Jubilant scenes and controversy follow late salvo

Jubilant scenes and controversy follow late salvo


There was a lot to digest from the Bhoys’ thrilling 2-1 win in Dingwall that kept the pace with Rangers at the top of the table.


With the league leaders heading for a comfortable home win over rock bottom St Johnstone it was important for Ange Postecoglou’s men to ensure they avoided a slip-up at next-bottom Ross County.


As it was, we rescued the three points in dramatic fashion on the night, in spite of the referee Alan Muir’s performance. The official controversially sent off Swedish defender Carl Starfelt with a little over ten minutes of normal time remaining.


Ralston's late winner sparked jubilant scenes (source: www.football-addict.com)


Contentious officiating almost proved costly


Starfelt was first unbelievably booked for protesting an elbow to his face which drew blood before being issued a second yellow for a foul minutes later with the tie finely-poised at 1-1. The decision for the first yellow card will surely be looked at by the SFA and the club need to make their feelings known in public about it - something they are not always keen to do.


Postecoglou spoke on the refereeing display, saying: “I think a few of the decisions went against us tonight but we’re just trying to win games of football and that’s what I keep telling the lads.


“We just keep doing our thing and winning games of football and not worry about all these other things that potentially are trying to derail us."


Fighting spirit against the odds to claim vital win


This corresponding fixture last season saw a 1-0 defeat which ended Neil Lennon’s reign in his second spell in charge, and with an injury list as long as Duke Street and a makeshift lineup with James Forrest and Mikey Johnston added to it and Liel Abada playing up front, there was potential for another tough night against an in-form opponent unbeaten in five games.


Abada had earlier put Celtic ahead on 21 minutes with a simple finish from a left-sided cross by full-back Liam Scales’ who was making his first start for the club, only for Jack Baldwin to bundle home a corner to equalise for the home side midway through the second half after the visitors had missed a host of chances to double the lead.


Then after Starfelt was dismissed for hauling down Regan Charles-Cook, albeit unfairly dismissed given the nature of his first booking, it looked a tall order to keep the pressure on Rangers at the top.


But up stepped full-back Anthony Ralston to head in Tom Rogic’s cross for a stunning 97th-minute winner that sparked a celebratory pitch invasion from the travelling support and scenes of joyous euphoria in the away dugout.


Big Ange was delighted with the outcome, saying: “After putting in an enormous shift, we found a way to get a winner and I think it was just rewards for their efforts.


“I don’t think we were settling for anything. At the end we were trying to win the game which shows the spirit of the lads that with ten men they were not going to settle for one point. That’s not what we’re about, they wanted to win that game and they did it.”



Makeshift team provide outpouring of joy


And on the makeshift line-up enforced by a big injury list he added: “Obviously we are missing quite a few players particularly in the front third so we needed to get creative tonight.


“I thought Liel did a great job for us leading the line and a young Owen Moffat when he came on gave us a bit of energy which was pleasing.”


Ralston’s dramatic late winner and the scenes that followed were sources of joy for the travelling Bhoys fans and Ange was fully in their camp.


“The fans have had a long drive up and it’s a long drive home,” he said. “When you score a last second goal in front of them then you can imagine there’d be some overexuberance there!


“It was great for them because they have had a long journey and there’s a real bond developing between the team and the fans. Nights like tonight help that as well.”


The travelling support was full of delight talking to CelticFansTV after the final whistle.


Big Ange celebrates a dramatic late win (source: The Scotsman)


Player Ratings



Hart (6), Juranovic (7), Carter-Vickers (6), Starfelt (6), Scales (7), McGregor (7), Bitton (7), Ralston (8), Abada (7), Turnbull (7), Montgomery (6).Subs: Rogic (6), Moffat (n/a)


Next up…


The nature of the midweek win seemingly against the odds means Postecoglou’s men go into Sunday’s League Cup final against Hibernian at Hampden Park (15:00 GMT) on a massive high.


But they will still be without some key players and will have to call on more of that big fighting spirit to lift the first silverware of the Aussie’s era. He confirmed: “I’m still hopeful one or two of them will be available for Sunday, but which ones I’m not sure yet. They are all pretty keen to be involved, but we will have to be smart in who we use.


Despite the missing players, and with Hibs having a decent recent record in Cup ties at Hampden Park, the odds are still stacked heavily in favour of a first piece of silverware for Postecoglou.


Celtic lifted this trophy four years in a row until last season when St. Johnstone broke that run, and the Bhoys can be found as short as 8/13, 5/18 and even 2/7 with some bookmakers whilst Hibs are as long as 10/3 and 11/2 to claim the crown.


Fans looking for the best selections on the remainder of the league season, meanwhile, can check the Everygame sportsbook review. You can find out about the sign up process, banking/withdrawal options, and they offer 100 percent cash bonus.


On the subject of the upcoming final meanwhile, the boss added: “It’s a big game for us and we want to make sure we perform at the best level we can so we’ll get down the road and recover and get ready for it.”