Motherwell’s battling efforts were in vain as Celtic ran out 4-1 winners at Fir Park.
The scoreline, though, didn’t reflect on the home side’s contribution, especially in the second half, as they bravely fought to reduce the leeway.
A double from Mohamed Elyounoussi gave the Parkhead men a 2-0 half-time lead. But for the first 25 minutes of the second half, the determined hosts were denied several times before Declan Gallagher’s goal raised hopes of taking something from the game.
However, clinical finishing from Neil Lennon’s men – as Elyounoussi grabbed his hat-trick and Olivier Ntcham made it 4-1 – saw Motherwell slump to only their second loss in six games.
Despite it being a midday kick-off, the floodlights were required to brighten up the proceedings on a damp and murky Remembrance Sunday.
With no additional injury problems, Stephen Robinson, not surprisingly, stood by the same starting side which has served him so well in recent games.
That meant that Mark O’Hara was once again paired with Declan Gallagher at the heart of a ‘Well defence which was prepared for a Celtic backlash after their disappointing midweek Europa League performance.
However, the first threat on the home defence was self-inflicted as the under-pressure Parkhead side opened the scoring after only seven minutes.
Liam Polworth’s slack backpass put Gallagher under pressure. Albian Ajeti stole possession to drive the ball across Aaron Chapman and when the ball rebounded from the ‘keeper’s right hand post, Elyounoussi stabbed it home to punish the home side.
The Steelmen recovered from that early blow and for the next 20 minutes had the bulk of the action around Scott Bain’s goal.
‘Well came within a metre of an immediate equaliser when Tony Watt drove the ball low across the six-yard box and Kristoffer Ajer’s boot diverted the ball narrowly past his own goal post.
Motherwell’s possession around the Celtic penalty area was reflected in the number of free-kicks conceded by the visitors. But from a number of promising positions, Polworth’s free kicks failed to find a teammate. After 17 minutes Polworth’s free-kick was missed by everyone forcing Bain into a one-handed stop.
Five minutes later a powerful run from Callum Lang ended when he tumbled in the box under pressure from Scott Brown but strong appeals for a penalty were waved away.
At the other end of the pitch Chapman’s goal was rarely threatened until the 27th minute when Celtic doubled their lead. An interchange on the left side of the home box allowed Tom Rogic to wriggle his way to the byline before the Australian cut the ball back for Elyounoussi to slide the ball into the net for his second goal of the game.
The Fir Park men might have wilted as efforts from Jeremaine Frimpong and Ryan Christie flew over Chapman’s crossbar.
The home side still remained a threat and only a last gasp intervention from Frimpong at the corner of his six-yard box prevented Watt from forcing the ball beyond Bain and give ‘Well some belief for the second half.
‘Well came even closer to pulling a goal back within two minutes of the restart. Polworth sent his corner beyond the far post for Gallagher to head it back across goal but despite the combined efforts of Lang and then Devante Cole, they couldn’t force the ball past Laxalt on the goal line.
The Uruguayan defender came to Celtic’s rescue again just before the hour mark. Watt’s head flick found Lang six yards from goal but as he seemed certain to blast the ball home Laxalt stepped in to brilliantly block the effort.
Motherwell kept pressing for a deserved goal at it almost arrived when Nathan McGinley, providing great support down the left channel, whipped in a cross only to watch in dismay as Watt’s goal-bound drive from 10 yards blocked by Lang.
With 29 minutes remaining Robinson made a double substitution bringing on Robbie Crawford and Christopher Long.
And the former Everton striker almost made an immediate impact when within a minute he had created some space at the edge of the Celtic box before firing a low shot and forcing a save from Bain.
The much-deserved goal was only delayed another minute, Gallagher stretching to head Polworth’s free-kick low past Bain to give ‘Well hopes of a dramatic fightback.
Those hopes were killed off three minutes later as Elynounoussi claimed his hat-trick rising high eight yards from goal to send a powerful header high past Chapman.
‘Well brought another forward into the game when Jordan White replaced Cole and the former Inverness CT striker almost slid the ball home from Polworth’s pass.
But it was the Celtic subs who combined five minutes from time to complete the scoring. Odsonne Edouard set up Ntcham, to drive the ball low beyond Chapman, to make it 4-1 and a scoreline that reflected harshly on Motherwell’s performance.
Motherwell: Chapman, O’Donnell, O’Hara, Gallagher, McGinley, Maguire (Crawford), Campbell, Polworth, Lang, Cole (Long), Watt (White).
Subs: Archer, Grimshaw, Johnston, Devine, Cornelius, Hastie.