Ref Blew It But Well Have No Case For Defence

May 4 2008 Andy Walker

REFEREEING decisions will always prove crucial when league titles are at stake and every game is as tense as yesterday's Fir Park showdown.

So it should be no surprise whistler Steve Conroy came in for a torrid time from furious Motherwell supporters.

The big decision that cost Well in their eyes centred on a disputed corner that led to Celtic's second goal and sealed a win that had looked unlikely when Chris Porter put Mark McGhee's men in front with half an hour left.

Only in the conspiracy-fuelled world of Scottish football can so much fuss be made of a flag-kick.

Vladimir Romanov and son Roman are not alone in thinking games are fixed.

Yet it is ridiculous to suggest Conroy or any other ref has an ulterior motive.

For the record I didn't think it was a corner when Bobo Balde went up with Porter and tried to head the ball back across goal - but Conroy and his linesman did.

Truth is the whistler made an honest mistake and shouldn't be pilloried for it.

The key fact is Celtic were able to take advantage of a rare set-piece and for once Motherwell's defending was suspect.

Similarly, I didn't think McGhee's side should have had a flag-kick in stoppage time when the ball was headed past the post but Conroy gave them one.

Well battered Celtic in the corner count but not once could they capitalise. That was the real difference.

If we start to analyse every single free-kick, foul, throw-in and corner we could pick out hundreds of examples every week that could have gone either way.

There's no doubt in my mind the Hoops have enjoyed luck with some decisions in recent weeks.

Scott McDonald's first goal against Rangers last Sunday was offside and Aberdeen's Zander Diamond didn't handle the ball before lashing it into the net seven days earlier.

But that's all it is - a bit of fortune. Nothing more.

Before a ball was kicked the team selection from both sides made interesting reading.

Skilful players like Ross McCormack and Stephen Hughes were surprisingly on the home bench.

And instead of Darren O'Dea, who had deputised as a second-half sub for Stephen McManus in last week's Old Firm triumph, Gordon Strachan elected to go with Bobo Balde even though the big stopper couldn't make the squad against Gers.

With Motherwell chasing their own impressive prize of a European place it's a pity the state of their pitch seems to dictate team selection.

Any hope of seeing quality football disappeared as soon as you got a glimpse of the surface.

And on a pitch that's an embarrassment to the SPL the game quickly developed into a physical contest.

Shunsuke Nakamura in particular came in for some close attention.

He was cemented three or four times as soon as he gained possession and the home fans loved it.

Porter was giving as good as he got from Balde and much of the striker's clever link-up play enabled Motherwell to dominate possession and win a succession of corners.

When Celtic won comfortably at Fir Park recently, scoring four goals, much of their joy came from the excellent delivery of free-kicks.

This time McGhee's men were prepared for the onslaught and disciplined enough to catch at least half a dozen Celts offside when running out in unison.

As so often happens though, Well just couldn't cash in when they were on top and eventually it proved costly.

With skipper McManus missing through injury, Strachan showed how much he thinks of frontman Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - who has copped severe criticism this season - by handing him the armband.

The Dutchman couldn't mark the honour with a goal, however, and Stephen Craigan and Mark Reynolds snuffed out his threat.

The last 30 minutes brought all the drama and talking points.

Not for the first time Porter got the better of Balde by nicking in front of him to score from a teasing Brian McLean cross.

Given that Celtic had hardly threatened, Motherwell looked odds-on for at least a point. But they made the criminal error of giving a goal away straight from kick-off.

Aiden McGeadywas enjoying a lush part of the ground in the second half and set off on a run that drew three defenders towards him.

A pass to Paul Hartley was quickly switched to Nakamura on the right and he picked out the smallest man in the box.

McDonald got just enough space to head home but it was a poor time to concede and for once Craigan and Reynolds lost concentration.

The same thing happened when Balde won a dubious corner.

Well switched off again and keeper Luke Daniels, on loan from West Brom, watched Barry Robson's corner make it to the back post.

Unmarked Georgios Samaras didn't even have to jump - he just stooped to nod the ball over the line.

In these circumstances the performance means nothing as long as the points are in the bag.

An eight-point lead at the top puts pressure on Rangers to win today at Easter Road. The football isn't great but it's a fascinating title race that still has two-and-a-half weeks of twists and turns to come.