Motherwell pay the penalty as Celtic dig out hard-fought win

MOTHERWELL manager Craig Brown felt Shaun Maloney went down “very, very easily” to win Celtic the penalty that edged them to a 1-0 victory at Fir Park.

Celtic had the better of the SPL clash but were struggling to make the breakthrough until Maloney fell inside the box under pursuit from Steven Saunders to allow Ireland’s Daryl Murphy to net a 73rd-minute winner.

Dougie McDonald sent off the Motherwell right-back and, although Brown felt the teenager should have held off from making the challenge, he thought both Maloney and referee were quick to act.