MATCH 1525 - Saturday, 21 September 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CELTIC PARK

                  

 

CELTC    2    ST JOHNSTONE    1

Scorers:  Pukki, Mulgrew;  Caddis

 

Teemu Pukki made his home debut and scored his second SPL goal in as many games.  Celtic were in great form in the first half  with Adam Matthews adding a extra dimension to the Celtic attack.  Unfortunately he went off injured at half time and the course of the match changed. 

In the second St Johnstone gradually imposed themselves on the game and by the end were unlucky not to take a point as they hit the post in the dying minutes. 

Israeli midfielder, Nir Biton made his SPL debut in the second half. 

 

MATCH 1524 - Wednesday, 28th August 2013

Season:  2013/14

QUALIFYING ROUND 2nd Leg

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    3    SHAKHTER KARAGANDY    0

Scorers:  Commons, Samaras, Forrest

 

Celtic staged a dramatic comeback against the longest travelled team ever to visit Celtic Park in UEFA football to book their place in the Champions League Group Stage for the second season running.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg Celtic came out with the intension of getting an early but had to wait until injury time at the end of the first half to half the deficit.  A thunderbolt from Kris commons. They didn't have to wait too long for the second though as Samaras took advantage of a kind deflection to neatly chipped over the keeper.

Having got back level Celtic had to concentrate in defence as Shakhter didn't crumble after losing the second but instead went toe to toe in the final stage of the tie and indeed hit the bar following one of their long throw-ins.

As the match went into injury time Celtic dramatically scored their third through James Forrest following great play from Anthony Stokes to win the tie.

 



MATCH 1523 - Saturday, 24th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                           

 

CELTIC    2    INVERNESS CT    2

Scorers: Mulgrew, Matthews; Doran, Foran

 

Inverness came to Celtic Park as league leaders and took a two goal lead in the first half.  An under strength Celtic team pulled one back just before the break and eventually equalised with less than 10 minutes remaining.

FLASH BACK - MATCH 479 - October 1990

Season: 1990/91
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP 3rd ROUND
Venue:  OLD TRAFFORD

MANCHESTER UNITED    3   LIVERPOOL    1

Scorers:  Bruce, Hughes, Sharpe;  Houghton

 

 

My only previous English League Cup (known as the Rumbelows Cup as this time) match was this cracker from 1990 when Manchester United eliminated a previously unbeaten Liverpool team.

I travelled down to Manchester on the day of the match on a National Express coach without a match ticket.  Thankfully the match was not a sell out and I got one no problem from the ticket office.

I watched the match from just behind Kenny Dalglish and the Liverpool dug out.

 

MATCH 1522 - Wednesday, 7th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round
Venue:  BRUNTON PARK

CARLISLE UNITED   3   BLACKBURN ROVERS   3

after extra time - Carlisle won on penalties
Scorer:  Amoo(2), Guy;  Crainey, Taylor, Judge

 

Final match of three night ground hop and like the previous nights the underdog progressed into the next round of the League Cup.  We watched the match from the away section.  Blackburn fans travelled in good numbers and were a very decent bunch.  The match ended up being a fabulous rollercoaster cup tie with six goals, 30 minutes extra time, penalties, a red card.

  

 

MATCH 1521 - Tuesday, 6th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round
Venue:  GLOBE ARENA

                         

MORECAMBE   1   WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS   0
Scorer:  Williams

Night 2 of 3 night ground hop.  First visit to the Globe Arena, a new tidy little ground in the seaside resort of Morecambe. 

The moment Williams became a local hero.

MATCH 1520 - Monday, 5th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round
Venue:  DEEPDALE STADIUM

                                   

PRESTON NORTH END   1    BLACKPOOL   0
Scorer:  Clarke
Attendance:  17,400

1st visit to Deepdale and it was well worth it even although I watch fom the away section.  Although on a Monday night and on Sky TV their was a big crowd as tickets were priced at £10 and £5 and this ensured a terrific atmosphere.

We travelled down south on the day of the game.  All the way down the weather was awful but by the time we reached Blackpool the rain had cleared.

 

 

MATCH 1519 - Saturday, 3rd August 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                  

 

CELTIC    2    ROSS COUNTY    1

 

Flag day at Celtic Park as Celtic unfurl their 44th league flag before the game.  John Keane had the honour of pulling the cord. 

MATCH 1518 - Wednesday, 31st July 2013

Season:  2013/14
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Qualifying Round 1st Leg
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    1    ELFSBORG    0

Scorer: Commons 

 

 

A nervy performance from Celtic against the Swedish champions.  Elfsborg are well into their season while Celtic have yet to play a domestic match and it should showed as Celtic were rusty in this European clash.

 

This is my 3rd match of the season and 3rd new team to add to my List of Clubs.



MATCH 1517 - Saturday, 27th July 2013

Season 2013/14
FRIENDLY
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

       

 

                 Celtic    1   Borussia Monchengladbach   2    

Scorers:  Stokes; Xhaka, Hrgota

 

A number of new faces in the Celtic ranks for the small Celtic Park crowd to view.  And it was one of the youngsters Darnell Fisher playing at right back that impressed most. 

 

Borussia Monchengladbach had a very healthy following with them as they enjoyed the baulk of the possession in a typical pre-season encounter.  Both clubs made a host of substitutes in the second half.  The pick of the goals came from Xhaka who's swerving passing shot was too good for Zulaska as it clipped the under side of the bar and put the German side 1 up. Younes (No. 25) also impressed with his movement and skill during his 63 minutes of action.



 

Overall Borussia fully deserved their win.

 

CELTIC:

 Zaluska; Fisher, Mouyokolo, Ambrose (Mulgrew 46), Waters (Matthews 63); Herron (Henderson 68), Brown (Stokes 46), McGregor (Ledley 63), Commons (McGeouch 46); Balde (Atajic 81)Watt

   
 BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH:

 ter Stegen; Basket (Wendt 71), Stranzl, Dominguez (Brouwers 71),Daems (de Jong 71); Raphael, Kramer, Xhaka (Herrmann 63), Younes (Nordtveit 63); Kruse (Jantschke 71), Rupp (Hrgota 63)

 

On a personal note:  This was my first time seeing Borussia Monchengladbach