Substitute Darren Jackson put a late penalty wide with virtually his first
kick as Celtic spurned the chance to defeat Motherwell at Fir Park.
Jackson was put on the spot after 72 minutes when Brian Martin was penalised
for fouling Henrik Larsson but dragged a weak effort the wrong side of the
post.
The vital miss came at a time Celtic had regained the initiative after Willie
Falconer, in his first start since October because of a broken ankle, had given
the home side a surprise 55th-minute lead.
But a stunning 30-yard strike from former Motherwell man Paul Lambert six
minutes later pulled Celtic level in emphatic manner.
That was the cue for visiting head coach Wim Jansen to introduce Jackson for
the below-par Harald Brattbakk, hoping the Scotland man would make a telling
contribution. He did but hardly in the manner envisaged.
Celtic continued to press forward after the penalty miss in a frantic finish
but, as during a sterile first half, lacked the invention to break down a
stubborn Motherwell back line and must consider this two points dropped.
Celtic showed clear signs of anxiety throughout and were unsure quite how to
build on their 2-0 Old Firm success achieved against Rangers at Parkhead last
week.
Missing from that victory was Italian defender Enrico Annoni, who has returned
to his native land because of a family illness, allowing Stephane Mahe to return
to the Celtic line-up after a muscle strain.
Larsson offered Celtic's first real threat after seven minutes, turning
sharply when the ball broke to him in the area only for Rob Newman, on loan from
Norwich, to intervene at the last.
Both Mahe and Alan Stubbs had ambitious efforts from distance go narrowly wide
in the opening 20 minutes as Celtic began to settle after an uncertain opening.
But it was an opening half of few chances, the best falling to Motherwell's
Tommy Coyne who struck the side-netting after meeting a Lee McCulloch corner at
the far post.
Celtic's control of possession during the first 45 minutes was let down by the
wayward nature of the service from the flanks, denying their front men any kind
of service.
Norwegian international Brattbakk should still have done better on the stroke
of half-time, however, as he snatched at a volley, sending it high over the bar
after Motherwell failed to clear a Morten Wieghorst cross.
The game gathered momentum after the interval and another dangerous McCulloch
corner caused further trouble for Celtic, picking out Falconer who sent a firm
header past Jonathan Gould to make it 1-0.
Jackie McNamara responded for Celtic with a deep cross which found Brattbakk
in space after 58 minutes but his goalward effort was clawed away by an alert
Stevie Woods in the Motherwell goal.
Motherwell, having protected their advantage, almost doubled it when
McCulloch's low shot beat Gould but went narrowly wide of the far post with
Celtic looking short of ideas.
Yet after 61 minutes Lambert, who had scored a superb goal in the January 2
win against Rangers, again let fly from distance and again was unerring in his
accuracy, giving Woods no chance.
Encouraged at 1-1 Celtic pushed forward in numbers, Larsson earning the
penalty which might have brought victory had Jackson connected properly instead
of painfully scuffing the shot.
The point will feel like a defeat for Jansen, who knows that although Rangers
have been beaten several mental barriers remain before Celtic can be considered
ready to challenge consistently for what would be their first Scottish Premier
Division title for a decade.
Teams:
Motherwell: Woods, May, McMillan, Newman, Martin, Falconer, McCulloch, Garcin (Valikarri 64), Coyne (Shivute 85), McSkimming,
Coyle.
Subs Not Used: Hendrie.
Booked: Martin, Coyle.
Goals: Falconer 55.
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe, McNamara, Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk (Jackson 61), Lambert, Wieghorst (Blinker 82).
Subs Not Used: Hannah.
Goals: Lambert 61.
Att: 12,350
Ref: M Clark (Edinburgh).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook