”

The return in goal of Motherwell’s player of the season John Ruddy gave cause for optimism almost as much as Hearts’ late winner against Hibs in the early afternoon kick-off, which meant Motherwell would remain fourth in the SPL table whatever the outcome at Parkhead.

Did that play in the players’ minds before kick-off? Probably not because the Lanarkshire outfit were a match for Celtic in the first 45 minutes.

Once they weathered the early storm in the opening 20 minutes of the contest, Motherwell could and probably should have got on the scoresheet.

It was Celtic who pressed initially and striker Morten Rasmussen found himself in acres of space six yards out after just three minutes with everyone waiting for the linesman to flag.

His effort was straight at Ruddy although the big stopper was helpless when teenage defender Josh Thompson passed up a great chance to score with his head.

After Aiden McGeady saw his effort parried away by Ruddy soon afterwards, Motherwell came more into the game, with midfielder Ross Forbes squandering a great opportunity, shooting tamely at goal, which allowed Thompson to clear off his line.

Tom Hateley nipped in at the front post to deflect a Steve Saunders cross just wide and the same player nearly gave Motherwell the lead five minutes from the interval.

Having enjoyed decent spells in possession, looking dangerous on the counter as well as creating a couple of good chances, Motherwell went in at the break in good spirits.

But these spirits were dashed almost immediately after the restart as Celtic upped the tempo.

Scott Brown hit the bar but McGeady went one better, adroitly dinking the ball over Ruddy from 12 yards out on 48 minutes.

Motherwell could not respond and despite the introduction of Lucas Jutkiewicz and Michael McGlinchey they looked toothless in the final third.

The ease with which Celtic claimed three late goals was disappointing.

Darren O’Dea had the simplest of tasks heading home a McGeady cross on 78 minutes and despite a Steven Saunders angled volley being cleared off the line, Celtic debutant James Forrest came off the bench to neatly flick the ball over Ruddy three minutes from time, due in part to the generosity of the Motherwell defence.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Robbie Keane showed his class in injury time to claim Celtic’s fourth.

Motherwell: Ruddy, Hammell, Reynolds, Craigan, Jennings, Sutton (McGlinchey 62), Murphy, O’Brien (Humphrey 68), Hateley, Forbes (Jutkiewicz 62), Saunders. Subs not used: Fraser, Fitzpatrick, Hutchinson, McHugh.

Booked: Craigan (73)