McDonald keeps feet on the ground

Celtic striker Scott McDonald has played down the significance of the seven-point gap his winner at Ibrox has opened up over Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The former Motherwell player’s 57th-minute volley – his eighth goal of the season – was enough to give the champions victory and take them another step towards their fourth SPL title in a row.

The odds are now against the Govan side recovering from the defeat to win the championship, as is recent history.

In the 10 previous SPL title races, only once has the side leading the championship at the halfway stage not continued on to win it.

Rangers were the team to buck the trend in the 2004-05 season when McDonald helped them win the title by scoring twice for Motherwell to beat Celtic at Fir Park on a dramatic last day of the season.

Celtic, who led at the halfway point this season, take on Dundee United at Parkhead next Saturday and they could extend their lead to 10 points over the Light Blues who travel to Inverness on Sunday.

While Rangers boss Walter Smith admitted his side now have to go unbeaten the rest of the season if they are to have any chance of catching their great rivals, McDonald, 25, refused to put too much emphasis on the Hoops’ win at Ibrox.

“We will have to wait and see,” the Australian international said.

“By no means are we getting carried away.

“There is a lot of football to go and it will mean nothing if we don’t win next week and Rangers do.

“We can enjoy this result then get a little rest and back on the training ground on Monday and get our heads screwed on for a tough, tough game against Dundee United next week.”

McDonald claimed the perception in many quarters that the champions were underdogs going into the game despite their four-point lead, provided further inspiration for the Parkhead men.

Celtic had not beaten Rangers at Ibrox since February 12, 2006 when a Maciej Zurawski goal took the points back to Parkhead and the Hoops striker was glad that statistic had been amended.

“I don’t think many people fancied us,” he said. “I think everyone knew it would be a tight game but they thought maybe Rangers would edge it bearing in mind that we haven’t won there in a long time.

“So it was nice to go out there and finally put that right. I thought we coped with the pressure pretty well, especially in the last 10 minutes.

“They started to get frustrated and give away fouls, and we were able to keep them up the other end.

“Everyone in the changing room was delighted because we got what we went there for. We’re very happy.”