Darren Jackson came off the substitutes' bench to ease Celtic into the fourth
round of the Tennents Scottish Cup.
But it took the 83rd-minute strike from the Scottish international to calm the
Parkhead side and finally kill off a spirited show from their First Division
opponents.
Celtic's struggle could hardly have been expected when they made a whirlwind
start and went a goal ahead after only six minutes.
Morton manager Billy Stark, formerly an assistant coach at Celtic, must have
feared what was in store for him when Norwegian striker Harald Brattbakk put the
home side ahead.
A clever through-ball pierced the Morton defence and sent Brattbakk through to
coolly slide the ball past the advancing keeper John Hillcoat.
With the confidence of that early strike, Celtic went looking to add to their
tally - and it seemed as if it would be only a matter of time before they did
that.
After 15 minutes, Alan Stubbs got above the Morton defence only to see his
header somehow cleared off the line by another former Celt, Owen Archdeacon.
And then it was the turn of Jackie McNamara to try his luck with a shot which
outstretched keeper Hillcoat turned round the post for a corner.
However, Celtic received a warning in the 27th minute when Morton came close
to an equaliser. It took an outstanding reflex save from keeper Jonathan Gould
to defy Peter Duffield.
However, normal service was soon resumed and a minute later the action was
back at the Morton goalmouth as Alan Mahood cleared another Brattbakk header off
the line.
However, after that Celtic seemed to go into decline, particularly in the
second period and the First Division side, with winger Paul Blair looking
sprightly, grew in confidence.
And it took Celtic coach Wim Jansen to decide to employ his substitutes before
they gained control again.
After 72 minutes, a Craig Burley shot was deflected onto the bar and then six
minutes later Jackson, who had replaced Brattbakk, got the decisive second
goal.
Celtic could have had a third two minutes from time when Jackson was brought
down inside the penalty area. But Henrik Larsson spoiled the opportunity by
crashing his spot-kick against the bar.
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe (Annoni 90), McNamara, Rieper, Stubbs,
Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk (Jackson 74), Lambert,
Blinker (Wieghorst 67).
Booked: Mahe.
Goals: Brattbakk 6, Jackson 83.
Greenock Morton: Hillcoat, Collins, Archdeacon,
Aitken (Juttla 69), Anderson, Reid, Blair, Mahood (McGraw 84),
Duffield, Hawke, Blaikie (McPherson 77).
Booked: Anderson, Blair, Blaikie, Hawke.
Att: 40,014
Ref: A Freeland (Aberdeen).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook