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Quick Review

A bizarre game, started off incredibly with two quick fire goals in the first ten minutes saw Celtic take control and take a 4-0 lead into half-time. An amazing scoreline taking in that Naka & McGeady were on the bench following the last Celtic v Rangers game. Anyhow, second half was poor to put it mildly and Motherwell switched on and gave a far better account of themselves scoring two fine goals, and TBH deserved to take points from this game.

Suprisingly nerve racking before the Aaloborg game to come.

Trivia

• Naka & McGeady on the bench, JVoH suspended.
• Skippy scored a peach of a goal.
• Aalborg in first CL game on Wednesday coming.

Teams

Motherwell:
Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Hughes, Lasley, McGarry (O'Brien 58), Clarkson (Murphy 86), Porter, Sutton.
Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Malcolm, Darren Smith, Fitzpatrick,Connolly.
Booked: Lasley, Craigan, Reynolds.
Goals: Sutton 55, Clarkson 57.

Celtic:
Boruc,
Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor,
Robson, Crosas (Nakamura 80), Scott Brown, Maloney
Samaras, McDonald (Sheridan 86).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, McGeady, Loovens, Donati, Caddis.

Booked: McDonald, Robson, Samaras.
Goals: Maloney 5, Samaras 9, McDonald 24, Samaras 42.

Ref: C Thomson.
Attendance: 8,407

Articles

• Match Report

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee:
"I think we were outclassed totally in the first half by a very good Celtic team. "I don't read too much into the second-half comeback, the first half was the barometer I'm looking at, and it shows how far we still have to go. "Some of our play wasn't bad even in the first half, but individually our defending was poor - in particular at the Scott McDonald goal."
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I thought the football at times was exhilarating against a good Motherwell side." "We've not done that to many teams for a long time, and I thought the players' focus was excellent. "Samaras' performance was near enough 10 out of 10. He was great in the air, on the ball, scored goals, and in the fourth goal we saw a goal you dream of as a football manager."

Pictures

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KStreet

• Pre-match
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• MOTM
  • Result - Samaras (Link to MOTM Winners 2008/09)
• Post Match

Stats

Motherwell Sutton 55 Clarkson 57	2-4 (0-4)	Celtic Maloney 5 Samaras 9 McDonald 24 Samaras 42	R
Bookings: Lasley 61 Craigan 71 Reynolds 74		Bookings: McDonald 52 Robson 73 Samaras 75

Samaras' twin strikes banish hangover of Old Firm loss

15 September 2008 Provided by: The Independent Factiva News Search Sport |
*SCOTLAND MOTHERWELL 2 CELTIC 4 THE
CELTIC striker Georgios Samaras insists the Scottish Premier League champions have put their defeat by Rangers firmly behind them with their emphatic win over Motherwell on Saturday. Due to the international break, Gordon Strachan's players had two weeks to stew over their 4-2 capitulation at the hands of their bitter rivals. However, any fears of a lingering Old Firm hangover from the green side of Glasgow were blown away at Fir Park as Celtic stormed to a four-goal half-time lead with the Greece international Samaras helping himself to a double to take his tally to five in three games. Shaun Maloney and Scott McDonald grabbed the visitors' other goals and, perhaps understandably, Celtic eased off after the break, allowing goals from John Sutton and David Clarkson to give a sheen of respectability to the scoreline. Rangers remain top of the table following their 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox but Samaras claimed the first-half demolition of Motherwell - which he described as the best Celtic have played in his time at Parkhead - wiped away the memory of the Old Firm defeat. And the Greek hopes to take that form into Wednesday's home Champions League clash against Danish side Aalborg. "We have put the game against Rangers behind us," the ex-Manchester City striker said. "We lost but we are looking forward. Of course we are disappointed we lost the derby but we didn't lose the title and we will see at the end of the season who is the best team. We had a good tempo in the first half but after that we were a bit tired. We need a rest because we need to be ready for Wednesday. It's a massive game and we need the three points." Strachan made four changes to his side, dropping Aiden McGeady and Shunsuke Nakamura to the bench. Far from being weakened, Celtic turned in their best display this season leaving Strachan with a selection dilemma. Motherwell had been looking for a more positive result ahead of their trip to France for the first leg of their Uefa Cup first-round tie against Nancy next week.

Goals: Maloney (5) 0-1; Samaras (9) 0-2; McDonald (24) 0-3; Samaras (42) 0-4; Sutton (55) 1-4; Clarkson (57) 2-4. Motherwell: G Smith; Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell; Hughes, Lasley, McGarry (O'Brien, 58), Clarkson (Murphy, 86); Porter, Sutton. Substitutes not used: Nielsen, Malcolm, D Smith, Fitzpatrick, Connolly. Celtic: Boruc; Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Robson, Crosas (Nakamura 80), S Brown, Maloney; Samaras, McDonald (Sheridan 86). Substitutes not used: M Brown, McGeady, Loovens, Donati, Caddis. Referee: C Thomson (Scotland). Booked: Motherwell Lesley, Craigan, Reynolds; Celtic McDonald, Robson, Samaras. Man of the match: Samaras. Attendance: 8,407. (c) 2008 Independent & Media PLC The Independent