celts held in six goal thriller

Gregor Kyle
HAVING shown considerable improvement in their recent win over Kilmarnock and draw with Hamburg, Celtic looked decidedly off key as they dropped two points in a 3-3 draw with Falkirk.

At one point the Premier League’s bottom club were winning 2-1 in this match after Gary Caldwell had fired Celtic into the lead.

Tony Mowbray’s men then restored their advantage, with Scott McDonald coming off the bench to equalise and then make it 3-2. However, Mark Stewart levelled with seven minutes to go, earning what was perhaps a deserved point for the home side.

The Celtic manager made two changes to the team that earned a draw with Hamburg in Germany on Thursday night, with Paddy McCourt starting at the scene of the spectacular solo goal that announced his arrival as a Celtic player back in September.

Marc-Antoine Fortune also returned to the starting XI for the first time since he suffered a knee injury in August against Arsenal, having impressed in two substitute appearances.

Within seconds of kick-off, both McCourt and Fortune were involved, with the latter winning a free kick down by the corner which McCourt swung in, forcing Robert Olejnik to punch clear at his post.

Celtic were facing a Falkirk side desperately trying to close the gap at the bottom of the table and avoid being cut adrift and, despite their lowly league position they looked positive and created chances.

A header from Darren Barr, a free kick from Alex MacDonald, a later shot from the midfielder and Vitor Lima all came close as Celtic failed to settle and put their passes together in a disjointed opening 25 minutes.

Lima should have done better with his attempt, after going through one-on-one with Lukas Zaluska, but the Celtic keeper parried it and continued to look commanding as Falkirk threatened from a succession of corners.

It wasn’t until Olejnik was forced to touch a deflected shot from Aiden McGeady over the bar in the 35th minute that Celtic finally responded, but this looked like being a rare positive in an otherwise turgid first half – until they were presented with an unexpected penalty.

MacDonald took a swipe at Danny Fox just seconds before catching the Celtic defender. However, Aiden McGeady hit a tame spot-kick that was saved by Olejnik, with the Austrian keeper doing well to block the rebound. The half then finished with a great chance for Fortune.

More was expected from the team in the second half and it took 10 minutes for Caldwell to score his first goal of the season and give Celtic the lead.

Once again it was a rash challenge from a Falkirk player that gave Celtic the chance, with Brian Allison hauling down Samaras. Barry Robson swung in the free kick and Caldwell fired home his header at the back post.

However, Celtic’s lead lasted just six minutes, with Caldwell bringing down Ryan Flynn and Scott Arfield squeezing his penalty past Zaluska.

Then, just three minutes later Pedro Moutinho found space in the box and volleyed home from 12 yards to make it 2-1.

Tony Mowbray responded with two substitutions, bringing on Zheng Zhi and McDonald for Robson and McCourt, with the Chinese midfielder immediately testing Olejnik with a shot.

McDonald was ruled offside when he got on the end of the loose ball, but, just five minutes after coming on, the little frontman got another sniff and headed home Fox’s cross.

This wouldn’t be McDonald’s first chance and with Celtic gaining momentum, he latched on to a slack pass back and fired at Olejnik, before his second goal was handed to him on a plate by Samaras.
The Greek striker was picked out by McGeady and he swung in a cross to the back post that McDonald bundled over the line from close-range to put the Hoops 3-2 in front.

But there remained a twist in the tale and, moments after Fortune had opted to shoot rather than picking out the unmarked McGeady, Stewart got on the end of a Flynn cross and equalised.

Celtic pushed forward in search of a late winner, but, having let their chance slip through their fingers, it was a case of too little, too late.

Scottish Premier League
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Falkirk Stadium, Westfield
FALKIRK… 3
(Arfield 61 pen, Moutinho 64, Stewart 83)
CELTIC… 3
(Caldwell 55, McDonald 72, 79)
FALKIRK (4-5-1) Olejnik; Allison, Barr, McLean, Mitchell; MacDonald (Stewart 78), Marceta, Lima, Arfield, Flynn (Murdoch 88); Moutinho (Bullen 75).
Subs: Wagenaar, Finnigan, Moffat, Stallard.
CELTIC (4-4-2) Zaluska; Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens (McManus 46), Fox; McGeady, Robson (McDonald 67), NGuemo, McCourt (Zheng 67); Fortune, Samaras.
Subs: Cervi, Caddis, Crosas, Forrest.