The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Confused celebrations for Gers hero Goldson
Connor Goldson was delighted to score a double in Rangers’ 2-0 victory at Celtic Park but admitted the absence of fans confused his goal celebrations.
The Old Firm fixture on Saturday was played behind closed doors for the first time due to coronavirus restrictions and it was the Ibrox defender who made the difference.
Goldson scored in each half to hand the visitors the well-deserved victory which took them four points clear over the Hoops at the top of the Premiership but on both occasions there was nobody in the stands to react.
The former Brighton defender told Rangers TV: “When I scored the goals I didn’t really know what to do. There were no fans, no cameras.
“I ran over to that far corner and there was literally nothing there and I just turned back round.
“I was delighted but it is not the same without the fans and hopefully we will see them soon.”
Goldson was pleased to keep bay.
Gers keeper Allan McGregor had surprisingly little to do, albeit Celtic a t tacker Mohamed Elyounoussi missed a great chance in the first half when he chipped over the bar, and substitute Leigh Griffiths threatened once late on.
Goldson said: “A clean sheet is just as important for me. I was speaking to Filip Helander and even with one minute to go – obviously there was the Leigh Griffiths chance – you know that the game is won but you don’t want to concede a goal.
“We want to keep many clean sheets as can over this season.
“We did limit the chances just Celtic as at as we against a good side, we had to concentrate for the whole 94 minutes and we managed to do that.”
The Light Blues recorded back-to-back wins at Parkhead for the first time since 1995 and have won nine and drawn two of their first 11 Premiership matches.
Goldson is determined to prevent Celtic regaining the initiative, as the champions look to win 10 consecutive titles.
He said: “We know it is a massive season. It is a massive season for the whole cub and we need to be at it every single game and every minute of every game.
“We know that one minute or one 10-minute spell where we are not at it can hurt us and hurt our whole season.
“So we will just try to be as consistent as we can, work as hard as we can ever y single game and hopefully that takes us where we want to be.”
Hoops boss Neil Lennon took one positive at least from the defeat to Rangers in the shape of debutant Diego Laxalt.
The Hoops boss had to reshuffle his side after Nir Bitton, Hatem Elhamed, Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard were unavailable due to coronavirus issues with James Forrest and Christopher Jullien still injured.
Lennon decided to throw in the 27-year-old Uruguay wing-back, on loan from AC Milan, and give a second start to 20-year-old centre-back Stephen Welsh while Patryk Klimala led the line with Albian Ajeti and Leigh Griffiths , working their way back to full fitness, on the bench.
The Northern Irishman spoke to CelticTV about Laxalt and said: “He did well. It was difficult for him coming in but he looked strong and he put some really good balls in the box.
“His positional sense was good and he was comfortable in that environment. I thought young Welsh played really well considering – I thought he handled the game very well.”
Without looking to blame a depleted squad for the defeat, Lennon highlighted how far his squad was stretched.
He said: “You don’t want to play too much on that, to look for excuses.
“But you have three strikers, Ajeti, Griffiths and Edouard, not fit enough to start the game.
“You have Forrest out, you have Jullien out, Bitton, Elhamed, so we missed a lot of quality. But we still had a good team out there and I felt we should have done better.”
Lennon was unhappy that his team line-up had been leaked but he does not expect to have many of his absentees back for the opening Europa League group game against AC Milan at Parkhead on Thursday night.