Minor Match 64 - Friday 25 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH LOWLANDS LEAGUE

Venue:  RECREATION PARK, ALLOA

BROOMHILL  0  RANGERS-B  2

• 6th Scottish Lowlands League game me this season. 
• 4th Broomhill match, 3 of them at Recreation Park.
• 2nd time seeing Rangers-B.

MATCH 1867 - Sunday 20 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  3  DUNDEE  2

Scorers: Giakoumakis(3);  Mullen, Sweeney

Great Greek Giorgos Giakoumakis

Maybe a European hangover or taking their opponents too lightly but a straightforward home match against the bottom side in the league turns out to be a real struggle. However an outstanding goalscoring performance from Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis wins the three points. After a slow start from Giakoumakis, today maybe a new star is born.

My 67th time seeing Dundee (60 in Premier League all v Celtic) who have their new manager, Mark McGhee in the stand.

Minor Match 63 - Saturday 19 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTISH LOWLAND LEAGUE

Venue: RECREATION PARK, ALLOA.

BROOMHILL  0  EAST STIRLINGSHIRE  2

Match No. 5 in the Scottish Lowlands League again with Paul on the line.  East Stirlingshire are too strong for their Glasgow opponents.

MATCH 1866 - Thursday 17 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

Play-off Round - 1st Leg

A shock for Celtic as their Norwegian opponents come to Celtic Park and play on the front foot and record a fine win and affectively kill the two-legged tie.  This is Celtic's first match in UEFA's new third tier competition - Europa Conference League after finishing third in their UEFA Europa League Group.

Bodo/Glimt are the third opponents I've seen Celtic take on from Norway following Rosenborg (a number of times) and Molde.

MATCH 1865 - Sunday 13 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH CUP 5th Round

Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  4  RAITH ROVERS  0

Scorers: Scales, Giakoumakis, Maeda, Bitton

For the second time this season Raith visit Celtic Park on cup duty.  A rather non-eventful game is best remembered for a smashing first goal from young Irish full back, Liam Scales.

Liam Scales - on the Programme cover and on the scoresheet!

MATCH 1864 - Saturday 5 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH LEAGUE DIVISION 2

KELTY HEARTS  4  ELGIN CITY  0

Scorers: Higginbottom, Agyeman(2), Tidser

Another new team and new ground to visit thanks to Elgin City but unfortunately the awful run of results while following Elgin to some new grounds continues.

Kelty are flying high at the top of Scottish League Division 2 and easier swept their Highland opponents aside.

My dismal Elgin record now reads as:

• Seen:    9
• Won.    0
• Drawn. 1
• Lost.     8
• Goals for:  6
• Goals against: 30

However on the plus side:

• Number of Grounds: 9 of which 8 were first visits
• Number of Opponents:  8.  Only Edinburgh City have been the opposition on two occasions.

Match Report: LINK

MATCH 1863 - Tuesday 2 February 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  3  RANGERS  0

Scorers: Hatate(2), Abada

Celtic blow Rangers away in a devastating first half display, scoring all three goals to win the Glasgow derby and move to the top of the table. Recent signing Reo Hatate steals the show with a two goal man of the match performance.

This is the 15th time I've seen the Rangers phionox club since 2012 when the oldco (old club) folded.  14 v Celtic and 1 v Dundee United.

Match Report:  LINK

The calm before the Celtic storm: 

MATCH 1862 - Saturday 29 January 2022

SEASON 2021/22 

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  1  DUNDEE UNITED  0

Scorer: Abada

Like the first meeting between sides at Celtic Park, Celtic were left frustrated by their Tayside opponents however unlike that match Celtic were able to find a very late winner to send the supporters wild.  Liel Abada cooly slots home the only goal in the 90th minute after his Israeli teammate Nir Bitton had been sent off.  It felt like a very significant goal justifying the celebrations at the end.

MATCH 1861 - Thursday 20 January 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH CUP 4th Round

Venue: EASTER ROAD STADIUM

HIBERNIAN  1  COVE RANGERS  0

Scorer:  Nisbet

My third Scottish Cup tie of the season gives me a chance to take in a match from Hibernian's impressive one tier East Stand.  

It doesn't disappoint although the match is far from a spectacular affair.  After 90 minutes Hibernian are unable to break the deadlock against their third tier opponents.  With the game threatening to go to a penalty shoot out Hibs manage to score the only goal of the tie to take them through to the next round.

This is the 3rd time seeing Hibs in just over a month but the very first time seeing Cove Rangers.

Highlights: 

MATCH 1860 - Monday 17 January 2022

SEASON 2021/22

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  2  HIBERNIAN  0

Scorers: Maede, Juranovic

Celtic make a brisk start on the resumption of the league campaign after the winter break scoring two goals inside the first 25 minutes to take the three points.

Three new winter signings are introduced and make their Celtic debuts - Dazien Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yōsuke Ideguchi.  Maede making a sensational start scoring in 4 minutes.

Maeda.     Hatate.     Ideguchi. 

Match Report:  LINK

The game is played two and a half weeks after the original date of 29 December 2021 following another lockdown.  Check the date on the programme.