Motherwell 1-2 Celtic

May 4 2008 Mark Guidi At Fir Park

Skippy And Samaras Keep Celts In The Hunt

SCOTT McDONALD scored the goals that cost Celtic the title in 2005 - now he might just have bagged the one that will help keep the championship at Parkhead. Celtic's SPL hopes were hanging by a thread when Well striker Chris Porter headed home the opener after 60 minutes.

But McDonald - who netted twice for Motherwell against the Hoops three years ago to hand the title to Rangers - levelled within two minutes with a superb header.

And Georgios Samaras notched the winner 11 minutes from time to give Gordon Strachan's side an eight-point lead at the top.

Rangers still have four games in hand but their old rivals are heaping on the pressure as the championship race hots up.

This was a must-win match for Celtic as anything less would have ended their slim hopes of making it three-in-a-row.

And for the first hour the best Strachan's side could have hoped for was escaping with a draw.

As usual, Motherwell boss Mark McGhee had his players well organised and they never gave Celtic a minute on the ball.

Brian McLean kept Aiden McGeady quiet down the left flank while McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink weren't getting service from anywhere else.

The home team didn't allow Celtic to play their passing game and it tells you everything about this game that the Parkhead club's most effective player was Barry Robson.

The former Dundee United skipper ran his backside off in midfield and broke up several Motherwell attacks. That said, the Lanarkshire men still forced eight corners in the first half.

But for all their possession Well lacked accuracy in the final third and rarely tested Artur Boruc.

Celtic had the ball in the net after 30 minutes when McDonald slipped the ball under stand-in Well keeper Luke Daniels but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Boruc had to make his first save eight minutes later when Darren Smith got in behind Lee Naylor down the Motherwell right.

His cutback found Marc Fitzpatrick unmarked 15 yards out but the midfielder's drilled effort was too near the Hoops keeper.

Neither manager made changes during the interval and McGhee was rewarded for his faith as his side scored on the hour.

McLean sent a lovely ball into the danger area from the right and Porter reacted quicker than Bobo Balde - in for the injured Stephen McManus - to head past Boruc from seven yards.

Teams are supposed to be most vulnerable just after scoring and that was the case for Well as they allowed Celtic to get on level terms within two minutes.

Shunsuke Nakamura floated in a cross from the right and McDonald rose above McLean to power home a header from eight yards.

It was the Aussie's 30th goal of the season and he has proved excellent value for money after arriving from Fir Park in a s750,000 transfer last summer.

Celtic then grabbed the winner in 79 minutes when sub Samaras, on for Vennegoor of Hesselink, hit a controversial goal. The Hoops won a corner when Balde challenged with Porter at the back post.

But the final touch seemed to come off the big defender and the decision angered McGhee and his assistant Scott Leitch who enjoyed a few touchline exchanges with Celtic coach Neil Lennon.

Robson hit the set-piece with power into the heart of a crowded six-yard box and Samaras was there to head home from three yards.

It was a testing delivery from the midfielder but one that on-loan West Brom goalie Daniels could have dealt with better.

The goal was a blow for Motherwell but gaining entry to next season's UEFA Cup is still in their own hands.

Just above them in the table is the fight for the title and Celtic's win should see the race go right to the final day on May 22.

Strachan's side will fancy their chances of winning the final two games to reach a total of 89 points.

Can Rangers plough through their hectic schedule and make it to 90?

Plenty of talking points came out of this game - but there was nothing memorable about the football.

On an appalling surface neither side could get the ball down and play their passing game.

As every ball made its way to a player you could see they were waiting for it to hit a bobble and bounce away from them.

But a plus point for Well was the performance of Mark Reynolds in central defence. Yet again he read the game superbly and played with great composure.

REF WATCH

STEVE CONROY made the wrong call for Celtic's winner and it was just one of many decisions that left both teams baffled.

Rating: 5/10.

MATCH FACTS

SHOTS ON 6

SHOTS OFF 5

OFFSIDE 0

FOULS 20

CORNERS 14

BOOKINGS 1

SHOTS ON 4

SHOTS OFF 2

OFFSIDE 6

FOULS 15

CORNERS 1

BOOKINGS 1