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The second club trip of the year was a pleasantly successful one. Three goals, a clean sheet and everyone got tickets for a game that saw surprised grannies being traded on E-Bay for a brief.
A couple of times a season the BSCSC makes a concerted effort to have as many of its members as possible spend a weekend in Glasgow and of course take in a game. Each home game is healthily attended by members of the club, especially by the season tickets holders, but with the membership residing in Belfast, Derry, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London its a feat of organsitional prowess to ensure that once or twice a season we can all be found in the same bar/hotel. The last game was the Hearts 1-1 draw (just before the Jam Farts comically starting shooting themselves in any appendage they could easily aim at). This trip saw the bhoys and ghirls going home from the weekend with a satisified smile to accompany raging hangovers (in some cases - more of that later). The game itself was the first since the scintillating 8-1 win over Dunfermline.
Suspicions were that WGS would start the same team from that game and we were (happily) proved right. And said team seemed to be starting were they had left off. Efforts from Keane, Magic, Hartson et al rained in on goal for the first twenty minutes or so and it only seemed a matter of time before the first goal arrived. However, the sense of comfort from the stands must have spread to the players as they then took their foot of the gas and started to lose their way. The 15 minutes either side of half-time saw Celtic plod through the game with noting much coming from the Hoops. This started to give the Dons a belief that, like manys a team this season, there was something to be taken from the game. In fact, it took a clear-cut Aberdeen effort and the mounting anxiety of the crowd to get Celtic going again. Well that and the appearance of Nakamura. Hartson was not having his best day and was hooked to be replaced by Nakamura on the 63rd minute. To everyone's surprise it was Petrov who then joined Magic up front and not Maloney as expected. Before the grumbling got started the move paid dividends - Keane and Magic linking up and the Pole knocked it into Petrov who sent a screamer into the top corner of the net. And it was Keane who was to also have a hand in the next two goals - the first saw the Aberdeen defence unlucky to clear their lines from a Keane cross but Maloney was sharp enough to take his chance when the ball fell to him. The third, and goal of the day, involved Keane and Petrov playing some lovely one-twos with each other on the edge of the area to send Stan clear. When it looked like he could finish himself he squared to Magic who had the simple task of knocking it home. So a win and the flying pig of season 2005-2006, a clean sheet. The next game though is at Hibs and I expect a much more competitive game. On the organisational side of things, if I could just put in a request that all future club trips can be timetabled to avoid the Lenten season. Its very off-putting when you are trying to enjoy a drink and you have some Holy Joe looking down his nose at you just because he's off the Devil's Buttermilk for a month.
And a big thanks to the Carfin CSC (Joe and Marty in particular) and some bloke in Lisburn for helping us out with tickets!
Player Ratings Boruc 7
A spectator today but made a hell of save with the scores at 0-0 after McManus got himself in a bit of a fankle (copyright Bob Crampsie)
Telfer 5
No real threat going forward and got caught a couple of times for pace.
McManus 6
One moment of sleepiness nearly cost the team dearly but other than that, solid.
Balde 7
No-nonense job and carried the ball out of defence - which always has the support cluthing at its chest but done it well today.
Wilson 6
Still playing out of position and has to check onto his right foot too much but got forward when he could and defended well.
Maloney 7
The danger-man in the first half.
Lennon 7
Had a quietly effective game. Probably considering which cigars he'll be buying soon.
Keane 8
A hand in all three goals. At times you can see his frustration when people aren't thinking as fast as he does and a chance goes a-begging. Gave McManus a right bollocking for his error. Good to see.
Petrov 8
Is there anything he can't do? Has started to look back to his old self after a couple of quiet months.
Hartson 5
Had a chance but other than that he'll have better days at the office.
Zurawski 7
At the start of the season Boruc was touted as buy of the season. Don't think thats the case any longer.
Subs:-
Nakamura 7
It was his introduction that helped change the pattern of the game.
Man Of The Match
Keane/Petrov. Great performances from both of them. If Petrov is willing to learn from Keane the mind boggles as to how good he can become. |
