To the Top of the League and You’re No…

By: Matt | March 5th, 2009

Scott McDonald’s brace was enough for Celtic to top Killie at Rugby Park 2-1. Not only did Celtic stay on pace in the SPL title race, they actually pulled ahead to first place all by themselves after Inverness Caley Thistle got a late penalty in Ibrox after David Weir was sent off and defeated Rangers 1-0. A red card penalty IN IBROX AGAINST RANGERS?! Surely we’ve entered the bizarro world. I’m sure Ian will have plenty to tell you about Caley’s game against the Huns, but Celtic had their own exciting match. The first half belonged to Celtic. The Bhoys controlled the play and much of the possession against Killie in the first 45 minutes and in the 27th minute, that control bore fruit. Scott McDonald was left unmarked and was able to bend the ball past Killie keeper Alan Combe. Celtic had chances to add more goals in the first half, but Combe was able to bounce back from the first goal and keep Kilmarnock close. Scott Brown had a close range shot that Combe was able to make a good save on and Aiden McGeady put a low shot on net that Combe was able to deflect off of the crossbar. With their keeper keeping them in the match, Killie leveled the match up in the 36th minute off of a corner when Gordon Strachan’s zonal marking left Danny Invincible (one of the best names in football today) unmarked and Invincible side footed the ball into the net. This is not the first time that zonal marking has made Celtic pay and quite frankly it might be time for another option. The two clubs went into the locker room after forty five minutes with a goal a piece.

As the second half started, both squads had good opportunities to break the deadlock. Kilmarnock’s David Fernadez broke on goal, but lobbed the ball over the bar when Artur Boruc came off of his line. Gary Caldwell had a point blank header that Alan Combe miraculously saved on the other end. As the game approached the eightieth minute, it would be Scott McDonald who would score again and get Celtic all three points. McDonald made a beautiful run and faked two Killie defenders out of their jock straps, as well as having Alan Combe on the ground before he was able to put the ball in a seemingly empty net. As the final minutes expired in the game, word through the grape vine in the Moffat and Chadwhick Stands that the Celtic fans inhabited about just what was happening back in Glasgow. For awhile, I simply thought that the full time whistle had blown at Ibrox for a nil-nil draw, but (much to his shagrin) Scott Booth told the viewing public that Caley had indeed scored a penalty and Celtic would be back at the top of the league.

Another solid performance for the Bhoys, making two in a row after a month of shaky play. Marc Crosas had another good game directing traffic in the middle of the pitch. Darren O’Dea did well filling in for Lee Naylor in the left back position. Of course, Scott McDonald was the man of the match in scoring Celtic’s two goals and it was nice to see him back on the score sheet after no striker did so in Celtic’s 7-1 trouncing of St Mirren last weekend. This weekend Celtic’s attention turns to the Scottish Cup quarterfinals against St. Mirren at the new Love Street. Me thinks that the Buddies might be a little upset at last weekend’s trip out behind the tool shed.

Celtic Goals: McDonald (27,81)

CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, O’Dea; Nakamura, Brown, Crosas, McGeady; Samaras (Hutchinson 76), McDonald.

Highlights:

Celtic 2 Kille 1 – video powered by Metacafe