Motherwell’s two-month unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Celtic tonight.
The Steelmen were looking to take their undefeated run to nine matches but were outclassed by the reigning Under 20s Champions in a 5-0 win for Stephen Frail’s side.
Jonatan Johansson’s plans were dealt a blow in the warm-up when Steven Higgins was forced to pull out, being replaced by Morgyn Neill and causing a bit of a reshuffle to his side. Neill slotted in at right back and Chris Cadden having to switch to left midfield.
The other changes came in the shape of Paul Lawson, Adam Cummins and Bob McHugh all drafted in to replace the aforementioned Higgins, Thomas and Craig Moore.
The game got off to a slow start before the visitors took the lead in the seventh minute. Left back Aidan McIlduff burst down the left flank and summer signing Amido Baldé deftly poked his front post cross past Ross Stewart and into the net.
Celtic then took a grip of the game, and Stewart had to look lively to save from an angled shot from Lewis Kidd. Baldé then burst through the ‘Well rearguard but this time his finish wasn’t so clever as blasted high and wide.
On 20 minutes Celtic were awarded an indirect free kick just inside the box when Stewart was penalised for picking the ball up twice. The keeper was booked for taking his protest too far and, to rub salt into the wounds, was beaten by a Bahrudin Atajic shot after Liam Henderson had laid it off.
Celtic were dominant but were now restricted to fewer chances before the break although Baldé could’ve had a second but he sent a header wildly over, then blocked a shot from team mate Jamie Lindsay.
Motherwell started better in the second half with Bob McHugh pulling a couple of saves from keeper Leonardo Fasan. The first with an ambitious shot from 30 yards and then a shot on the turn, both of which were dealt with comfortably by Celtic’s Italian stopper.
And it was the visitors who got the first goal of the second period when Jamie Lindsay sent a curling shot high past Stewart from just outside the box. This was rough justice for the young Well after the start they had made to the second period.
Celtic sub Denny Johnstone put a harsher reflection on the score line when he added two goals in the last ten minutes.
His first was a back post header from a Lewis Kidd cross, his second saw him sent clear following some nice passing and, from the edge of the box, he slotted coolly past the advancing Stewart to complete the scoring.
Motherwell: Stewart, Cadden (Anderson), Ferguson, Cummins, Murray, Leitch, McCafferty, Lawson, McHugh, Shirkie, Neill.
Subs Not Used: Currie, Watt.
