Bhoys scrape past Motherwell

Motherwell 2 Celtic 3

Super sub Craig Beattie came to the champions’ rescue with the Fir Park winner this afternoon after their suicidal defence had thrown away a comfortable two-goal lead.

Following a dismal first-half the game came to life with goals from Aiden McGeady and Alan Thompson which should have been enough to wrap up the points for Martin O’Neill’s men.

But, after conceding eight goals in their previous three games, Celtic once again pressed the self-destruct button as Martyn Corrigan and Richie Foran hauled Well level only for Beattie to grab a winner for the Hoops.

After conceding two goals in the first six minutes against Aberdeen on Wednesday, the visitors would have been satisfied to go in at the break with a clean sheet.

But Foran summed up the standard of the opening half in the seventh minute when he had time in the area to test nervous goalkeeper David Marshall. Didier Agathe, however, was given the chance to clear his weak effort.

It was clear for all to see that Celtic were jittery at the back.

The appearance of Joos Valgaeren, one of three changes, would have done nothing to settle them down and he was again found wanting in the 13th minute.

Steven Hammell went past him at ease and found team-mate Alex Burns, who got away from the challenge of Jackie McNamara before blazing over the top from 22 yards.

Celtic’s Marshall continued to be the busiest of the two goalkeepers and when they tried to hit on the break Juninho was proving again to be a waste of time at centre forward.

But just as everybody in the ground had been looking forward to their half-time snack, the champions snatched the lead against the run of play.

It was also a surprise that the goal came from good play from Juninho, who picked up the ball and ran into the area but sliding the ball across goal for McGeady to tap in.

O’Neill finally moved Juninho out wide and pushed McGeady alongside Hartson after the break and that prompted a better Celtic.

Hartson would have doubled their lead just a minute after the restart had he headed Thompson’s free-kick anywhere but straight at Gordon Marshall from seven yards.

The former Celtic goalkeeper could only parry McGeady’s effort moments later but Motherwell still had Valgaeren to give them hope.

The Belgian international gave away a needless free-kick just outside his box by blatantly obstructing David Clarkson and Burns curled his effort just inches past the upright.

Another mix-up between Marshall and Balde saw the goalkeeper spill Jim Paterson’s cross and that resulted in an anxious scramble which the visitors were fortunate to survive.

Juninho showed another bit of quality to lob the ball over the onrushing Marshall but he let himself down by flicking the ball wide of the goal.

The Brazilian though was involved in the build-up to their second goal which came from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.

Hartson flicked the ball over the top into the path of Petrov, after Juninho and McGeady combined, and he went down under the clumsy challenge of former Celtic O’Donnell.

Thompson stepped up to send Marshall the wrong way and the Glasgow giants looked set to go seven points clear of Rangers before the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk.

Even O’Neill was confident as he took Juninho off for young striker Beattie - but his time was to come later.

First Motherwell hauled themselves back into the game in the 67th minute when Martyn Corrigan let fly with a right-foot shot from 22 yards which the teenage goalkeeper should have stopped but to everyone’s amazement it got through to end up in the corner.

But the game was turned on its head in the 71st minute when Dougie McDonald pointed to the spot after Clarkson had gone down in the area from what looked like a fair Balde challenge.

Foran ignored the mayhem going on around him and coolly slotted the ball past Marshall.

Celtic were rattled but Hartson let fly with a fierce right-foot shot at the other end which flew just over the bar from 24 yards.

The Motherwell defence failed to learn from that and Beattie found himself in acres of space in the box, two minutes later, to fire emphatically into the top corner.

Hartson could have eased the Celtic nerves in the final minute instead of heading straight at Marshall.

But after the drama of the last week, O’Neill will be satisfied to come through their latest fright with the three points to put their title charge back on track.