15/12/2013 Sportscene

Never Good evening. Welcome to Sportscene. Wind, rain and goals -

it's one of those weekends in Scottish football when you wonder

why we don't have summer football. Maybe one day. Billy Dodds and Pat

Nevin defrosting in the studio this evening. Terry Butcher's Hibernian

were the visitors at Celtic Park yesterday. Imperious on the home

front, would the Scottish Champions bounce back from their midweek

mauling in the Champions League away to Barcelona? We were weak. We came

here on the back of two good results at home. I'm angry and is the

appointed. We have -- disappointed. We have to get it over quickly.

Scott Brown leathers home Celtic's seventh. It is Motherwell 0, Celtic

5. Hibs have Nelson back. A flat start

from Celtic. Maybe not too surprising after what happened in

the Nou Camp on Wednesday night. Pukki scores. Celtic are off and

running. Hibs opened up pretty much for the first time. Their resistance

is broken and Pukki scores his first goal for Celtic in three months. So

much of the play flowing through Izaguirre down the left hand side.

Stokes with the shot and it was a good one. Thought about the right

foot, then twisted on to the left and this needed stopping by Ben

Williams. Saved by Williams. I think you would

call that unconventional. Kicked away by the keeper.

A diving the Stopes from Fraser -- stop from Fraser Forster. He has had

precious little to do, but called into action just before half time.

Commons with the free kick. Swerving in the air. But unlikely to find its

way in. Robertson again. Taking aim from

long range and tugging this wide of target.

Stokes! Deflected. Saved by the keeper and helped out as well by

Michael Nelson. After this had been deflected off Hanlon. Good reactions

from Williams. Commons allowed to run with the ball

and saved at the second attempt. Taking chances, Hibs, in allowing

Commons to shoot from anywhere. Good play by Collins. And Craig! It

is a fraction away from the equaliser. Cairney denied on the

rebound. What was Ambrose thinking? A total switch-off and this match

could have been all-square. In went Nelson, down went Izaguirre.

Well, there is a smile on his face and I think that tells all. It won't

be a smile on his face, because that was a yellow card for diving. I

don't think there was too much doubt about it. Nelson withdrawing from

the challenge. Izaguirre took off any way. Thomson's free kick and

there is Craig and his head is in his hands, because that was a late

chance to lvage something from the game. Found some room, but missed

the target. There was a good spark about us first half. We naturally

tired second half. As the game wore on. But three points, we are 15

unbeaten and 12 wins out of 15. The squad is stretched. We have got a

free week this week and hopefully we will see a fresher team next week.

At 1-0, you think Celtic are saying put the ball into the corner,

because they wanted to hang on. But I felt we would get an opportunity.

But it came and we vice-president scored. -- we haven't scored from

it. We have taken more baby steps forward. Neil Lennon was criticised

by some fans after the Barcelona match. How did you rate the

response? It will be difficult, because physically and

psychologically it is difficult coming back from a European game and

a big defeat and they suffered last season after some of games. You get

back and try and get the points and get on wit. I - get on with it. I

was impressed and Celtic had most of the game, although they did hold

their luck. Pukki, one of the players criticised against Barcelona

and he scored the goal yesterday. Can he be a top striker for Celtic?

Yes, it is great if new players hit the ground running, but it has not

happened for Pukki so far. But he has talent and technique. I loved

his movement for this goal. Not great defending, but that will add

to his confidence. He has not hit the ground running, but I think he

is a good player. Hibs sat in, Terry Butcher making sure they were

difficult to beat. Should they have taken something. Well, here Ambrose

gives it away in a dangerous position, but he gets back. He has

got himself into the right area and he gets the ball in the right area.

So you're switched on again... And you have switched off again! He does

that too often. A good opportunity for Craig. He has grown into it. And

Cairney with a half chance. And yes, Celtic could have dropped two

points, but maybe that would have been harsh, because they had most of

the game. Ambrose gets away from that most of the time. A horrendous

dive from Izaguirre. What was your view, Billy? A lovely give and go. I

think he knows that the defender's going to hang out a foot and he is

expecting the tackle and goes down. You see the smile on his face. He

thinks the foul is coming and he throws himself, so he deserves the

card. You're not too critical. Neither am I. I'm the first person

to have a right go at people is who have dive. He is expecting a hit and

tries to lift his legs and he falls down. He feels a fool, but that is

one of the odd ones where I couldn't go that hard on him. You would have

a red face if you had done that? Yes, but there is a reason he goes

down. It deserved yellow though. Next to Tynecastle and Hearts

playing Inverness. John Hughes in charge of Thistle these days.

Hearts are stretched to the bare bones. A first start for Sam

Nicholson and a first league start for Gary Oliver. John Hughes is able

to name an unchanged side after last weekend's draw with St Mirren. John

Hughes a former Hibs favourite, endearing himself to some of the

Tynecastle faithful. Shinnie just dragging the shot wide

of goal. It is not getting any drier at Tynecastle.

Dore ran goes -- Doran goes for it from distance. What a save from

Macdonald. Doran must have felt he had given his side the lead.

Shinnie drives it goal wards, but it flashes wide as the half time

whistle goes and a couple of scares for Hearts at the end of the half.

He tucks it away and Inverness have the break through and no real

surprise that it is Billy McKay who has scored John Hughes's first goal

as Inverness manager. But so much room for McKay and you kbt afford --

can't afford to do that as the Thistle marksman will often punish

teams and he has done so again. T to be up from Robinson. But that

is well off target. It almost worked out for young Gary Oliver.

Shinnie curls it towards goal, but off target from the full back. Good

play by Ross to keep it in and Shinnie got it on to his favoured

left foot and almost found the top corner.

Watkins for McKay and so close to his and Thistle's second. Hearts

again almost proving the architects of their own down fall.

The finish couldn't match the build up play. Really good footwork from

the midfielder. Things going to plan for John Hughes as his side look for

a second goal to make it more comfortable and perhaps they should

have had it there as Watkins diverted it wide.

Calle vessel and the counter attack. Mackay finishes with some style. --

Inverness Caledonian Thistle with the counterattack. Billy McKay life.

He gave Jimmy make Donald no chance. -- Jamie Mick Donald. Every single

person associated with Hearts just want the club sorted out of the

pit. Hopefully we can then strengthen the team. We need to

strengthen the squad. Five clean sheets so everyone is playing the

part they are facial -- special bunch. I will not say they will win

every week but anyone deeply against will know all about it. How good a

player in C? Here is very good. But look at this. Do not believe that

much space. That is part of the problem for Hearts. If there is a

gap they will find it. Hearts are not helping themselves. This man

should be covering in behind. Let us look again. Will he get me? What is

he doing over there? That is his man. It helped. It is all about

doing the right is when you get that little bit of space. For the moment

MacGowan gets close. Good positioning. He has got his eye on

him. Good defending. Then he turns his back. There is a big space and

he has got a chance. Here Hearts give it everything trying to get

back into the game but watch Mackay. Just a moment, just a little

movement. Watch M here and we will start again. It is just a tiny

little move at how good is that for the striker? It is just confidence.

At the end of the movement there has got to be a finish and it was the

ruthless finish. That is a guy at the top of his game. He has been

some find for Inverness, we seem to be talking about him weekend, we

can't. Too cheaply at English Premier League level? I do not know.

-- to keep Lee? I think it is worth a gamble taking him to championship

level. There are not drawbacks to play at that level you have two be

blistering. He has got that weirdness. He worked ever so hard.

He is worth a shot but we do not want to sell him. We want to keep

our top talent in Scotland. The race for second place in the Scottish

Premiership looks like being exciting. Tel Marla have the and

back after suspension. Rory McKenzie also starts. Two changes for Dundee

United. Keith Watson returns at right that and Gavin Gunning is back

in defence. -- right at. Looking for McKenzie. McKenzie again. Jackson,

Irvin. That was fine from the Colmar luck midfielder. Armstrong. --

Kilmarnock. Gabrielle Rubin. -- Gabriel Rubin. Chris Johnston. He

likes it against the Johnston, he is appealing that it came off his arm.

The effort he is having none of it. Here is Armstrong. He was pulled

back by Gabriel Rubin, that is a yellow card, his second in the space

of five minutes. He is off. Mackay-Steven looked offside.

Mackay-Steven again. Gilliam. He was not far away with that header, the

big striker. Jackie McNamara content with his side boards might run of

form. Eat it if it Craig Samson. He denied the teenager. -- a terrific

save. Rankin, Armstrong. Here is Watson. Then the United are in

front. -- Dundee United. It is Keith Watson claiming his third goal of

the season. McKenzie. He is doing well. Here's Johnston. Souter.

McKenzie. Norris has given penalties in situations like this deviously.

-- previously. Payton to Armstrong. An excellent finish there through

the legs of the goalkeeper through the on form United midfielder. He

turned Lee Ashcroft inside out before scoring his third goal in

three games and taking his tally for the season to seven. Armstrong is in

again. Carried away by Samson. The man who celebrates his 18th birthday

on Monday surely has ramped up the victory for United. Ryan Gauld makes

it 3-0. Armstrong again at the heart of the creation. Tessa Lara. A

glancing effort. Chris Voight pulls back what will be a consolation goal

for Colmar luck. -- Kris Boyd. -- Dalmarnock. -- Tel Marla. 4-1 Dundee

United. David Goodwillie. The fifth successive match. That is the first

time they have done that since 1936, back then they had the run of six

games with four goals in each. The obviously got the parting scored, we

had a shout for a penalty which we did not get. They were punished

because we were playing so long with ten men. It was not tricky, but I am

delighted for the lads. I am delighted that we managed to get the

fourth ball. The fifth game in either would that Dundee United have

scored four or more goals. St Johnstone are saying it was not a

bad challenge. Did she deserve to go? I think so. If that was one of

his players being taken out like that, I do not think the referee

could do anything else but give a yellow card for this one. Once you

are blue, if you are not boot you can take a yellow for the team but

once you are booked, it is no contact. He had to go. There was a

penalty shoot, was a take penalty? First of all, a decent shot. It is

no doubt that it hit his hand, it was roughly on the line. It comes

down to, was it or was it not elaborate? I think it has to be

delivered it. I can understand why Kilmarnock weather set. I think the

hands, you can run out there, I think his hand was deliberately up.

You can run out with your hands behind your back. He deliberately

put his hands there to balance himself, not to hand the ball. This

debate will rage on for ever. If you weekly rave on about Ryan Gauld, he

turns 18 tomorrow, I wonder if Jim Spence will take him out for his

first legal pint? Let's go for Armstrong. He gets the ball, he is

facing the wrong way with the Kilmarnock weirs around him. The

defenders are on his heels. He attacked directly and once again get

the ball, first movement, Paul, pace, look at the defender. He does

not know who he is going in the end. You stress defenders. That is what

you have to do. The shot is on target. He is throwing everything at

this game. We will always talk about gold, it is easy to see why. A lot

will be thinking he may well be the best of the bunch. -- Ryan Gauld.

Fair macro I rate him and so does Jackie McNamara. --. He has come

back with a bang, he has talent and can score goals. Here's the top

talent and Jackie McNamara knows that. 20 more to come tonight. And

next weekend. -- plenty. The best of the rest the last couple

of seasons have in Motherwell. They have been a few up and downs this

season. A big up for them yesterday to Ross County. Michael Fraser

replacing Mark round in goal for Ross County. There is a recall for

Brian McLean. The on loan goalkeeper replaces the injured one at

Motherwell. This is a favourite to strike. Right footed. It comes out

past the penalty easier. The goalkeeper was beaten. Trying to get

involved. The shot was it. John Sutton scored twice against Ross

County back in September, he gets the all and in goal here. A

deflection off Brian McLean. Sutton looked up, went for a call to his

credit but the deflection simply helped. Sutton sends it wide. He

shapes to shoot, a deflection again, headed in by John Sutton despite the

save from Michael Fraser. For the second successive match against Ross

County, John Sutton is on the scoresheet twice. A really simple

header. 27 minutes gone. Gordon romping forward. Richard written one

sit in the middle. He leaves it. Here comes when. Much better plea

from Ross County. Foiled by the goalkeeper. Motherwell controlled

the first. Trying to get away from bikers. The former Ross County

player. It is a call the deserve. It has been coming and after 61 minutes

Melvin De Leeuw brings Ross County back into the match. He did enough

to bundle be ball home. A corner comes in and the whistle is gone as

Brian McLean scored. One or two protests. A bit of pushing going on.

The referee had loaned by the time the ball came into the box. Never

mind. -- had loan. -- blew the whistle.

Lasley stopped the ball for some reason there. Well, Lasley, not

quite sure what he was looking to do. But he didn't clear it.

Quinn driving through. The keeper comes again and it is frantic in the

penalty area. Moore with the chance to seal it for

Motherwell. A good save from Fraser. Real end to end football to finish

this match. A chance for Quinn. This would have made it 2-2. Credit the

keeper for the save. At the other end, Moore could have made it 3-1,

but phrase we are the stop. There wasn't much in the first half. They

have scored with a deflection and some of the players think the second

may have been offside. But they're 2-0 up half time with not doing too

much. Second half we have dominated and I think today we should have won

the game with the chances we created and haven't taken. Yeah, I think in

fair tonnes Ross County, they changed their system and put a

striker on half way through the first half and they had a right go.

But I think it was a good, strong first half performance, which is

what we needed and two good goals. We maybe could have had more, but we

had to hang on in the second half. Sutton was brought in to replace

Higdon. Some changes have been made to Motherwell, with they weaker or

stronger this season do you feel? to Motherwell, with they weaker or

stronger this season do They're the same in some ways, because they

always bring in like for like. Sutton was the original and he was

replaced by Higdon and then Higdon replaced by Sutton. They do the same

out wide, if they lose a quick winger, they bring in another quick

winger. I don't know if they're weaker. The one thing they haven't

got is continuity. But Stuart knows thousand players have -- how the

players have to play. At 2-1, Ross coupty had a -- County had a goal

ruled out. Why was it ruled out? I have looked at it a lot. You can't

see much from this angle. But we have looked closely and got the

technology out. Have a look at this... Three players involved,

McLane scores at the front. Hutchinson's his marker, but he is

being held by Luckassen. There are a lot of pulls and grabs and maybe the

referee gets that one right. But more often than not the referee does

not see that, because there are so many other foums going on. You did

well to sort that out. -- fouls going on. Ross County have lost six

of seven, how does their form reflect on last season? Last year

after 15 games they had 16 points. Now after 15 games it is 11 points.

Just a five point difference, but it feels like there is danger signs.

You thought it would be more, but the losses, 10 this season bgs five

last. It is a bit of everything - confidence and they have lost

natural width and Sproule has gone. The signings he has brought in

aren't as good as what Derek Adams thought they were going to be. So

that is why they have fallen a bit. But at the start of season Aberdeen

were tipped by many to finish second and they're very much in the mix to

do just that. They had a strong looking side out yesterday. Willo

Flood, Barry Robson and Ryan Jack in midfield, plus a front three of

Niall McGinn, Scott Vernon, and Peter Pawlett. Danny Lennon's St

Mirren were the visitors in the Granite City, looking to continue

their own decent run of form - three clean sheets from their last four

matches. And despite an injury scare midweek Paul McGowan was fit enough

to make the starting 11. Brian McLaughlin reports. St Mirren

travelled north with confidence and when thomp sovereign scored --

Thompson scored St Mirren thought they had taken the lead, but the

linesman flagged for offside. A late call by the initial. The elements

and poor defending played a part in Aberdeen's opener. Saints defence

allowing the ball to bounce, only for Vernon to pounce and knock the

ball into the net. Quick thinking from Vernon as the Saints defence

dithered. And not much festive cheer on the Buddies' bench. Vernon had a

chance to make it two for the Dons. Good build up play. But he knocked

the ball wide. McAusland again failing to clear, but Vernon asking,

just how did I miss? Barry Robson was credited with the second.

Swinging in the corner that Kello failed to deal with, much to the

delight of the former Scotland midfielder, the ball possibly taking

a glaps off -- glance off Kello's arm. The home side almost made it

three and not for the first time the Saints defence failing to deal with

the ball into the box. Vernon wide of goal. The 30-year-old failing to

add to his tally. Saints have had just one win in their last 30 visits

to Pittodrie. But they had a chance late on. One final chance again for

the home side. Jack and Hayes combining, before firing a cross

into the box, where who else but Scott Vernon almost got on the end

of it. Narrowly wide A 2-0 win for Aberdeen, as they continue to

impress under Derek McInnes. Of all the victories we have had this

season, that is the most pleasing for me. Because we knew what we were

up against, a team in form, we were expected to come and win, the fans

would expect that and in tough conditions and the players stuck to

their task. Big decision has went against us in terms of goal we

scored at 0-0. It is a big call and I have seen the replay and it is a

tight one and Jason's onside. If that goes in, this is a difficult

place to come. But goals change games. What do you think? Danny

Lennon was right. We still can't tell. We need concrete proof and we

don't see it here. It is very tight. We will freeze it and a great finish

as well. But you see it here when it is played, really close. It is

whether Hector, the right back, was he calling him on. The commentary

said it was a late flag. That has upset them as well. It must have

been very tight. How much of a defensive blunder from St Mirren was

it? The blunder is the head here. He wins the head and you have no

problem. See that bounce outside the 18-yard line, it come seems to come

back. The wind has taken it and dragged it back. It is weird. It is

so strange. The wind played a big part. Striker - follow them up, you

don't know Once he had masse the mistake, just put the boot through

it. You think this was intentional? Listen, it is no fluke. Because I

had him at Dundee United and he always tried to score from a corner.

Whips them in with that bend and with the conditions, so no fluke for

Barry Robson to ex-cued that -- execute that corner kick. It is a

strong looking Aberdeen side. Plenty of talent there. Still your tip for

second? Yes, I have tipped them all season. When you see the way United

are playing it does scare you. I think the over all, we talk about

balance, they have youth and experience. Are you writing off

Inverness already? Not at all! Pat? I couldn't call them. I think Dundee

United look great. My heart would say United. But Barry Robson might

be the difference. Writing off Inverness are you? And to Firhill,

it was a weekend of wet and windy weather and it would take its toll.

Just like it was in most parts of Scotland yesterday, it was a

miserable day in Maryhill. Fans of Partick Thistle and St Johnstone

putting on a brave face. But it was not a great day for football. At 3

o'clock, the ref gave ate go. So too -- give it a go. So too did the

players. The match has been abandoned. But by half time even

Santa had seen enough! The key issue was player safety. So we decided to

reassess the situation at half time. The conditions had deteriorated

throughout the first half. The rain was constant and having looked again

we thought we would abandon the match. So Billy, you and I were at

that match. What was your view. Was it the right decision? It was hard

for us as it was for the players. It was farcical. Force me, he should

vice-president started -- for me, he shouldn't have started the game.

That left side of the 18 yard box was terrible. The ball never went

there. It didn't get any worse. I would have preferred if he had a

called it off before the game or if they got to half time, finish it.

Partick Thistle picked up a yellow card. That rule will change. It

happened in the Highland Derby as well. The bookings stand, which is

incredible. But that will get sorted at the end of the season. You know,

yesterday was just freakish and we all know that. The way it ended up

was just one of those things. Here is the table. Celtic are seven

points clear. Unbeaten so far this season. Can they go all the way?

Inverness in second place. Dundee United third.

No movement at the bottom. Tomorrow's back pages look like

this. The Scotsman van Dijk calms on Celtic to complete season as

invincibles. And west broms want Derek McInnes as their next manager

after Steve Clarke. Murs Murray won the sports personality again and you

can watch Sportscene again on the iPlayer as of tomorrow. Until next

weekend, good night.