Rod’s still in Paradise
Griffiths hits out at ref for penalty snub
IT might not have been the Old Firm result he hoped for, but this paternal kiss shows Sir Rod Stewart still has plenty to be happy about.
Looking dapper in a grey dress-coat, Sir Rod, 72, took his youngest son, Aiden, six, to see Celtic play their biggest rivals for the first time at Parkhead. He has been seen with his son Alistair, 11, at the stadium before, but the 1-1 draw with Rangers was Aiden’s first taste of the rivalry.
After the match, Police Scotland said 11 men had been arrested.
LEIGH GrIffItHs has criticised referee Bobby Madden for refusing to award Celtic a 90th-minute penalty as rangers snatched a dramatic Old firm point.
Insisting the official later asked him if rangers goalscorer Clint Hill touched the ball, Parkhead substitute Griffiths alleged Madden was the only man inside the stadium who failed to see a foul.
Celtic looked to be heading for a fourth straight Old firm victory under Brendan rodgers when stuart Armstrong claimed his 11th goal of the season in the 35th minute.
With new manager Pedro Caixinha watching from the stand, however, underdogs rangers ended Celtic’s streak of 22 straight league
wins when veteran defender Hill claimed a 1-1 draw with three minutes left to play. Adamant Celtic were denied a chance to claim all three points in stoppage time, however, Griffiths insisted: ‘It was a penalty. He hasn’t touched the ball and the referee asked me afterwards: “Did he touch the ball?”. ‘I told him that he didn’t but that was after the incident had passed and he can’t go back and give it then. ‘As it was, he has to either give the penalty or book me for diving. ‘I was about to put the ball in the back of the net and, if you look back, he’s caught me waist-high. ‘Clint Hill also asked me after the game if he’d touched it. ‘He didn’t make contact with the ball and that decision has cost us the three points. Bobby Madden is the only man in the
stadium who didn’t think it was a penalty — but it’s over and done with now. ‘We’ll take the positives from it; we’re still unbeaten. It’s another point gained and another point towards the title.’ Holding a mammoth 25-point lead at the top of the Premiership, Celtic can win a sixth straight championship this weekend if Aberdeen lose to Hearts and they beat Dundee at Dens Park. Rodgers branded the penalty call ‘clear-cut’ after Hill told him he ‘got away’ with the decision. ‘It’s always disappointing when you lose a goal late on like that,’ said the Celtic boss, ‘especially in the manner we did. ‘We defended the first part of the free-kick well but we created space of our own making in the second phase. That’s the way it goes sometimes. ‘But we should have had a penalty right at the death. It was a clear-cut penalty. ‘It’s very frustrating — even more so when Clint Hill tells me he got away with it. ‘Clint’s a good guy, a real honest fella, and he knows he got away with one. ‘I think everyone saw it apart from the referee.’ Insisting the visitors earned their stroke of fortune with a battling performance, Ibrox goalscorer Hill admitted: ‘It could have gone either way and with it being here at their place, nine times out of ten it is given. ‘It was a last-ditch tackle. I don’t know if I got it or not. ‘You are always conscious of it with a last-ditch tackle like that. Thankfully for us, we got a bit of luck that I thought we deserved.’ New Rangers boss Caixinha will be formally unveiled on a three-year deal this afternoon. And after ending his stint as interim manager, Graeme Murty agreed his team deserved their point, saying: ‘Things happen in the game and we’ve had some hard knocks. ‘Celtic will no doubt say it should have been (a penalty). ‘But I will just enjoy the moment if that’s okay.’ Revealing there was little or no communication between new boss Caixinha and the players before the game, Murty added: ‘No, he let the players concentrate on the game. ‘From the moment I saw them this morning, I knew they were right where they needed to be. ‘I’m pleased for the players. ‘I thought they showed a degree of tenacity and grit they’ve been questioned about. ‘But they stood up in a difficult environment and managed to get something from the game. ‘Without two stunning saves from Craig Gordon, they could have had more.’