Mowbray stands by Brown decision

Tony Mowbray insists he was vindicated by his decision to leave Scott Brown on the bench for last night’s historic Champions League third qualifying win over Dinamo Moscow in the Arena Khimki.

Brown had played for an hour in the friendly defeat by Sunderland at Celtic Park on Saturday, his first appearance in the Hoops since undergoing ankle surgery at the end of last season.

Mowbray, however, gave Massimo Donati the nod over the Scotland international who started on the bench.

But with just over 20 minutes remaining, Brown came on for Marc-Antoine Fortune to support striker Scott McDonald who had levelled the tie 1-1 on aggregate with his header just before the break.

Brown’s energy gave Celtic a lift and the Parkhead side grabbed a dramatic winner in the last minute through Greece international Georgios Samaras, who had replaced McDonald.

Mowbray claimed he had little option but to leave Brown out but he was unstinting in his praise for the midfielder, whom he had under his charge at Hibernian and whom he sees as an integral part of his long-term plans at Parkhead.