2011-08-28: St Mirren 0-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 20112012 | 2011-2012 Pictures

Trivia

  • Celtic remain one pt behind Rangers who won 2-0 v Aberdeen.
  • Celtic out of Europe after bad 3-1 loss a few days earlier to FC Sion. Celtic may get back into Europe as FC Sion fielded ineligible players but not yet sorted out.

Review

First ten mins great, then hopeless! Amazing St Mirren didn't score and get back into the game. The Europe malaise seems to carry onto the domestic stuff for us.

Teams

St Mirren

  • 01Samson
  • 02van Zanten
  • 05Mair
  • 14McAusland
  • 22Tesselaar
  • 06Goodwin (Mclean 90)
  • 08Thomson
  • 21Teale (McShane 71)
  • 09Thompson
  • 10McGowan
  • 11Hasselbaink (Mckee 80)

Substitutes

  • 12Smith,
  • 20Kennedy,
  • 13Mckee,
  • 17Mclean,
  • 23Carey,
  • 24Haddad,
  • 19McShane

Celtic

  • 01Forster
  • 05Majstorovic
  • 06Wilson
  • 11Cha Du-Ri
  • 21Mulgrew
  • 08Brown
  • 18Ki Sung-Yeung (Ledley 85)
  • 33Kayal
  • 10Stokes
  • 49Forrest
  • 88Hooper

Substitutes

  • 24Zaluska,
  • 02Matthews,
  • 16Ledley,
  • 67Wanyama,
  • 09Samaras,
  • 13Maloney,
  • 15Commons

Goals

  • Hooper 6
  • Hooper 12
Ref:Collum
Att:6,223

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Stats

Possession

  • St Mirren 57%
  • Celtic 43%

Attempts on target

  • St Mirren 8
  • Celtic 7

Attempts off target

  • St Mirren 5
  • Celtic 6

Corners

  • St Mirren 10
  • Celtic 6

Fouls

  • St Mirren 12
  • Celtic 13

Articles

St Mirren 0 – 2 Celtic: Slick start by visitors undoes spirited Saints

Published Date: 29 August 2011
By Martin Hannan
at St Mirren Park
A LACKADAISICAL start by St Mirren cost them three points, as Celtic took full advantage to record their fifth successive away win in the SPL.
For all those who criticise the Scottish game, it should be said that this was a highly entertaining match full of good football, for which much of the praise must go to St Mirren, who did not collapse after their dreadful start. Rather, they got their tails up and showed the disappointingly small 6,223 crowd what they could do.

Celtic could, and perhaps should, have been five up after 12 minutes, such was the alacrity they showed in attacking from the kick-off.

Anthony Stokes was through on goal after just 75 seconds of play, but hit his shot wide. He had the ball in the net a minute later but was penalised for a foul on Marc McAusland. Video showed that referee Willie Collum had called it wrong, the jostling being of the 50-50 variety.

Stokes played his part in Celtic's opener, picking up a pass inside from Gary Hooper and returning it with interest into the St Mirren box, where Hooper steadied himself and slammed the ball low past Craig Samson.

There were just six minutes on the clock and such an early goal steadied Celtic's nerves but shredded those of St Mirren.

How else to explain an error by Paul McGowan, formerly of Celtic, who misdirected an overhit pass by David van Zanten, another former Celt, straight to Hooper, who needed no second invitation to run away and score after 12 minutes.

Since Daniel Majstorovic had missed a sitter, heading over a Charlie Mulgrew free kick from six yards when unmarked, Celtic could indeed have had five before St Mirren had even forced a shot at goal.

That duly arrived in the 16th minute, when the excellent Nigel Hasselbaink played an adept through ball to McGowan, whose fierce shot was deflected wide by Fraser Forster, the big goalkeeper standing tall and narrowing the angle in textbook fashion.

However, he could do nothing about Lee Mair's header off a McGowan volley two minutes later which the Celtic fans behind the goal were glad to see settle among them, rather than in the net.

At this point, Celtic were playing some lovely one-touch football with dummies and feints thrown in, and Cha Du Ri's runs down the right were a feature in attack, but the home side had definitely woken up and they began to play some impressive football.

Danny Lennon's side have been a revelation with their passing play this season, and despite the obvious drawback of being two goals behind, they continued with their game plan and great credit to them for that.

Celtic knew a third goal would finish the match, however, and first of all Hooper headed wide before James Forrest, who was looking lively down the left wing, fired in a long-range effort that went wide.

From the midway point of the half, St Mirren gradually pinned Celtic back, pressing upfield yet never creating gilt-edged chances.

After 33 minutes, following yet more good play by Hasselbaink and the impressive Jeroen Tesselaar, Steven Thompson had a goalbound effort blocked inadvertently by colleague McGowan, before Hasselbaink very nearly connected with a Tesselaar cross for what would have been a certain goal.

Hasselbaink was giving Mastorovic nightmares, and Celtic had barely created an opportunity worthy of the name for much of the latter part of the half, but they emerged into the swirling breeze for the second half determined to blow away the Saints, just as they had done in the first period.

Stokes was allowed to run unchecked into the St Mirren box and only an outstanding one-handed save by Samson stopped the Celtic forward from scoring.

At the other end, Tesselaar's powerful free kick was saved low at his near post by Forster, before Stokes was allowed another run, Samson saving St Mirren again.

By now we had a marvellously open game of end-to-end football, and had Kelvin Wilson's header back to Forster gone the other side of the post for what would have been a ludicrous own-goal, we might have seen Saints mount even more attacks than they did.

Yet Celtic knew they had the two-goal lead in the bag, and were content to defend deeply so that for all the prettiness of St Mirren's play, there was only rarely any serious penetration into the visitors' area.

Beram Kayal, Wilson and Majstorovic could count themselves lucky that referee Collum was in generous mood as all three committed bookable offences, and that was perhaps a sign of the pressure St Mirren were exerting.

Steven Thomson's cross to Steven Thompson should have been turned into the net by the striker, and Thompson should also have done better than head the ball straight at Forster after 73 minutes. Yet the emphasis changed in the closing minutes, as Celtic broke from defence on several occasions and had chances for a third, Samson saving from Ki Sung Yeung and then pulling off a real point-blank save to deny Forrest.

In the end, no-one could have begrudged St Mirren a share of the points if the match had started in the 13th minute.

Unfortunately for the Paisley side, they had already thrown in at away by that point.

St Mirren: Samson, van Zanten, Mair, Goodwin (McLean 89) Thomson, Thompson, McGowan, Hasslebaink (McKee 79) McAusland, Teale (McShane 70); Tesselaar. Subs not used: Carey, Haddad, Kennedy, Smith.

Celtic: Forster, Cha, Majstorovic, Kelvin Wilson, Mulgrew, Brown, Ki (Ledley 86), Kayal, Forrest, Hooper, Stokes. Subs not used: Zaluska, Matthews, Wanyama, Samaras, Maloney, Commons.

St Mirren0-2Celtic BBC

Page last updated at 14:03 GMT, Sunday, 28 August 2011 15:03 UK
Celtic enjoyed their first win in four outings thanks to a Gary Hooper double at St Mirren Park.
The striker opened the scoring in Paisley in the sixth minute after being set up by strike partner Anthony Stokes.
Six minutes later a mistake by former Celtic player Paul McGowan allowed Hooper to slip a second past St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson.
The result moves Celtic to within a point of Rangers and Motherwell.
Manager Neil Lennon made two changes to the side who were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday, with Stokes and midfielder James Forrest replacing Joe Ledley and Georgios Samaras, who dropped to the bench.
And Stokes appeared to have opened the scoring when he hit the back of the net in the early stages, but referee William Collum judged him to have fouled Saints defender Marc McAusland beforehand.
Celtic's breakthrough came just seconds later when Stokes and Hooper worked a one-two at the edge of the box to allow Hooper to drill the ball past Samson.
And things were to get worse for the St Mirren defence when a catalogue of mistakes in the 12th minute, culminating in McGowan passing straight to Hooper's feet, allowed the Englishman to run through and slip the ball into the St Mirren net. Hooper's brace gave Celtic their first win in four matches But after a poor start, the Paisley side began to show flashes of the brand of football manager Danny Lennon has established in the early part of the season.
And McGowan had the chance to make amends soon after his error when Nigel Hasselbaink provided a fine pass, but his effort from 16 yards was saved by Forster.
Hasselbaink continued to cause problems for Celtic defender Daniel Majstorovic, with Dutchman Jeroen Tesselaar also threatening to create an opening for the home side as St Mirren increased the pressure towards the end of the first half.
After the restart, it was Stokes who again looked dangerous, going on a solo run and sending in a low drive to force a terrific save from Samson.
But there were chances for St Mirren too, Tesselaar whipping a free kick round Celtic's wall in the 55th minute; Forster forced to make a scrambling save by his near post.
The impressive Tesselaar also did his share at the other end of the park, denying Scott Brown a close-range chance seconds later.
Celtic's Kelvin Wilson looked more jittery in front of goal and endured a heart-stopping moment as he sent a defensive header just inches past his own goal in the 66th minute.
That fell at the end of a period of sustained pressure for St Mirren, who but for a poor start may have expected more from the game.
But in the later stages it was Celtic who looked more likely to add to their advantage, the removal of Gary Teale in the 71st minute restricting St Mirren's creativity in midfield.
Ki Seung-Yeung came close in the 78th minute when he found himself one-on-one with Samson inside the box, his low shot blocked by the St Mirren keeper's legs.
Forrest also came close with two minutes remaining when he was played in by Charlie Mulgrew but the winger was denied by Samson who delivered another great save at his near post.

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+2:05 The match has reached full-time.
  • 90:00+1:48 A cross is delivered by Jeroen Tesselaar, Daniel Majstorovic makes a clearance.
  • 90:00+1:29 Jeroen Tesselaar sends in a cross, Kelvin Wilson makes a clearance.
  • 89:10 Substitution Jim Goodwin leaves the field to be replaced by Kenny McLean.
  • 87:50 Corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line, Jeroen Tesselaar makes a clearance.
  • 87:33 James Forrest takes a shot. Save by Craig Samson.
  • 87:16 The ball is crossed by James Forrest.
  • 86:05 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Thomson on Scott Brown. Beram Kayal takes the direct free kick.
  • 84:18 Substitution Sung-Yeung Ki leaves the field to be replaced by Joe Ledley.
  • 83:41 Corner taken by Jeroen Tesselaar from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 83:34 Steven Thomson crosses the ball, blocked by James Forrest.
  • 82:23 Jim Goodwin takes a shot and went wide of the left-hand upright.
  • 81:39 Du-Ri Cha concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul McGowan. Paul McGowan takes the free kick.
  • 81:23 The ball is delivered by Jeroen Tesselaar, clearance made by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 80:44 The ball is swung over by Jeroen Tesselaar, clearance made by Kelvin Wilson.
  • 79:51 Scott Brown fouled by Joe McKee, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Beram Kayal.
  • 79:10 Substitution Joe McKee joins the action as a substitute, replacing Nigel Hasselbaink.
  • 78:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jim Goodwin on Scott Brown. Strike on goal comes in from Charlie Mulgrew from the free kick.
  • 78:00 Sung-Yeung Ki takes a shot. Save made by Craig Samson.
  • 77:17 The ball is delivered by Jon McShane, Steven Thompson takes a shot. Save by Fraser Forster.
  • 75:31 Paul McGowan has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide left of the target.
  • 74:25 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Sung-Yeung Ki from the left by-line.
  • 74:12 Curled left-footed shot by James Forrest. Save by Craig Samson.
  • 73:56 Sung-Yeung Ki decides to take a short corner.
  • 73:46 James Forrest delivers the ball, David van Zanten gets a block in.
  • 72:38 Drilled left-footed shot by James Forrest. Blocked by Lee Mair.
  • 72:09 Corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew, clearance made by Jeroen Tesselaar.
  • 72:03 The ball is crossed by Du-Ri Cha, Marc McAusland manages to make a clearance.
  • 71:29 Anthony Stokes produces a cross, Marc McAusland gets a block in.
  • 70:01 Substitution Jon McShane comes on in place of Gary Teale.
  • 69:21 Corner from right by-line taken by Jeroen Tesselaar.
  • 69:13 Centre by Paul McGowan, Fraser Forster makes a save.
  • 69:01 Short corner taken by Gary Teale.
  • 68:54 Steven Thomson produces a cross, Du-Ri Cha manages to make a clearance.
  • 66:53 The offside flag is raised against Lee Mair. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
  • 66:42 The ball is swung over by Jim Goodwin.
  • 66:19 Paul McGowan takes a shot from 18 yards. Du-Ri Cha gets a block in.
  • 65:48 Corner taken left-footed by Jeroen Tesselaar to the near post, Daniel Majstorovic makes a clearance.
  • 64:53 The assistant referee signals for offside against Gary Teale. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
  • 64:25 Gary Teale decides to take the corner short.
  • 64:13 Gary Teale produces a drilled right-footed shot from 25 yards. Daniel Majstorovic gets a block in.
  • 60:24 Foul by Daniel Majstorovic on Steven Thompson, free kick awarded. Strike on goal comes in from Gary Teale from the free kick.
  • 60:11 The assistant referee signals for offside against Gary Hooper. Indirect free kick taken by Jim Goodwin.
  • 59:44 Free kick awarded for a foul by David van Zanten on James Forrest. Free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
  • 58:54 A cross is delivered by Charlie Mulgrew, Jim Goodwin manages to make a clearance.
  • 58:39 Corner from left by-line taken by Sung-Yeung Ki.
  • 58:21 Shot by Anthony Stokes. Save by Craig Samson.
  • 58:08 Beram Kayal fouled by Steven Thompson, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Scott Brown.
  • 56:51 Gary Hooper challenges Gary Teale unfairly and gives away a free kick. Paul McGowan restarts play with the free kick.
  • 56:39 The ball is delivered by James Forrest, save by Craig Samson.
  • Correction – 54:50 The referee blows for offside against Paul McGowan. Fraser Forster takes the indirect free kick.
  • 54:50 The assistant referee signals for offside against Paul McGowan. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
  • 50:28 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Jeroen Tesselaar.
  • 49:27 Foul by Kelvin Wilson on Nigel Hasselbaink, free kick awarded. Jeroen Tesselaar fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 47:44 Charlie Mulgrew sends in a cross.
  • 47:19 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Charlie Mulgrew, clearance by Steven Thompson.
  • 47:06 Anthony Stokes takes a shot. Save by Craig Samson.
  • 46:39 Sung-Yeung Ki gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nigel Hasselbaink. Jim Goodwin restarts play with the free kick.
  • 45:55 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steven Thompson by Beram Kayal. Direct free kick taken by Paul McGowan.
  • 45:47 A cross is delivered by Du-Ri Cha, Jim Goodwin makes a clearance.
  • 45:01 The second half begins.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+0:16 The ref blows to end the first period.
  • 44:52 Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar on Scott Brown, free kick awarded. Beram Kayal restarts play with the free kick.
  • 44:13 Paul McGowan fouled by Beram Kayal, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jeroen Tesselaar.
  • 42:31 Centre by Jim Goodwin, clearance by Scott Brown.
  • 41:45 The ball is delivered by Jeroen Tesselaar.
  • 41:08 Anthony Stokes is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Marc McAusland.
  • 38:38 Unfair challenge on Paul McGowan by Beram Kayal results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jim Goodwin.
  • 36:52 Jim Goodwin produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses wide left of the target.
  • 36:35 Shot by Nigel Hasselbaink from 18 yards. Sung-Yeung Ki gets a block in.
  • 36:21 Short corner taken by Gary Teale.
  • 36:13 A cross is delivered by Jeroen Tesselaar, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
  • 34:25 Nigel Hasselbaink fouled by Daniel Majstorovic, the ref awards a free kick. Gary Teale crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 33:18 Handball decision goes against David van Zanten. Free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
  • 32:42 Effort on goal by Steven Thomson from 18 yards. Blocked by Nigel Hasselbaink.
  • 32:34 The ball is sent over by Steven Thompson.
  • 31:08 The offside flag is raised against Anthony Stokes. Lee Mair takes the free kick.
  • 30:22 Centre by Steven Thomson, clearance by Du-Ri Cha.
  • 28:50 Nigel Hasselbaink concedes a free kick for a foul on Fraser Forster. Free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
  • 28:18 Corner taken by Gary Teale from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by Fraser Forster.
  • 27:45 Nigel Hasselbaink crosses the ball, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 26:13 The ball is swung over by David van Zanten.
  • 25:33 The ball is swung over by Nigel Hasselbaink.
  • 23:21 James Forrest has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide left of the goal.
  • 22:38 Steven Thompson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew. Sung-Yeung Ki restarts play with the free kick.
  • 21:52 Unfair challenge on James Forrest by David van Zanten results in a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
  • 21:11 Charlie Mulgrew delivers the ball, Headed effort from inside the area by Gary Hooper misses to the left of the target.
  • 20:40 The ball is swung over by Du-Ri Cha, David van Zanten manages to make a clearance.
  • 19:37 Header from deep inside the penalty area by Steven Thompson goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
  • 18:31 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gary Teale, Effort from 20 yards by Paul McGowan. Blocked by Steven Thompson.
  • 18:26 A cross is delivered by Jeroen Tesselaar, Du-Ri Cha gets a block in.
  • 18:00 Du-Ri Cha sends in a cross, Marc McAusland manages to make a clearance.
  • 15:39 Jeroen Tesselaar takes a corner.
  • 15:22 Paul McGowan takes a shot. Save made by Fraser Forster.
  • 15:02 Anthony Stokes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jim Goodwin. Free kick taken by Jim Goodwin.
  • 11:08 GOAL – Gary Hooper:St Mirren 0 – 2 Celtic Gary Hooper finds the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. St Mirren 0-2 Celtic.
  • 9:44 Free kick awarded for a foul by Scott Brown on Jim Goodwin. Free kick taken by Jim Goodwin.
  • 8:13 Jeroen Tesselaar concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Brown. The ball is crossed by Charlie Mulgrew, Daniel Majstorovic has a header from inside the six-yard box and clears the crossbar.
  • 5:57 Assist by Anthony Stokes.
  • 5:57 GOAL – Gary Hooper:St Mirren 0 – 1 Celtic Gary Hooper scores a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. St Mirren 0-1 Celtic.
  • 3:03 Foul by Steven Thompson on Daniel Majstorovic, free kick awarded. Fraser Forster takes the direct free kick.
  • 2:24 Nigel Hasselbaink fouled by Daniel Majstorovic, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Gary Teale.
  • 1:58 Anthony Stokes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marc McAusland. Jim Goodwin takes the free kick.
  • 1:15 Effort on goal by Anthony Stokes from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
  • 1:04 Paul McGowan concedes a free kick for a foul on Beram Kayal. Scott Brown restarts play with the free kick.
  • 0:00 The match has kicked off.