March Review: Madness in March

TC Month Review: Madness in March



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March was certainly a month filled with more than a bit of excitement for Celtic fans as the club were involved in five games across three competitions. During this time, games starring the Hoops featured disappointment, 19 goals, last gasp comebacks and thrilling strikes.

The month kicked off with the chance for Neil Lennon's side to gain a measure of revenge on St Mirren for eliminating them from the League Cup in January. This time, the Hoops headed for Paisley, where they would also end the month, looking to book their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup with victory over the Buddies.

They were sent on their way to Hampden once again after stand-in captain Joe Ledley opened the scoring with a fine header from a pinpoint James Forrest cross early on. That lead did not last too long though as Emilio Izaguirre twice failed to clear the ball properly from danger and Esmael Goncalves then capitalised on his slack back pass to tap into an empty net as defensive worries were again displayed.

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However, Celtic would not be denied against St Mirren on this occasion and secured their spot in the competition they last won in 2011 against Motherwell through a goal from Anthony Stokes. Forrest and Gary Hooper linked up with a short corner and the ball was clipped towards the back post where the Dubliner easily converted.

Four days later, the side made their way to Turin to take on Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie for a game that was effectively finished with the visitors trailing 3-0 from the first leg. Despite the Scottish champions giving a good account of themselves in both games against the Italian kings, they again fell to defeat.

Hooper was easily dispossessed by Andrea Barzagli who teed up Fabio Quagliarella for a drive at goal and, although Fraser Forster did well to save, Alessandro Matri was there to tap home the follow up and end Celtic's slim hopes. In the second half, it was Quagliarella who completed the scoring for the night when he tapped home after being set up by Arturo Vidal following a fine Andrea Pirlo pass and thus ending the Bhoys' European adventure until next season.

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That was followed up by a much more frustrating defeat as the Hoops threw away a 2-0 lead in the Highlands to fall to a surprise loss at the hands of Ross County. The away side raced into the lead through two excellent goals; first Charlie Mulgrew curling the ball into the back of the net sensationally directly from a corner kick before Hooper chipped the ball coolly over the head of Michael Fraser from the edge of the area.

But all of that would count for nothing when Grant Munro crashed the ball home to give the Staggies hope on the half hour mark and that goal was quickly followed up by a scrappy finish from Sam Morrow before Steffen Wohlfarth nodded the ball over Forster to complete the incredible comeback in the 90th minute.

However, it was to be a complete role reversal the following week when Celtic met Aberdeen at Parkhead, the Bhoys completing an even more unbelievable turnaround in front of their own fans. Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras' strikes may have been 95 minutes apart but there was a breathtaking amount of action packed in between.

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The Scotland international gave the hosts the lead with one of the SPL's fastest ever goals by driving the ball home from a Stokes pass after just 13 seconds of play. It did not help the Celts drive on from there though and they soon found themselves 3-1 down after a fine Dons revival.

Josh Magennis teed up Scott Vernon before the break for an easy finish and Magennis then grabbed a quick double after the restart to stun Celtic and attempt to send manager Craig Brown into his pending retirement on the best possible note. The Hoops though never know when they are beaten and Mulgrew revived hopes with 22 minutes remaining by driving a deflected effort past Jamie Langfield.

With only three minutes remaining, Celtic got their equaliser through Hooper when he was first to react to Efe Ambrose's header being blocked by tapping home from close range. In the final minute of injury time, the comeback was completed in almost Roy of the Rovers-style as substitute Georgios Samaras acrobatically netted the winner through a brilliant overhead kick and send Parkhead into a frenzy.

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Following the international break, the last game of the month came when Celtic again returned to Paisley to meet St Mirren, this time on league duty. It was a game filled with more than enough controversy that left Celtic boss Lennon understandably raging as they left with a 1-1 draw that should have been a win for the visitors.

They went ahead thanks to an early header from Commons who unfortunately was stretchered off injured following a nasty collision with Beram Kayal although St Mirren felt aggrieved they were not awarded a goal which was ruled out for a nudge on Forster or a penalty from a potential Samaras handball.

Victor Wanyama was then handed one of the most ridiculous red cards you will witness this season when Bobby Madden ejected him for a late tackle on Paul McGowan in the middle of the park that neither saw him go to ground or lunge with both feet. The former Celt grabbed the equaliser in the closing stages from the penalty spot following the poor decision to award the Buddies a penalty after Goncalves dived over an Izaguirre challenge outside the penalty area but the referee pointed to the spot and end the month on a frustrating note for the Hoops.

Celtic results
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St Mirren 1-2 Celtic (SC): Ledley, Stokes
Juventus 2-0 Celtic (UCL)
Ross County 3-2 Celtic (SPL): Mulgrew, Hooper
Celtic 4-3 Aberdeen (SPL): Commons, Mulgrew, Hooper, Samaras
St Mirren 1-1 Celtic (SPL): Commons

Player of the Month
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Kris Commons - Chipped in with some crucial goals for the Bhoys this month who will be hoping that his injury in the last game of March will not be too serious.

Goal of the Month
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Georgios Samaras (v Aberdeen) - For sheer drama and execution under extreme pressure, it is hard to beat an overhead kick deep in injury time for a 4-3 win after trailing by two goals just over 20 minutes previously although Mulgrew's corner runs it close.

P.W.
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