Ange’s delight: Forrest fires Celts into first final for Aussie manager
Celtic’s winningest player, James Forrest, summoned up the spirit of Bertie Auld to help his side book a place in the next month’s Premier Sports Cup Final.
A product of the Hoops’ youth system, the Scotland winger has picked up an incredible 19 winners’ medals with the club.
That was not enough to earn him a place in Ange Postecoglou’s starting line-up last night, but it did get him a run off the bench in the second half when things were not going to plan.
And, to the delight of the fans who honoured Lisbon Lion Auld all night, he took just four minutes to smash home the tie’s only goal.
It was a scruffy affair, not that they cared.
Zander Clark’s sclaff of a kick out was intercepted by Jota who swung a wicked high cross into the Saints box.
Jamie Mccart only managed to half clear the ball and Forrest, lurking with intent 10 yards out, fired into the net.
That was hard on a Saints side who worked tirelessly all night to shut down their opponents’ time and space, especially as the ball appeared to brush Jota’s arm as he controlled it.
“I have not seen it but I have heard it could be a handball,” said Saints midfielder Murray Davidson.
“We are disappointed, but that is the quality Celtic have got.
“If you can bring James Forrest off the bench, you are going to do alright.”
Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou agreed, but he was also keen to stress the importance of honouring what has gone before.
“The tribute to Bertie is an important part of what this club is about,” he said.
“We thought about the great man and hopefully he was looking on from above.”
For sure, Auld would have approved of Celtic’s bold start to the game.
There were only a handful of minutes on the clock when skipper Callum Mcgregor sent Jota scampering down the left wing with a perfectly weighted ball over the Saints defence.
The winger, marker trailing in his wake, carried it to the byline before cutting it back low into the path of David Turnbull, who wastefully blazed over the bar.
Miss it might have been but the move clearly got the Portuguese in the mood, for he followed up with spectacular rabona to the back post that Saints were glad to clear away.
As much as Celtic got off on the right foot, it was not entirely comfortable.
The holders are past masters at hitting opponents on the break – they did it to great effect in both cup competitions last season – and here they stayed alert to all possibilities.
David Wotherspoon almost cashed in when Joe Hart dallied in getting a back pass from Stephen Welsh out from his feet.
The midfielder managed to slide in and knock the ball goalwards but it slid wide of post.
Chris Kane had the former England keeper flying full length from his goal with a snapshot from distance.
Bryan forced a save with a speculative effort.
Still Celtic pressed.
Josip Juranovic was denied by a flying block from Callum Booth; Callum Mcgregor likewise denied by a smart piece of defending from Jamie Mccart who read that the Scotland midfielder was intent on shooting rather than finding a team-mate.
Both managers resisted the temptation to make changes at half time, but Callum Davidson had one forced on him within a few minutes of the teams’ return.
Tony Ralston’s tackle on Wotherspoon was innocuous enough but the Saints player turned his knee and, after some attention from the Perth side’s medics, he limped off and had to be replaced by Ali Crawford.
“He’s not great. It’s not great when there’s nobody near a player,” said the Saints manager, who insisted his team had defended the trophy with a lot of pride.
“At first I thought it was a kick but it’s how he’s landed.”
Postecoglou left it past the traditional hour mark to make a switch but with his team again and again being blunted by the holders’ dogged and disciplined defending he knew he had to do something.
Cue James Forrest, the player who has won more with the club than any other in its history, and was the obvious choice to go on.
Liel Abada, great on his day but with a tendency to be anonymous when it is not, was the obvious choice to come off.
While it might have been the logical thing to do, the Hoops manager could scarcely have anticipated just how well it would turn out.