SCOTTISH CUP 4th ROUND


Saturday 22nd January 2022. K.O. 5.30pm

Recreation Park. Alloa.



ALLOA 1-2 CELTIC

scorers: Celtic. Giakoumakis (14) Abada (45+1)
Alloa. Sammon (78)



This game was a poor spectacle at any level but definitely not helped by yet another plastic pitch. It’s clearly obvious that Celtic can’t play to their style on these surfaces and this one was bone dry which only contributed to slowing down the action.

The scoreline definitely flattered the home side as Celtic could and should have scored at least another three goals with Maeda in particular fluffing his lines several times. Ange Postecoglou took advantage to rest a few players and with this he also made a change to the formation that he used against Hibs.



In came a fit again Ralston, Welsh, Scales, Giakoumakis and Ideguchi in place of Juranović, Carter-Vickers, Taylor, Hatate and Forrest. He also moved Maeda out to the left wing and appointed Giakoumakis as lone striker.

The first big effort of the game came from the Wasps as Ralston was mugged off the ball in midfield by Niang. He played the ball to Connor Sammon who spotted Joe Hart well off his line and decided to fire an effort from just over the halfway line but watched it float over the crossbar. It would have been a stunning goal if it had come off but thankfully, for Celtic, it didn’t.



The first ten minutes were much more productive for Alloa as Celtic seemed to find it difficult to settle. Alloa were pressing all over the park and pushing forward to good effect. There was a call on 10 minutes for handball by Alloa in their box but the referee played on. The opening goal came 4 minutes later when Celtic had got into their stride.

Liam Scales received the ball on the left touch line. He lifted his head and sent an inch perfect cross into the front post where Giakoumakis arrived to strike it first time into the net. It was a brilliant cross and an even better instinctive goal for the big Greek striker and hopefully a sign of things to come.



Only a minute later Giakoumakis should have made it 0-2 when a long ball out of defence from Ralston saw Andy Graham try to head it back but missed. That was enough for Giakoumakis to steal in and bear down on goal. He turned Durnan and got through one on one with the goalie and managed to lift it deftly over Hutton but it trickled wide of the right post. It didn’t help that he had Graham holding him back illegally when shooting.

17 minutes and it was Abada who had a shot from the right but Hutton got down quickly to turn it past the post. It was definitely all Celtic now as they dominated the possession and passing whilst Alloa clogged up their defence with so many bodies. Around the half hour mark Callum McGregor made to the byline and from a tight angle he cut the ball across into the box. It deflected off an Alloa shirt and fell kindly for Maeda. The Japanese hitman rifled a shot but was saved brilliantly by David Hutton.

Alloa were playing very narrow and defensive but they had a great chance on 37 minutes to level the score when that man Sammon took a snapshot that Hart got down well to save with his feet. It was a warning to the Hoops who knew a second goal was required for some comfort. On 45 minutes Callum McGregor went down injured after what looked like a clash of heads. In fact it seems he may have broken or fractured a cheek bone which could possibly see him sidelined for up to 8 weeks. He was replaced by James McCarthy with the Captains armband going to Joe Hart.



The second goal eventually arrived right on the stroke of half time and It was created and scored by Liel Abada. The Israeli international picked the ball up on the left touchline and carried it toward the box but was intercepted on the edge but broke kindly for Abada to pick it up again. He made a bit of space for himself before rocketing the ball into the far top corner of the net to make it 0-2 and a brilliant left footed goal.

Just seven minutes into the second half and the Hoops suffered another injury. This time it was flair player Abada who went down holding his foot and was replaced by Portuguese sensation Jota. His first big contribution was a precise cross from the left touchline into the box which saw a diving Maeda glance a header toward goal but Hutton got down again to make a fine one handed save.



On the hour mark Celtic were dealt a further blow and this time it was midfielder Ideguchi who had to be replaced. Niang cleared the ball in the middle of the park but his follow through saw him clatter the Japanese playmaker in the ankle and he was replaced by Nir Bitton and the Alloa man saw yellow. I’d be surprised if there was much table room left in the recovery suites at Celtic Park as the bodies just keep coming.

The Celts kept up the attack and in 67 minutes Maeda headed wide of the left post and then Giakoumakis headed directly into Hutton’s arms. On 73 minutes it was Maeda again with an effort that looked easier to score, after he was played in one on one by Giakoumakis with a shrewd pass. He frustratingly put the ball past the post again with the net gaping wide open. James McCarthy received a yellow card during this period with what looked like a fresh air swipe with no foul.



Alloa pulled a goal back on 78 minutes and it was a well worked goal and again it was Connor Sammon who made Celtic pay. Substitute Jon Robertson was fed a ball through down the right wing, he lifted the ball over a raft of hooped shirts into the box and was met by the big Irishman who made no mistake in heading home past Joe Hart. Stephen Welsh should have been tighter on his man but was out jumped by Sammon. It showed a lack of concentration levels needed when we are in so much possession.

Celtic continued to press high up the pitch and Alloa seemed happy to sit back and let the game run down. Another couple of Celtic chances came to nothing with Jota blazing over and Maeda putting wide again in the last minute of the game. It is probably the most comfortable 1-2 win we will have this season and it was pleasing to see Alloa manager, Barry Ferguson, with a torn face at the end. We could have won by 5 or 6 but it’s the cup and we go through with a win. The biggest concern for Postecoglou is how many players we are losing to injury and also the low level protection afforded to us from referees. Alloa received one yellow card when there were so many hefty challenges deserving of more cards but we know that story very well as does Referee Don Robertson.



We go through to the 5th round with a decent tie against Raith Rovers at Celtic Park. It will be played on the 12th or 13th of February with TV rights dictating. More importantly is our League game at Tynecastle to face Hearts on Wednesday evening (26/01/22) in what will be another firecracker match. These games have been notoriously meaty over the last couple of decades and don’t expect any different in this one. Hopefully we have a few more players fit and ready and I think Giakoumakis will lead the line again.


MOTM: Jon Robertson (Alloa). The midfielder replaced Craig Howie on 46 minutes and immediately made a difference to Alloa’s play. A top class cross for his assist in Sammon’s goal.

LINEUPS

ALLOA: Hutton, Taggart, Graham, Durnan, Church, King, Howie, Cawley, Niang, Boyd, Sammon. SUBS: Robertson, Armour, Trouten, Scougall, Armstrong, O’Donnell, Burt. (4-2-3-1)

CELTIC: Hart, Ralston, Welsh, Starfelt, Scales, Ideguchi, Abada, McGregor, Rogic, Maeda, Giakoumakis. SUBS: Jullien, Taylor, Bitton, McCarthy, Jota, Bain, Hatate, Forrest, Juranović. (4-1-4-1)

POSSESSION: Alloa 21% Celtic 79%

SHOTS: Alloa 7 - 19 Celtic

SHOTS ON TARGET: Alloa 2 - 8 Celtic


By Packybhoy