Rangers rejoice as fans fuel O’Neill fury

Celtic 0 Rangers 2

Fernando Ricksen needed a stitch in a cut above his eye after being hit with what appeared to be a cigarette lighter towards the end of the lively Glasgow encounter.

Celtic last night vowed to track down the supporter responsible. The culprit faces being banned from Celtic Park for life as a supporter was hit with the same punishment for injuring referee Hugh Dallas in a 1999 Old Firm clash.

A police investigation has also been launched, according to match commander chief superintendent Kevin Smith of Strathclyde Police.

He said: “I can confirm there was a total of 30 arrests in and around the stadium. Twelve of these were for offences of religious prejudice, one was for a racist offence and the remaining 17 were for other minor offences”.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish played down the incident but O’Neill acted quickly to hit out at the missile-throwing fans who heaped shame on the champions.

O’Neill said: “Naturally you wouldn’t want this sort of thing to happen to anybody at all.

“That would be disappointing if anything was thrown at any players. It shouldn’t happen.

“You want the passion and everything else about the game but you don’t want it to get to that stage. You want to keep it within the laws of the game.”

Douglas was left red-faced after allowing Gregory Vignal’s 25-yard strike to slip through his grasp and into the back of the net.

However, O’Neill believes that the Scotland keeper will recover from his costly blunder.

He explained: “I am disappointed of course but it’s just one of those things.

“It was a big couple of minutes with their goalkeeper making a wonderful save from John Hartson and I thought he might score and I’m sure he did.

“Rab has been playing very well and with a lot of confidence but that is naturally a setback. In a big game like this it was a poor goal from our view point but I’m sure he’ll recover.”

O’Neill admits that the result gives Rangers the upper hand in the championship race but he believes it could be as tight as it was two seasons ago when Rangers took the Bank of Scotland Premier League trophy to Ibrox on goal difference on the final day.

Celtic can still pull themselves level on points as they have a game in hand, but Rangers can go six points clear if they beat Kilmarnock next week.

O’Neill said: “It gives them the edge because they have a number of goals in terms of goal difference.

“They are three points clear and we have to win the game in hand and again it’s very reminiscent perhaps of the 2002/2003 season.

O’Neill was also satisfied with the performance of debutant Craig Bellamy despite the Wales striker passing up a great chance to score in the first-half when he was sent through one-on-one on fellow new boy Ronald Waterreus in the Rangers goal.

He added: “He had one chance when he got clear and he didn’t put it away but I thought he would get a bit tired in the second half.

“But when we were chasing the game we were looking to get something out of the match and everybody who had a possibility of scoring a goal was staying on.

“He got a little bit tired but he’ll do well for us. It was hard for him. If he would have scored early it would have given him a massive boost of confidence.

“Who’s to say that he might not have took it around the goalkeeper with a couple of games under his belt.

“It was a difficult game overall and I am certainly not displeased with him.”

The sight of Jackie McNamara leaving the field with an injury during the second period would also have given Celtic more cause for concern but O’Neill is expecting him to recover in time for next weekend’s Tennent’s Scottish Cup tie at Clyde.

“He has got a dead leg at the minute,” he said. “I am hoping he will be alright in a few days but I don’t know yet.”

Nacho Novo wrapped up the points late on and O’Neill admitted that Rangers deserved to win their first game at Celtic Park since March 2000.

McLeish was glad to have ended Rangers’ run of 11 matches without a win at Celtic Park, which dated back to March 2000.

It was also the former Motherwell and Hibernian manager’s first win in Glasgow’s east end.

“The only way to shut people up is by winning and I have finally done that,” said McLeish.

“It was like a usual Old Firm game - nerve-wracking and pulsating at times - but I am glad I finally won a game at Celtic Park.”

CELTIC: R Douglas, J McNamara, B Balde, S Varga, U Laursen, S Petrov, N Lennon, C Sutton, A Thompson, C Bellamy, J Hartson. Sub: A McGeady for McNamara, 77 mins.

RANGERS: R Waterreus, A Hutton, S Kyrgiakos, M Andrews, M Ball, T Buffel, B Ferguson, F Ricksen, G Vignal, D Prso, N Novo. Sub: A Rae for Ball 73 mins.

Referee: M McCurry.