[tab:Match report]
Lewis Irons at Celtic Park
The signs of a week of hard work were visible as Motherwell lost 5-1 against Celtic in the third meeting with the side in six days.
Elliott Frear reduced the half time deficit with a neat finish just after the hour mark following Odsonne Edouard’s first half brace, but Brendan Rodgers options off the bench ensured the Parkhead side brushed aside the Steelmen for all three points.
Stephen Robinson made three changes from the side who started on Wednesday night – recalling Ryan Bowman and Andy Rose to the starting eleven, whilst giving Craig Tanner his first start since November’s trip north to take on Ross County.
Much like Wednesday and Sunday’s fixtures with the Hoops, Robinson’s men were limited to very little time on the ball, whilst the hosts tried to unlock a resolute ‘Well side.
And the Steelmen went within inches of taking the lead when Chris Cadden curled a decent effort just over Craig Gordon’s crossbar.
However, unlike the other two encounters, the scoring was opened in the first half trough PSG loanee Odsonne Edouard, who tapped home a slick Celtic move in the 16th minute.
The young forward made it 2-0 with a low effort from outside the box on the half hour mark as the home side asserted their control on the clash.
Robinson was quick to make changes and at the start of the second period introduced Frear and club captain Carl McHugh – withdrawing Tanner and Chris Cadden.
Shortly after, Deimantas Petravičius made his introduction in place of Louis Moult as Robinson looked to get his side back in to the game.
The changes made an almost immediate impact too, with the Fir Parkers gaining more of a foothold in the game and eventually pulling one back just after the hour mark.
A pinpoint, in-swinging cross from Richard Tait required just the slightest of touches from Frear – who ghosted in to finish beyond Gordon.
Ten minutes later though, Celtic all but secured the win when substitute James Forrest cut inside to finish beyond Trevor Carson.
From there, Celtic were in cruise control as they added two more – the first ensuring Edouard completed his hat-trick and the second resulting in Forrest’s third goal of the week.
[tab:As it happened]
Alastair Reilly at Celtic Park
FT: Celtic 5 – 1 Motherwell
90′ | 5-1
Tait whips in a deep cross which finds Frear but he can only shoot straight at Gordon.
Three minutes added on.
88′ | 5-1
Goal – Forrest picks up the ball wide on the right and curls it past Carson with the outside of his boot.
84′ | 4-1
Goal – Edouard gets on the end of a pass back and slots it past Carson.
79′ | 3-1
Great save by Carson, tipping Armstrong’s shot over the bar after a Celtic counter attack
77′ | 3-1
Celtic sub, Armstrong on for Sinclair.
76′ | 3-1
Goal – Forrest restores Celtic’s two-goal lead, firing low past Carson from the right-hand side.
75′ | 2-1
McHugh booked for a tackle on Rogic. Not that much in it.
71′ | 2-1
Rogic peels off his man and has a pop at goal but again it flies over the bar.
And another switch, Hayes off for Forrest.
67′ | 2-1
Celtic sub, Ntcham off for McGregor
65′ | 2-1
The Steelmen have a goal back! Tait with a lovely ball in which is read by Frear and poked past Gordon!!
GOAL!!
64′ | 2-0
Ntcham’s free-kick is beaten away by Carson then Tierney fires wide of the post.
60′ | 2-0
Frear wins a free-kick wide on the left….ball falls to Kipré but he fires over the bar from 20 yards
59′ | 2-0
Lustig with a good volley from the edge of the box which is beaten away by Carson
57′ | 2-0
Motherwell sub, Moult off for Petravicius
Celtic get the second 45 underway.
Double Motherwell change at half-time, Cadden and Tanner off for McHugh and Frear
HT: Celtic 2 – 0 Motherwell
One minute added on.
40′ | 2-0
Celtic think they have scored but after some debate, the linesman raises his flag. Looked the right decision.
37′ | 2-0
Campbell booked for a foul on Tierney midway inside the Celtic half.
33′ | 2-0
Goal – Edouard gets plenty of space from 20 yards and picks his spot low past Carson.
24′ | 1-0
Tait goes into the ref’s book for a foul wide on the Motherwell right on Tierney.
18′ | 1-0
Hayes cuts in off the right and curls a left-footed shot just wide of the post.
16′ | 1-0
Goal – Edouard gets on the end of Sinclair’s cut-back and pokes it past Carson
14′ | 0-0
Ntcham gets a bit of space 25 yards and opts for the shot but it never looks like troubling Carson, sailing over the bar.
12′ | 0-0
Chance! Ball falls to Cadden on the edge of the box but his shot curls just over the bar!
11′ | 0-0
From that corner Motherwell breakaway 2v1 but Moult is brought down by Brown with Tanner ready to race clear. A booking for the Celtic man.
10′ | 0-0
First chance of the game as Hayes floats in a cross from the left but Tait gets his head to it and knocks it wide for a corner.
1′ | 0-0
Early Celtic corner but it’s dealt with by Dunne who heads away.
Allan Campbell gets the game underway. COYW!!!