Rogic ruins Well’s day with late goal
Heartbreak for Hammell as Celtic edge a thriller
Motherwell ...............3 Celtic ....................... 4
Michael Temlett at Fir Park Stevie Hammell believes his Motherwell team-mates would have been furious with even a draw in Saturday’s seven-goal thriller with Celtic.
So one can only imagine the atmosphere in the Steelmen dressing room following the last-gasp defeat to the Premiership leaders.
Well were flying at half-time with a two-goal lead thanks to a Louis Moult double.
The Fir Park faithful feared the worst when Celtic hit back through Callum McGregor and Patrick Roberts to cancel out the home side’s advantage.
However, Lionel Ainsworth restored Well’s lead a mere 30 seconds later before a mad three- minute spell culminated in Brendan Rodgers’ side equalising straight from kick- off through Stuart Armstrong.
However, it was late heartbreak for Well as Tom Rogic’s strike condemned Well to defeat.
A gutted Hammell said after the game:“It’s a hard one to take because we put ourselves in a great position being 2-0 up at half time.
“If you go in two up at half time you should be getting something out of the game. When we go back in front and concede again that’s the killer goal.
“Even if we had came in with a point at the end of it we would’ve been disappointed.
“Because of the way we played to come away with nothing is really difficult.”
With Celtic unbeaten in the league all season many had expected another run-of-the-mill win for the champions in waiting.
But Moult was in no mood to stick to the script as he scored a phenomenal chip after three minutes to give Well the lead.
A long, hopeful ball from former Celt Stephen McManus found the Steelmen striker who deftly lobbed the ball over a hapless Craig Gordon and sent Fir Park into a frenzy. On 34 minutes, youngster Ross MacLean stole the ball off Mikel Lustig and played in a superb ball to the back post where Moult was waiting to rattle home and double Well’s lead.
However, it was always going to be a tough task to keep out the free-scoring Celtic side and on 48 minutes they hit back. McGregor played a one two with Stuart Armstrong and drilled the ball low and hard to make it 2-1.
On 70 minutes Well’s resistance was broken as Roberts equalised with a free header at the back post. Well have conceded 18 goals in their last four matches against Celtic – with Saturday’s three the first scored against the Hoops in that time. Well gave Celtic their toughest test of the domestic campaign to date and looked dominant early on. Motherwell simply cannot afford to throw away two-goal leads against Celtic or anyone else. Celtic Rangers Hearts Aberdeen St Johnstone Kilmarnock Ross County Hamilton Accies MOTHERWELL Dundee Partick Thistle Inverness CT PWDL 13 12 1 0 16 8 5 3 16 7 6 3 14 7 3 4 15 6 4 5 15 4 5 6 16 3 7 6 15 2 9 4 15 4 3 8 16 4 3 9 15 3 5 7 16 3 5 8 Pts 37 29 27 24 22 17 16 15 15 15 14 14
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