**Motherwell V Them**

[Right_To_Censor 1,951]

Motherwell have lost the momentum that they had for 10-15 mins.

Think this will finish as the current scoreline i.e. 2-4

Agreed .They really lost the moment to score 3rd and it`s all over now..

don't you remember helicopter sunday? it could happen again without the helicopter

[demise 3,715]

Motherwell have lost the momentum that they had for 10-15 mins.

Think this will finish as the current scoreline i.e. 2-4

Agreed .They really lost the moment to score 3rd and it`s all over now..

don't you remember helicopter sunday? it could happen again without the helicopter

I really hope so,mate.

[Ace 3,645]

Motherwell have lost the momentum that they had for 10-15 mins.

Think this will finish as the current scoreline i.e. 2-4

Agreed .They really lost the moment to score 3rd and it`s all over now..

don't you remember helicopter sunday? it could happen again without the helicopter

I really hope so,mate.

Me too .. it just seems to be fizzling out really now.

Still, 2nd half brought the scummy fans down to earth, end of the 1st half they were world beaters now they are just the usual lucky barstewards.

If 'Well had decent forwards, they could have easily levelled this match.

[demise 3,715]

I still can`t figure out where the hell were motherwell in the first half,let them score 4 times..And the second half was pretty much different.That`s just terrible

[NOLUWDC 1]

can you hear them ? oh ah up the ra they are singing

scum

[Ace 3,645]

Yep ... heard it too.

Dirty Barstewards ... when will they be censured for singing songs in support of an illegal terrorist organisation.

It is against the law to provide support for them ... isn't it ??

[Renegade 0]

Yep ... heard it too.

Dirty Barstewards ... when will they be censured for singing songs in support of an illegal terrorist organisation.

It is against the law to provide support for them ... isn't it ??

Before our usual suspects come on and say it was "Ooh ahh Samaras..." since when did they sing that horrible Celtic Symphony before singing that? Exactly. Dry your eyes... they WERE singing it.

It's illegal alright. Not just in terms of the recent sectarianism crackdown... but actually formally illegal in this country.

But it's just the craic, know?

[BlueSuedeSambas 56,400]

The match report from the BBC:

A flawless first-half performance gave Celtic victory over Motherwell, who rallied in the second period.

Shaun Maloney put the visitors ahead with a tap-in from close range after four minutes.

A volley from Scott McDonald, and a Georgios Samaras brace gave the visitors a four-goal half-time lead.

And despite John Sutton and David Clarkson pulling two goals back after the break, it is Celtic who go into their European campaign on a high.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan raised some eyebrows by leaving out Andreas Hinkel, Paul Hartley, Shunsuke Nakamura and Aiden McGeady.

But the new-look midfield, anchored by Marc Crosas in his first start, displayed an energy and inventiveness that had been missing from previous matches this season.

Scott Brown had more licence to move forward, and with only four minutes on the clock he whipped the ball across goal between defence and goalkeeper.

Maloney was at the back post to tap the ball into an open net, for his first goal since returning to Celtic in August.

Samaras doubled Celtic's lead just four minutes later, when the Greek striker slipped the ball past Graeme Smith from ten yards after collecting Scott McDonald's lay-off.

After giving the away team a two-goal start, Motherwell steadied the ship.

However, they still struggled to create clear-cut chances, with John Sutton snatching at two shots, skewing one high and the other well wide.

And just as Motherwell were starting to play themselves into the game, they conceded a sloppy third.

Mark Wilson delivered a throw-in to McDonald, who was allowed to spin round Mark Reynolds too easily, and the Australian hit his first-time shot high into the net from inside the box.

David Clarkson struck an acrobatic overhead kick past Artur Boruc on the half-hour mark, but the Motherwell forward had strayed offside.

The Steelmen were fortunate not to go further behind when Maloney hit the bar from a free-kick.

But the respite was brief as Lee Naylor, McDonald and Samaras combined superbly for the Greek to slot the ball past Smith for number four, and the home side left the pitch at half-time to a cacophony of boos.

Samaras, excellent throughout, should have teed up McDonald for the fifth goal, but instead shot weakly with a hat-trick beckoning.

But, Motherwell manager Mark McGhee must have had stern words for his charges during the break, as it was the Steelmen who pulled one back after 55 minutes when John Sutton lashed a low volley past Boruc after Keith Lasley had nodded the ball down in the box.

And Clarkson brought Motherwell right back into the match two minutes later when he slid in to prod the ball under the Celtic goalkeeper.

The quick double had the visitors on the ropes as Motherwell grew in confidence, and with ten minutes remaining Clarkson again came close with a header that Boruc tipped away.

But the Glasgow side weathered the storm to emerge victors in a fantastic contest, as both teams now turn their attentions to European competition in mid-week.