Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 12:00, Sunday, Sky Sports TV
- Hearts won 1-0 v Aberdeen day before, so remain on top and bookies have them as favourites to win the league title.
- Hearts P29 63pts +28GD; Sevco P29 57pts +26GD, Celtic P28 55pts +21GD
- Remaining Celtic opponents before split: Aberdeen (A); Motherwell (H); Dundee Utd (A); Dundee (A); St Mirren (H). Potential maximum points haul: 85
- Sinisalo starts in goals. “He was poorly this morning.”Martin O’Neill said pre-match that Kasper Schmeichel was suffering from illness ahead of the game. Dane Murray started and despite being partly at fault in defence for one of the goals, he had a decent game.
- Big change in the game came at half-time with Hatate & Tounetki coming on for loanees Oxlade-Chamberlain & Adamu who both were poor, and Hatate in particular helped to drive Celtic to save from defeat, scoring the winning penalty (albeit after penalty saved, then first rebound was also saved but a third chance on the final rebound he put it into the net).
- Adamu was surprisingly played ahead of Cvancara, but he was poor & got little service in the first half (albeit so was much of the first team). Oxlade-Chamberlain was too slow.
- Martin O’Neill’s birthday today; Alex Ferguson watched on from the stand at Ibrox
- Celtic given full Ibrox stand in Scottish Cup of 7500 for next week but only the week corner again for today’s league game.
- Willie Haughey’s proposed Celtic Season Ticket Alliance, former striker Chris Sutton says he is “genuinely optimistic it could be a positive first step for the club”.
- Tommy Gemmell: Statue unveiled for Lisbon Lion great in his home of Craigneuk (Motherwell).
- Politics: US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike.
- Reports:
- Celtic decision not to sign winger justified after Jocelin Ta Bi injury update.
- Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou says speculation linking him with Celtic is “something that we cannot stop”!
- Celtic will be priced out of a summer move for Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh following his impressive Champions League exploits.
Summary
Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:
Another late late goal saves Celtic! How often can we keep doing this? Granted Celtic didn’t win but having one back from two down in this match after a disastrous first half it was incredible to draw at the death. A game of two halves if any truly deserved that tag ever.
Sevco started the match far up he stronger and scored quickly with an admittedly excellent overhead kick. From there on in for the first half Sevco dominated with a poor error from Murray sclaffing a clearance giving Sevco a chance to duly score a second.
Big change in the game came at half-time with Hatate & Tounetki coming on for loanees Oxlade-Chamberlain & Adamu who both were poor, and Hatate in particular helped to drive Celtic to save from defeat. Sevco had a chance at the start of the half when everyone was expecting a tanking for Celtic, but after that Celtic dominated Tierney scored from a header to pull Celtic back into the game, but an equaliser was difficult to find. However, a late penalty via VAR gave Celtic a chance, with Hatate scoring the winning penalty (albeit after penalty saved, then first rebound was also saved but a third chance on the final rebound he put it into the net). Adamu was surprisingly played ahead of Cvancara, but he was poor & got little service in the first half (albeit so was much of the first team). Oxlade-Chamberlain was too slow.
Relief, and pulled Celtic back into the league title chase with a chance albiet Hearts will be the happier side tonight. As for Sevco, it pushes their chances further back, but Celtic really need to win the upcoming game in hand on Wednesday.
“This title run-in is going to be epic.
Chris Sutton
Pre Match: Luke McCowan believes no-one in Scotland can stop Celtic if they can hit top form.
Pre match: “So he is picking our team? Well done old Danny. He’s only in less than a year. “I have to laugh. He’s made a comment about the picking of our team? Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn’t been in Glasgow long. “There’s no need for him commenting on my team.”
MoN Prematch
“It was obviously a great game. We were well and truly second best in the first half, for almost all of it. They got off to a great start. “The second goal wasn’t great play by us, however. It was a long way back at half-time, but this side has shown a great determination, got the ball down and played. “The second half belonged to us and we got an equaliser which we thoroughly deserved. “If you’re 2-0 down at half-time, you have to question yourself. I spend my life questioning myself, to tell you the truth. But anyway, we pulled it round second half. Great effort by the players, they’ve shown great spirit.”
Coming here is a difficult task, particularly if you’re chasing the game as we were. “Going back to those days, the side were very strong physically. They could compete at European level and domestically. This side doesn’t have the same sort of physicality but they do not lack heart. “Maybe wrong selection in the first place. Easy to say that. They had a big influence in the game and Reo Hatate finally puts the ball in the net after the third or fourth attempt. “In the scheme of things, you might think it’s two points dropped but at half-time, it’s a point gained. “It helps, to fight back at Ibrox from a 2-0 deficit. We could and should have won the game, and that gives you enormous ambition to drive on. “We’re still giving ourselves a chance in this title race.”
s: “If you were in Hearts’ position, a draw is a very good result. Motherwell are far from out of it themselves. “Just a tribute to the supporters, they kept us going in the second half, kept us going during the game. I’m sure they were disappointed with the first half, but hopefully they’re elated by what they saw in the second half.”
MoN
“Not that I look forward to birthdays, but if it had crossed my mind at Christmas time where I’d have been, I wouldn’t be thinking about spending the day at Ibrox. “It’s a huge day for the football club, and for both clubs. We’ve been chasing now endlessly, and this is it. The games are running out and today’s game is very important. “Kasper [Schmeichel] was poorly this morning. We thought we’d just leave him if that was the case. [Viljami] Sinisalo did really well for us on Thursday. Kasper has been terrific in my couple of spells here. “Dane [Murray] did fine in a big game against Stuttgart and hopefully he can continue that this afternoon. “Contrary to what people were saying, we actually tried to win the football match [on Thursday], which we did do. I’m hoping by the end of proceedings, we’re still in the competition.” “I’m sure the handshakes [with Danny Rohl] will be fine, and pretty cordial. Why wouldn’t they be?”
MoN Prematch
“When we came out for the second half, we were a totally different team. We’re unlucky not to get all the points in the end. “We let ourselves down first half, it wasn’t how we wanted to play. Second half we showed the character. We’re here for this ongoing fight.”
Kieran Tierney
“It’s difficult when you come here and the crowd get on top of you. They’re a good side, they’re direct, they make you defend. “We were by far the better team second half. Long way to go, a point is a good result, it keeps it in our hands as well.”
McGregor
Asgardtreasure of KDS: Before the match I thought only a win would keep us in the rae and now I’m like WTF was I talikning about. Get that shampoo outta here already.
We came back from the dead. Rohl looked like he’d seen a ghost at FT , and in a way he had. We looked finished at HT, fortunate to be only 2 down. I groaned when I saw that Hatate was coming on.
But the bhoys went to it in the second 45 and took control of the match. I’m sure we haven’t come back from being two down at the shampoo pit many times in the past. And we could have won. But it feels like a win whereas it will feel like a defeat to das bosche. The huns were doing somersaults in the stands at HT , rubbing their hands at the prospect of delivering a real mauling. And they got their effin teeth knocked out
This will have shaken Rohl’s confidence. He thought he had this firmly in the bag and in the end he could have lost that match. Our players got a shot in the arm from Stuttgart win, I think they should get an even bigger one from today. They were warriors out there in that second half and they did the jersey proud. Every man an emperor.
Amatimanaw @marmightlite.bsky.social · #Celtic – Today was our season in microcosm. 2 halves of football and we looked like 2 completely different teams. It happened under BR, under the much maligned Nancy and under MON. It’s fkn infuriating!
RossH of Celtic Underground:
As games go that was a bizarre one to watch. Was like watching Space Jam, where the big ugly monsters absolutely dominated the first half, and then in the second half the good guys finally woke up and recognised that passing to folk wearing the same kit was allowed.
1st half some shocking mistakes, compounded with more mistakes done us. Cal for the first, ridiculous decision making. Just blast it into the crowd and reset, instead he puts Aruajo in all sorts of trouble. That leaves us scrambling, and I have to be fair it’s a good finish, but it’s a cheap goal to giveaway.
2nd. Murray, as good as he was in the 2nd half, we cannot escape that he has a habit of giving up cheap chances and his mate Araujo didn’t exactly help him out.
And by half time, we were lucky to come off with any hope of getting back in as they had the chances to be 3 or 4 up.
Second half:
First few minutes, I’ll be honest I was ready to go out for a walk. More pressure being invited on top of us and it looked like it would be more one way traffic.
Then for some bizarre reason they allowed us a foothold, and to our credit we took it and built momentum. Hatate roaming through the midfield and giving us options to play out, the tempo increased and even Nygren became more active in the build up. Maeda also provided a pressure in the middle that was forcing Souttar, Fernandez and Butland to make decisions quickly, and it showed.
The goal…. nice build up with us finally creating overloads in the final third, quick passing and btw…. watch the backspin Nygren gets on the cross, that allows it to dip perfectly for KT, who nails the header perfectly.
Then it’s game on, and every time we lifted the pace, passed quickly, no 3 and 4 touches… and much more 1 and 2 touch, they couldn’t cope with it because we were moving more and working harder to recover the ball when they got it.
McCowan, well, he’ll have dreamed of that moment he had a millions times over. Poor shot, but we were starting to threaten.
The penalty, stonewaller. Great work from Forrest to dig out the cross, and lovely movement from Maeda to slip off the back of Souttar. It’s a goal if Sterling doesn’t jump in with his hands up, was he pretending that he was driving his car after the last derby game. Sending off?
Then Beaton slowly trudges over to the VAR screen, concrete in his boots, a tear in his eye and last nights kebab after a night at the local lodge coming back up on him. He stands, tries to reset, he can taste the sauce, bile, and the onions from the salad that have hit the back of his teeth. Swallows it back down with all the bitterness alongside it. Trudges back on at a snails pace, eventually lifting that lead filled arm to point at the spot, then proceeds to allow them to dick about for a minute or two.
Hatate, an awful penalty, not the greatest follow up….. but 3rd times a charm and he not only did he score but he improved our xG by about 2. Think if I’d been wearing my fitbit, it would have registered 2 major heart issues and asked me if the warmth in my legs was from an excited fart and follow through…
Sadly, we didn’t really kick on and go for the kill, and gave away a few daft free kicks, but from where we were at half time, this felt like a brilliant result……
However, it is just a point, we can’t escape our failings and we have to be much better over 90+ minutes if we want to retain our title and win the cup. That being said, the same thing remains true today as it does on any other day, no matter the result…. I’d rather be one of us, than one of them and hopefully MON enjoys the rest of his birthday.
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Formation: 4 – 3 – 3
Starting lineup
12, V. Sinisalo
63, K. Tierney, subbed for M. Saracchi at 74 mins
05, L. Scales
47, D. Murray
22, J. Araujo
21, A. Oxlade-Chamberlain, subbed for R. Hatate at 46 mins
42, C. McGregor (c), Captain,39′, Yellow Card at 39 mins
08, B. Nygren, subbed for J. Forrest at 85 mins
38, D. Maeda
09, J. Adamu, subbed for S. Tounekti at 46 mins
13, Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for L. McCowan at 74 min
Subs:
43, B. Arthur
51, C. Donovan
31, R. Doohan
49, J. Forrest
41, R. Hatate
14, L. McCowan
36, M. Saracchi
23, S. Tounekti
11, T. Čvančara
Goals:
K. Tierney (56′)
R. Hatate (90’+1)
Assists:
B. Nygren (56′)
TheRangers
Manager: Danny Röhl
Formation: 4 – 2 – 2 – 2
Starting lineup
01, J. Butland
25, T. Rommens
37, E. Fernandez
05, J. Souttar (c), Captain,79′, Yellow Card at 79 mins
21, D. Sterling
42, T. Chukwuani
43, N. Raskin,90′, Yellow Card at 90 mins
47, M. Moore
07, A. Skov Olsen, subbed for D. Gassama at 74 mins
09, Youssef Chermiti
20, R. Naderi, subbed for M. Diomandé at 64 mins
Subs:
11, T. Aasgaard
14, N. Bajrami
10, M. Diomandé
24, N. Djiga
23, D. Gassama
31, L. Kelly
30, J. Meghoma
28, B. Miovski
02, J. Tavernier
Goals:
Youssef Chermiti (8′, 26′)
Assists:
A. Skov Olsen (8′)
Match Officials
Referee: John Beaton
Video Assistant Referee: Steven McLean
Assistant Referee 1: David McGeachie
Assistant Referee 2: Calum Spence
Fourth Official: Duncan Nicolson
Assistant VAR Official: Kevin Clancy
Venue:Ibrox Stadium
Attendance:50,129
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Basic Stats
Overall possession
Rangers 45.2%
Celtic 54.8%
Shots
Rangers 12
Celtic 17
Shots on target
Rangers 3
Celtic 7
Total touches inside the opposition box
Rangers 32
Celtic 26
RAN
CEL
Goalkeeper saves
Rangers 5
Celtic 1
Aerial duels won
Rangers 24
Celtic 36
Fouls committed
Rangers 8
Celtic 11
Corners
Rangers 6
Celtic 7
In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Rangers 12
Celtic 17
Shots on target
Rangers 3
Celtic 7
Shots off target
Rangers 6
Celtic 5
Attempts out of box
Rangers 3
Celtic 7
Hit woodwork
Rangers 1
Celtic 0
One-on-one attempts
Rangers 1
Celtic 0
Total offsides
Rangers 2
Celtic 0
Distribution
Total passes
Rangers 358
Celtic 431
Pass accuracy %
Rangers 68.7
Celtic 78
Backward passes
Rangers 63
Celtic 54
Forward passes
Rangers 148
Celtic 162
Total long balls
Rangers 78
Celtic 38
Successful final third passes
Rangers 107
Celtic 76
Total crosses
Rangers 19
Celtic 21
Defence
Total tackles
Rangers 13
Celtic 17
Won tackle %
Rangers 53.8
Celtic 64.7
Fouls committed
Rangers 8
Celtic 11
Total yellow cards
Rangers 2
Celtic 1
Total clearances
Rangers 28
Celtic 33
Pre Match Facts
Rangers are unbeaten in their last five league meetings with rivals
Celtic (W3 D2), after having lost four of their previous five beforehand (D1). They have had four different managers in those five clashes (Philippe Clement, Barry Ferguson x2, Russell Martin, Danny Röhl).
Celtic have only won two of their last 12 away games at Rangers in all competitions (D4 L6), although both of their last two have been drawn. The Hoops last drew three successive trips to their Old Firm rivals in March 1996.
Rangers have won each of their last 10 home games in all competitions by an aggregate score of 32-4. The Gers last won 11 successive home matches in December 2013 under Ally McCoist (11), and last did so within a single season in April 2003 under Alex McLeish (18) – the 11th of which was against
Celtic (3-2 in December 2002).
Celtic have lost seven games in the Scottish Premiership this season, as many as they did in 2023-24 (3) and 2024-25 (4) combined. The Hoops last suffered more defeats in a league campaign in 1999-00 (9) – with their eighth defeat that season coming away to Rangers (0-4 in March 2000).
After his side’s 3-1 win in January, Danny Röhl could become the first ever manager to win both of his first two league Old Firm derbies in charge of Rangers.
This will be Martin O’Neill’s first league Old Firm derby as
Celtic boss since a 2-1 win at Ibrox in April 2005; the Northern Irishman has won eight of his last 10 league games against Rangers as Hoops boss (L2).
Articles
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cr5lrgp4g18t#Report
At a glance
Hatate’s penalty rebound salvages remarkable draw for Celtic
Sensational early overhead kick from Chermiti puts Rangers ahead
Wonderful improvisation from Portuguese forward doubles hosts’ lead
Tierney heads Celtic back into game from Nygren cross before late leveller
Rangers now six points behind leaders Hearts; Celtic two points further back with game in hand
ByKheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Ibrox
Resurgent Celtic came from two goals down to salvage a dramatic point in the 91st minute against Rangers to leave Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts with a commanding lead over both Old Firm sides.
A sensational early double from Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti was kick-started by a world-class opener – a wonderful overhead kick reminiscent of Scott McTominay’s for Scotland against Denmark late last year.
After claiming a double at Celtic Park at the turn of the year, the Portuguese forward repeated the feat on home soil as a rejigged Celtic defence completely wilted under the pressure.
Dane Murray’s botched clearance allowed Chermiti to pounce once again, with the former Everton man slipping past first Julian Araujo then a stunned goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, deputising for the ill Kasper Schmeichel.
It was a blow from which Celtic looked unlikely to recover at the break, but manager Martin O’Neill changed the dynamic by throwing on Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti at half-time.
Both were involved in the goal which gave Celtic hope, a move finished when Kieran Tierney headed powerfully in from Benjamin Nygren’s cross.
Celtic dominated the second period with Jack Butland denying Daizen Maeda and Luke McCowan, but late drama was to come.
‘Hearts & Motherwell the winners after damaging Old Firm stalemate’
Published
2 hours ago
Maeda was denied by an incredible Butland save from point-blank range, but after a video assistant referee review, Dujon Sterling was punished for a handball before his keeper’s intervention.
Hatate’s penalty and rebound were both saved brilliantly by the Rangers keeper, but the Japanese midfielder bundled the ball in with just a couple of minutes to go – changing not just the scoreline but the complexion of the title race.
The main beneficiaries may well be Hearts whose lead at the top is now six points. Rangers stay second but will be overtaken by their city rivals if Celtic can win their game in hand in midweek at Aberdeen.
This result keeps things nicely at boiling point at the top of the table and increases the likelihood of a four-way tussle for the title, with Motherwell just a couple of points off third-placed Celtic.
League table
Analysis: Latest twist in fascinating title race
Rangers simply blew Celtic away in the opening half hour and were considerably better in every aspect of the game.
The blue half of Glasgow showed better quality, more desire and played by far the better football. Nico Raskin bossed the midfield, while teenage Spurs loanee Mikey Moore was a bundle of tricks and energy.
Plenty of gold-dust was sprinkled on the display, too, from the right boot of Chermiti.
Rangers could easily have been more than two goals ahead at the interval and will now be regretting the fact they could not fashion a bigger cushion.
This would have been a huge win in the context of Rangers’ season, a big statement in the race for the title and further evidence of their improvement under Danny Rohl, who has still only lost once in the league since his arrival in October.
A point is far from fatal but it could have been so much better for Rangers.
Opta statsImage source, Opta
As for Celtic, the defence of their Premiership crown looked to have completely crumbled in as poor a 45 minutes at Ibrox as they have endured in recent years.
It took Celtic until the second half to turn up for this one, which will not really do with a big derby and a title both on the line.
Manager O’Neill, on his 74th birthday, started Junior Adamu and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but rectified those decisions at half-time, from which point he saw a much improved display from his side.
Luckily for the defending champions, the situation was just about recoverable despite the early damage done.
Prior to the break, Celtic looked a shadow of the side that has largely dominated the domestic game for well over a decade.
With Hearts setting a formidable pace at the top of the table, this was either a must-win or a must-not-lose for the men in green and white.
In the end, their determination ensured it was the latter and they are still in an increasingly fascinating title race.
What they said
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl tells BBC Scotland: “At the moment, the feeling is more disappointment because you dropped two points after a 2-0 lead.
“It’s not about 50 minutes, it’s about longer. We had high intensity, we played really nice football, we found our space. It was great.
“In the second half, we were not clinical in possession. We made some wrong decisions then we lose the ball, we give them a little bit of momentum then they score early in the second half and then you know it’s 2-1 and they have nothing to lose.
“Finally, it’s a draw. It’s always a little bit lucky for a team to get a late pen. This is normal, I would say it’s the same when we get a pen late in the game. It’s about the next game and we have to move on.
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill tells BBC Scotland: “It was obviously a great game. We were well and truly second best in the first half, for almost all of it. They got off to a great start.
“The second goal wasn’t great play by us, however. It was a long way back at half-time, but this side has shown a great determination, got the ball down and played.
“The second half belonged to us and we got an equaliser which we thoroughly deserved.
“If you’re 2-0 down at half-time, you have to question yourself. I spend my life questioning myself, to tell you the truth. But anyway, we pulled it round second half. Great effort by the players, they’ve shown great spirit.”
What next?
Rangers have a week to prepare to welcome Celtic to Ibrox once again, this time in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup next Sunday (13:00 GMT).
Celtic are on the road again, playing their game in hand at Aberdeen on Wednesday (20:00).
‘Extraordinary’ Rohl comments about Celtic rile O’Neill#
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrz4x2lj92o
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill and Rangers head coach Danny RohlImage source, SNS
Image caption,
Martin O’Neill and Danny Rohl go head to head for the second time on Sunday
ByMartin Dowden and Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland
Published
27 February 2026
Martin O’Neill is not anticipating as many surprises on his 74th birthday on Sunday as he received when hearing what opposition team boss, Danny Rohl, had said before what both hope will be an Old Firm derby celebration day.
Earlier, Rangers’ German head coach had responded to Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan’s suggestion that “if we’re at it, no team in that league touches us” by pointing out that his Ibrox side are two points above the third-placed reigning champions.
Rohl also thought it “will be interesting” to see whether O’Neill restores Kasper Schmeichel in goal after Viljami Sinisalo played so well in Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League victory for a much-changed Celtic over Stuttgart.
Listen on BBC Sounds, 92-95FM & online, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app, highlights on BBC Scotland from 19:15
Expressing surprise at the comments about a tie Celtic lost 4-2 on aggregate, O’Neill said: “So he is picking our team? Well done old Danny. He’s only in less than a year.
“I have to laugh. He’s made a comment about the picking of our team? Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn’t been in Glasgow long.
“There’s no need for him commenting on my team.”
However, what appeared to get O’Neill most irritated was the Rangers boss’ suggestion that: “I was a little bit surprised after 1-0 that they’re [Celtic] not trying to win this game, 2-0, 3-0, to have a chance. They keep the result until the end.”
The Northern Irishman replied: “He wants to be involved in some of these games.
“I didn’t see it like that. We were driven back because they are a very good team and in the top four of the Bundesliga.”
All that after Rohl had insisted: “I think, in general, it makes no sense to speak too much about the other side, we have to focus on ourselves.”
Hence the battle lines have been drawn for a Glasgow derby that could be of crucial importance to the destination of the Scottish title.
Heart of Midlothian are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership and Celtic two points further back with a game in hand.
O’Neill does not think the comments will add any fuel to what is usually a fiery fixture.
He should know. Although it will be his first league Old Firm derby since a 2-1 win at Ibrox in April 2005, he has won eight of his last 10 against Rangers, losing just two, and also led them to a 3-1 League Cup semi-final win over Rohl’s side in November.
That was in his first spell as interim manager, but Rangers reversed the scoreline at Celtic Park in January, a result that went some way to ushering in his second after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.
Celtic’s first-ever win in Germany came after a 2-1 loss at home to Hibernian dented their domestic title hopes.
“We are running out of games,” O’Neill admitted. “We have been trying to catch up for quite some considerable time and we’re still trying to do that.
“Losing to Hibs was a setback, but it wasn’t mortal and we’re still there.”
Now he is relishing a “really great fixture” he “never expected” to be involved in again.
“He [Rohl] possesses a fine team over there and it is going to be tough for us to get a result,” O’Neill admitted.
“In normal circumstances, you would like the full week to prepare, but we’ve gone to Ibrox and won before after we have played midweek games.”
‘No team will be out of race after this game’
With Hearts hosting Aberdeen on Saturday, Derek McInnes’ long-time leaders could have stretched their advantage over the Glasgow pair before they do battle in Govan, but Rohl insisted “we have to focus on ourselves”.
“We are ready,” he said. “Do it with a hot heart and a smart mind. If we do this then we have a big chance.
“We have a clear idea of what we want to do. We have also some different solutions, how we can hurt them.”
Like Celtic, Rangers suffered a setback last weekend when they drew 2-2 away to bottom side Livingston, coming from two goals down after having twice been behind the previous week when defeating Hearts 4-2.
“My team showed character, big personality in the last couple of weeks,” Rohl suggested.
“Also to come back away in Celtic, in the stadium there after 1-0 down, showed that, even if the game goes in one direction, what we don’t want, we always have a chance to come back.”
Rohl feels he and his side “are on fire” after “a good training week” and feels “the confidence” and “the belief”.
“It’s a crucial game, but no team will be out after this game because there are still 27 points you can take,” he insisted. “It’s two matchdays and you are in the title race again.
“It’s a crucial one because, when you come closer and closer to the end of the season and there is more and more in, then you know every game is important.”
O’Neill, meanwhile, is not putting any significance on the game landing on his birthday.
“I have not celebrated a birthday since I was 49, so it makes no difference to me,” he insisted.
Quoting legendary Rangers manager Walter Smith, he simply predicted a feeling of “relief” come the final whistle.
Pick of the stats
Rangers have lost once in 15 outings, away to Porto in Europa League and have won 10 in a row at home by an aggregate score of 32-4.
Celtic head across the city to Ibrox unbeaten in six away games since losing to Motherwell in December.
Rangers last won 11 successive home matches within a single season in April 2003 under Alex McLeish – the 11th of which was a win over Celtic.
Celtic have lost seven Premiership games this season, as many as they did in 2023-24 and 2024-25 combined, and last suffered more defeats in a league campaign in 1999-00 – with their eighth defeat that season coming away to Rangers.
Following a 0-0 draw in their last encounter at Ibrox in August, Celtic have not won in four visits to Ibrox since a 1-0 victory in September 2023, but they have only lost one of those.
Rohl could become the first Rangers manager to win both of his first two league Old Firm derbies.
Sir Alex, ‘unbelievable’ Braga & Tynecastle keep Hearts on course
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c204km38yyzo
Sir Alex FergusonImage source, SNS
Image caption,
Sir Alex Ferguson took in Hearts’ narrow win over Aberdeen
ByAndy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland
Published
28 February 2026
If you’re aiming to become the first team other than Celtic and Rangers to win a Scottish top-flight title in 41 years, you can do worse than invite the last man to achieve such a feat to come and see how you’re getting on.
Sir Alex Ferguson was the guest of honour as Hearts saw off the challenge of Aberdeen and moved seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with nine games to play.
It was Ferguson’s Aberdeen side that, in 1985, won the Scottish Premier Division before 40 seasons of Glasgow dominance, which began with Hearts’ heart-breaking final-day loss of the league to Celtic in 1986.
Indeed Ferguson, 84, was a player in his native Scotland when Hearts last won the top flight in 1960.
Hearts manager Derek McInnes, formerly in charge at Aberdeen, has previously spoken about his discussions with Ferguson this season. Whatever remarks have been exchanged, they’ve clearly worked up until now.
“We got him a nice bottle to take home with him but he opened it already,” McInnes said of former Manchester United and Scotland boss Ferguson.
“We all know he likes his red wine. I’m just glad he saw the team win, he saw Tynecastle the way it was today.”
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A 1-0 home win – their second on the bounce – may not look overly convincing but Hearts were good value for the three points and rarely looked in danger of conceding to Aberdeen.
Scorer Claudio Braga told BBC Scotland post-match: “With the stands behind us, the players gave everything and we just won.
“Now we’re getting to a point with maybe just a little bit more tension. We feel it from the stands a little bit. It’s normal.
“At the same time, we know we can do this. That goal probably gets the stands even more relieved of tension and behind us even more. They were amazing.”
Hearts manager Derek McInnes and details of Hearts’ next four fixturesImage source, SNS
Portuguese former Aalesunds forward Braga is emblematic of Hearts’ season – a relative unknown plucked from Norwegian football. He has scored 15 goals in 35 appearances.
Earlier in the season Greek Alexandros Kyziridis, signed from Slovakia’s Zemplin Michalovce, made headlines and, until recently, McInnes’ former Kilmarnock defender Stuart Findlay had been an ever present since his summer move.
McInnes singled Braga out for praise after the win against Aberdeen and also said “this week will good for him” as he the striker manages a groin issue and Hearts not in action again until 14 March.
“His output’s unbelievable, it always has been,” said McInnes. “His fitness, he’s absolutely dedicated to his craft. He makes the sacrifices. He’s all about his fitness and his level of performance.”
Challenges remain. Hearts will play high-flying Motherwell twice before the season’s end. They will likely travel to Celtic Park and Edinburgh rivals Hibernian’s Easter Road after the split and host Rangers, who beat them at Ibrox earlier this month.
And Falkirk are all but assured the final available top-six place and would probably host Hearts during the run-in. The Bairns have already knocked Hearts out of the Scottish Cup this season.
‘Cannot see Hearts buckling’
Former Hearts player Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty as part of BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound commentary and echoed Braga and McInnes’ sentiments.
“The atmosphere is unbelievable,” he said. “What you would give to be a player on that pitch just now,” he said.
And, afterwards, he proclaimed: “I think Hearts will win the league. I genuinely do.
“I cannot see Hearts buckling. I cannot see Hearts losing three or four games.
“I just can’t see Hearts losing the title now.”
Rangers are second, two points above Celtic, who have a game in hand. Those two teams meet at Ibrox on Sunday so, one way or another, Hearts’ seven-point advantage will be reduced by weekends’ end.
And Celtic travel to Aberdeen on Wednesday to play their game in hand.
Studio pundit, former Hearts player Michael Stewart, is similarly minded to Stevenson.
“I do think with every game that’s ticked off, there’s an extra level of pressure but equally I think there’s an extra level of belief. They almost counter each other.
“They’re the ones that are sitting there top of the table and deservedly so.”
‘Hearts & Motherwell the winners after damaging Old Firm stalemate’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgqgzgqweklo
Tom English
BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer
Published
2 hours ago
The body language at the end was instructive; Celtic sprightly, Rangers stunned. Two goals to the good and utterly dominant in every department and they get caught by a team that has perfected the art of the 90th-minute blow.
Aggro in the aftermath. Pushing and shoving and pointing on the pitch. Stalemate. An infinitely better draw for Celtic than Rangers but, really, not a whole lot of good to either of them.
From Edinburgh, the distant sound of laughter. There wasn’t a winner at Ibrox in this 2-2 draw, but there were winners elsewhere. Derek McInnes at the top and Jens Berthel Askou in fourth might have offered up a prayer before kick-off. A draw was what they would have wished for and their wish was granted.
Hearts and Motherwell finish the weekend in a stronger position. Rangers and Celtic? Well, they tore at each other’s throats and did a lot of damage.
Their respective strengths and imperfections were evident, right until the end of a tumultuous afternoon. It made for a deeply compelling game; hardcore football that had everything. Brilliance and weakness from minute one to the very last act. The psychology was endlessly fascinating.
Moore shines in glistening Rangers first half
Rangers will need smelling salts. They were so good for the entirety of the first half that you could scarcely see a way back for Celtic.
In a break in play around the half-hour mark, Mikey Moore, exciting, dangerous and 18 years old, juggled the ball around the halfway line. Carefree and innocent, the calmest person in the cauldron. What a half of football he had.
In his keepy-uppy moment, Moore looked like a kid in a playground. When Julian Araujo, Celtic’s frustrated full-back, ran over and wrestled the ball off him, it was just about the only one-on-one battle Celtic had won.
Rangers led 2-0 at the time. They had wiped the floor with their city rivals, out-scoring them, out-playing them, out-fighting them on the floor and in the air and out-believing them. Rangers looked the team who truly thought no side in the country could touch them – and not Celtic, as Luke McCowan had said on Thursday.
Ibrox was in thrall to them. They had an aggression and an urgency, but it wasn’t just that. They had a speed and an accuracy, too. An appetite for work. A menace. A confidence.
The opening goal was a microcosm of all of those things. It began with a bit of honest grunt, a dispossessing of Araujo in the corner by the twin hunters, Tuur Rommens and Youssef Chermiti, and across the other side of the field they swept.
Andreas Skov Olsen floated in a cross and all hell was about to break loose. Chermiti hurled himself into the air. Araujo looked up at him in the manner of a person straining the neck to gaze at a skyscraper.
The connection was as sweet as can be. It flew past Viljami Sinisalo at a speed that reminded you of what the late, great Gordon McQueen said of his iconic goal against England from yesteryear. “Clemence didn’t even save it on the way out.”
It was a riotous finish (was it the greatest ever scored in the derby or even in the history of the league?) and, of course, the immediate and appropriate comparison was with Scott McTominay’s spectacular effort against Denmark.
McTominay’s boot was measured at 2.53m off the ground when he scored at Hampden, a new world record. If Chermiti’s boot wasn’t higher, then there can’t be a whole lot in it.
This was Rangers in full flow. In their past two meetings with Celtic they had started slowly, but now they were moving at breakneck pace. Celtic’s midfielders and attackers were miles off it. When they got it, they got hustled off it in quick order.
And then they fell two goals behind, Two goals in his last Old Firm game and now two in this one. Rangers folk have expended an awful lot of time and emotion analysing Chermiti since his £8m signing and the verdicts have been damning.
No more, possibly. He’s still young, still learning. His ability is obvious. He might be something else when he matures. If his first was a miraculous thunderblast, his second was a thing of subtlety and cheek after Dane Murray took a swipe when trying to deal with Nico Raskin’s cross.
Chermiti flicked it past Araujo and dinked it past Sinisalo, then wheeled away to drink in the adulation of his newfound fan club. Ibrox was rocking, literally. When they’re rejoicing in this kind of performance, the place shakes.
‘Celtic leveller brought sanity amid madness’
They were serenaded off at the break. O’Neill made changes, as he had to. On came Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti and off went the new men to this fixture, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Junior Adamu. O’Neill could have pulled the trigger on many more, but he left it at two. And it worked. He got his team very badly wrong to begin with, but he righted the wrongs thereafter.
The mentality of sport. You could spend 100 years studying it and still not understand it. Yes, it was about new blood and new tactical thinking, but it was more than that. A team with all the belief suddenly started running out of it. A team with zero belief were suddenly reborn. Confidence is a fickle beast. From nothing, Celtic lorded the second half.
Hatate, a player who has looked a poor version of his best self this season, had a huge impact. He forced the first save out of Jack Butland after 55 minutes. Celtic were now on top. Rangers were in full retreat.
When Kieran Tierney pulled one back with a header it was just reward, Rangers were idling and Celtic were desperate. Where was this urgency earlier on? Daizen Maeda and Luke McCowan could and should have scored.
The thought occurred that after getting out of jail so often in recent times, maybe time was going to catch up with them again. Maybe all of this pressure was too little, too late. There was no act of escapology against Hibernian last week – and with a few minutes to go, you struggled to see one coming here.
It did, of course. The way this season is going – drama at every turn – a late, late penalty was never going to cut it in terms of theatre. No, no. There had to be more.
Hatate’s penalty was saved by Butland, as was his shot on the rebound. Ibrox contorted itself as the goalkeeper performed heroics and then the place let out a guttural groan as Hatate made it third time lucky. The visiting Celtic fans away in the distance went berserk. Sanity plucked from the jaws of madness.
Celtic had their draw. Not what they came for, not what they needed, but it was more than they thought they were getting at the break. And a lot less than what Rangers thought they were getting.
Both managers will need the comfort of a darkened room to figure out how they could be so excellent in one half and so poor in another, Danny Rohl most of all. If there was a relieved tone to O’Neill afterwards, there was a weariness from the German.
At the end, he scratched his head for a second and then walked on to shake his players by the hand. Maybe he would have wanted to shake one or two by the neck while he was at it. This draw must have felt like a loss to him.
The upshot is that the Glasgow two are still trailing in Hearts’ slipstream while looking over their shoulders at a Motherwell team who are looming large behind them.
Sunday was about the blue and the green but ended up being more about those in maroon and claret and amber. More, please. This season has been a joy of joys. Nobody wants this to end.
Great fightback from the Hoops earns 2-2 draw
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/01/great-fightback-from-the-hoops-earns-2-2-draw/
Match Report
By Matthew Campbell
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01 Mar 2026, 2:13 pm
SPFL
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Ibrox
RANGERS…2
(Chermiti 8 & 26)
CELTIC…2
(Tierney 56, Hatate 90 +1)
Celtic have left Ibrox with a point after a spirited second-half performance from Martin O’Neill’s men and goals from Kieran Tierney and Reo Hatate cancelled out the home side’s 2-0 lead from the first half.
The home side started quickly and looked to put the Hoops under pressure early and, in the eighth minute, that early pressure paid off when Youssef Chermiti gave his side the lead with an overhead kick which left Viljami Sinisalo with no chance of making the save.
It was almost 2-0 just moments later when a ball to the back post from Mikey Moore found Chermiti again, but this time the Rangers forward couldn’t find the target.
The home side enjoyed the majority of the possession throughout the first half but Celtic looked to spring attacks of their own when the opportunities presented themselves, but some poor crossing meant that those chances came to nothing.
With 25 minutes gone, Chermiti made it 2-0 from close range after flicking the ball beyond Julian Araujo and sending it beyond Viljami Sinisalo into the back of the net.
With half time approaching, Callum McGregor was booked for a foul on Mikey Moore who was looking to spring a counter-attack after a cross into the Rangers penalty area from a Celtic free-kick was cleared.
The deficit at the break, and the way the first half had unfolded with Celtic unable to lay a glove on the home side, gave Martin O’Neill’s men a mountain to climb in the second period.
45%
Possession
55%
12
Shots
17
3
Shots On Target
7
6
Corners
7
8
Fouls
11
2
0
Cards
1
0
There were two changes at the break for Celtic, with Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti coming on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Junior Adamu.
Much like the first half, the second half began with the home side putting Celtic under pressure and Tuur Rommens found himself with a big chance at the back post, but he was unable to get any power behind his shot and Sinisalo made the save.
A nice passage of passing play from Celtic resulted in a shooting opportunity for Benjamin Nygren from the edge of the box, but his effort rose high of the target.
That chance seemed to spark a bit of confidence within the Hoops, and they began to put the home side on the back foot. Jack Butland was called in to action for the first time in the match as he produced a diving save to deny Reo Hatate, who had fired a shot towards the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
A few moments later and Celtic were back in the match after a fine headed finish from Kieran Tierney, who had been picked out by Benjamin Nygren, cut the deficit to just one goal.
Daizen Maeda found himself with a big chance to equalise just after the hour mark when Sebastian Tounekti swung a good cross into the box, but the Japanese forward’s header was saved by Butland.
Reo Hatate then had an opportunity to level the match but his powerful shot from the edge of the box went high over the bar.
With 20 minutes remaining, Martin O’Neill made two further changes, with Kieran Tierney and Yang making way for Marcelo Saracchi and Luke McCowan.
Luke McCowan went close to making it 2-2 shortly after coming on when a great piece of play from Sebastian Tounekti set the midfielder up with a chance at the back post, but Butland was able to make the save.
Celtic’s final change of the afternoon came with five minutes of the 90 remaining when Benjamin Nygren was replaced by James Forrest whose impact was instant. His cross into the box almost resulted in a goal, but a handball from Dujon Sterling meant that the Hoops were awarded a penalty in the 90thminute.
Reo Hatate stepped up and saw his effort from the spot saved, but from the rebound he was able to find the back of the net to make it 2-2, giving Celtic a point from a match which, at half time, looked beyond the Hoops
Rangers: Butland, Sterling, Souttar, Fernandez, Rommens, Raskin, Chukwuani, Skov Olsen (Gassama 74′), Moore, Naderi (Diomande 64′), Youssef Chermiti
Subs: Tavernier, Diomande, Aasgaard, Bajrami, Gassama, Djiga, Miovski, Meghoma, Kelly
Celtic: Sinisalo, Araujo, Murray, Scales, Tierney (Saracchi 74′), Nygren (Forrest 85′), McGregor, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Hatate 45′), Hyunjun Yang (McCowan 74′), Adamu (Tounekti 45′), Maeda
Subs: Čvančara, McCowan, Tounekti, Doohan, Saracchi, Hatate, Arthur, Forrest, Donovan
Martin O’Neill praises second-half Celts
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/01/martin-o-neill-praises-second-half-celts/
First Team
By Joe Sullivan
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01 Mar 2026, 2:59 pm
It may not have been the ideal birthday present for Martin O’ Neill, but in the second half at Ibrox, the Celts unwrapped a surprise package unseen in the first 45, and became party poopers for the majority inside Ibrox.
The manager, while pleased with ultimate outcome, feels that Celtic could have taken even more from the game which they brought back to level terms after being 2-0 down and seemingly out of the running.
The Irishman said: “We got off to a bad start obviously, they get a goal, crowd up for the game, those types of things.
“Then we concede a poor second goal, and we have not been good in the second half.
“Breaking down when we had moments to deal with the ball and it kept breaking down for us.
“But the second half, other than first three or four minutes, belonged totally to us.
‘We got forward, we showed commitment, drive, determination and the ability to pass the ball – and we could have won.’
“Before we got the penalty kick, we had chances to win, and we deserved at least a point in the game considering our second-half performance.”
Kieran Tierney: It’s a big point
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/march/01/kieran-tierney–it-s-a-big-point/
First Team
By Joe Sullivan
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01 Mar 2026, 3:26 pm
Celtic defender, Kieran Tierney has made a healthy habit of delivering telling crosses into the box – so much so that he’s very rarely, if ever, on the other end of crosses himself.
That was turned on its head this afternoon at Ibrox when he rose to meet a flighted ball from Benjamin Nygren and head home to press the ignition on Celtic’s comeback after being 2-0 down to the home side.
Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, Tierney said: “It was a game of two halves today.
“I don’t think we did ourselves any justice in the first half. Obviously they score a goal straight away in the first 10 minutes. That’s how these games can go, they got another goal.
‘But, at half time, we knew we can turn this around.’
“If we start the half well, if we play our football the way we should’ve in the first half, I think we did that, and at least I think we deserved the point and we had more chances in the second half.”
He said of half time in the dressing room: “I don’t think there was one person in there who believed the game was done.
“That’s been important all season, that we keep fighting because we know we have to, these games can be tough.
“But there’s no hiding place, we need to get out there and turn the game around, and we did that and got the point in the end.”
And on his goal that ignited the comeback, the defender said: “It was amazing, but more importantly it was a crucial time to score, because it gave us enough time to go again, try and get an equaliser, and then go on to win it.
Celtic claw back draw after rampant Rangers run out of gas – Hearts are the big winners
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/latest-rangers-news/celtic-claw-back-draw-after-rampant-rangers-run-out-of-gas-hearts-are-the-big-winners-5615668
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
Comments
Published 1st Mar 2026, 13:59 GMT
Late penalty ensures share of spoils after Chermiti’s wonder goal
Celtic battled back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw in a pulsating Premiership Old Firm clash at Ibrox.
Rangers raced into a 2-0 first-half lead thanks to a double from striker Youssef Chermiti, the first of which was a spectacular overhead kick. The hosts threatened to run away with the match, but Celtic responded after the break and netted through Kieran Tierney and Reo Hatate.
Both Glasgow teams have fallen further behind Hearts in the title race. Rangers are in second place, six points behind the Jam Tarts, with Celtic two points adrift of them in third. Martin O’Neill’s side have a game in hand over their rivals and play that on Wednesday night against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Rangers took the lead in sensational fashion just eight minutes in. Andreas Skov Olsen chipped in a cross into the Celtic penalty box and Chermiti strode in unmarked. With the ball high and slightly behind him, the Portuguese showed great athleticism and power to sweep a bicycle kick beyond helpless goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo. It was a goal that had Ibrox rocking.
Rangers drove forward with Celtic on the ropes and added a second on 26 minutes. Visiting defender Dane Murray swiped at a clearance and the ball went in behind his teammate Julian Araujo. The Mexican had his pocket picked by Chermiti, who cushioned a neat finish beyond Sinisalo.
Rangers dominated the rest of the half but could not find another goal. It came back to haunt them.
Celtic were much better in the second half. The set about wiping out the two-goal deficit and found the net on 57 minutes when Tierney placed a header beyond Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland after a good cross from Benjamin Nygren.
All the momentum was with Celtic. Rangers had emptied in the final third of the pitch. Daizen Maeda, Hatate and Luke McCowan all missed good chances before the visitors were awarded a penalty on 89 minutes.
The decision came after a VAR review. Referee John Beaton was advised to look over an incident where Maeda’s header struck Emmanuel Fernandez’s arm before being saved by Butland. While the keeper saved Hatate’s penalty and then the first rebound, the Japanese bundled the ball home at the third time of asking to ensure a share of the spoils.
The two teams meet again next Sunday in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
Martin O’Neill makes Celtic-Hearts title statement, mocks ‘feeble’ moment and says who would eat his cake
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/martin-oneill-makes-celtic-title-statement-hearts-admission-mocks-feeble-moment-and-says-who-would-eat-his-cake-5615731
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
Comments
Published 1st Mar 2026, 15:30 GMT
Manager takes comfort from way his team fought back at Ibrox
Martin O’Neill says Celtic’s comeback against Rangers at Ibrox shows they still have the “heart and desire” to retain their Premiership crown.
A bedraggled-looking and heavily outplayed Celtic looked in grave danger of collapsing in the third Old Firm league clash of the season after falling two goals behind by the 26-minute mark after strikes from Youssef Chermiti – the first of which was an acrobatic bicycle kick.
However, Celtic recovered after the break and a Kieran Tierney header before the hour mark raised hopes of a comeback. After dominating a large part of the second half, they levelled right at the death when Reo Hatate netted a rebound from his saved penalty.
Celtic remain in third place, two points behind Rangers and eight off leaders Hearts. They have a game in hand on the duo, however, which is against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night. O’Neill believes their fightback emphasised the determination in the team to be crowned champions again.
“We were second best for almost all of the first half,” said O’Neill. “Rangers got off to a great start and capitalised on our uncertainty, as much as anything else. It was a tough first half for us. I had to try and turn it around and the players showed some character to come back.
“Other than the first three or four minutes of the second half, I thought we dominated the second half, so much so that the crowd were perhaps turning on their own players. We were so dominant and we wonder where it came from, or why we couldn’t string a couple of passes together in the first half. We defended a wee bit better – although their first goal was a really great goal.
“It was lovely to come out and get something. We could easily have won it in the end. Luke [McCowan] says he maybe should have scored. I haven’t seen very many things back. First half, totally Rangers. Second half, totally us.
“I think today’s result – if you belong to Hearts – then you’ll think it’s a great result for them. But even so, we’re not out of it. If the game had ended at half time, with our performance, we’d have thought ‘we’re a million miles off it’. Now by the end of the game, the manner that we played, particularly here at Ibrox, 2-0 down, we fight back.
“There’s still plenty of heart and desire to try and retain the championship. It’s just been a tough old struggle this season. We just have to try and dig it out.”
Thinking behind Celtic subs
O’Neill made two substitutions at the interval, bringing on Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti, which gave them greater control of the match. Recent signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of the players sacrificed.
“It’s a difficult one for Alex [Oxlade-Chamberlain]. He’s trying to get up to speed at this minute not having played. He’s a very fine footballer. It was one of those, do you play him until he gets really tired? It was just the game was so fast, in particular the first half, and I think we as a team struggled with it – the intensity of it.
“But we showed great character to fight back and the manner that we got it down and played caused them all sorts of problems. We seemed to retain the ball better and when it was kicked back into our half, we got it again and circulated the ball. We deserved it.”
Another seemingly big decision was selecting usual back-up goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo from the start after his good performance during the week against VfB Stuttgart – although O’Neill revealed that regular No 1 Kasper Schmeichel was omitted from the squad entirely due to illness. “I hadn’t any real decision to make today in that sense,” he said. “Maybe later on down the line.” Schmeichel is expected to be available against Aberdeen.
After inspiring a draw from the dugout, O’Neill was forced to play peacekeeper at the end after a melee ensued between a number of players.
“I was going over to it,” explained the manager. “Me at my age, I’ve managed the team when it was proper ‘having a go’. This was feeble! Really feeble. Somebody holding somebody’s shirt. They should watch a couple of rugby league games, then they will find out. Feeble, on both sides.
“The only reason I went into it was I didn’t want someone to say something or bite back. I didn’t want any after-match sending-offs.”
It meant that his 74th birthday was not spoiled – although the veteran boss was not especially impressed with how his coaching team marked the occasion.
“We stayed overnight last night in the hotel,” explained O’Neill. “The backroom staff dimmed the lights and brought out a birthday cake. It was pathetic.
“The problem is, my birthday was not until 12 o’clock and I could have died between 7.30pm and 12 o’clock. Seriously. I don’t know who would have eaten the cake. Probably [Mark] Fotheringham…”