11/12/2011 Sportscene

In around the SPL in 40 minutes, that's us as we round up the

weekend of football for you. Celtic have put themselves back in the

title race over the last month or so. There were at home to Hearts

this weekend, looking to extend their SPL winning sequence to six

COMMENTATOR: Terrific football from Celtic. It is a wonderful goal.

Gary Hooper has found the bottom coming into the team. Hearts had

Robinson coming in, and two others. Celtic trying to make inroads. This

is Gary Hooper! Well, that is the best chance of the game so far. It

rising. He has looked fairly be in trouble. Georgios Samaras.

The Celtic fans are frustrated with the way their team has been going

in the first half. It was similar of Marian Kello. That was a good

league win here since 2007. They have one it in the League Cup since

then. -- they have won in the League Cup. Mulgrew did well here.

still awaiting his first start since coming back from injury.

Scott! Woodwork! As close as they have come! He has not been a happy

chappie, Neil Lennon, so far, on the touchline. And another free

kick which is easily dealt with by Wanyama! From a standing start,

Victor Wanyama scores his first Celtic goal, and what a time to do

it, 19 minutes from time. This did not look like it was coming. He's

playing at centre half just now, Wanyama! They're more relaxed

around these parts now. They might get a second. Georgios Samaras and

Anthony Stokes were involved in this, from the free kick. Hearts

will be despondent to be behind, Fraser Forster. The dying embers of

the game. Penalty! Handball against Victor Wanyama! Two minutes to go,

and what a moment this could be, not just today, but in the course

of the campaign. There's the back- heel from Elliott, Fraser Forster

thought he had got rid of it, Wanyama adjudged to have handled it.

I think they call this gamesmanship. Georgios Samaras claiming the ball

is not on the spot. Saved by Fraser Forster! Celebrated as if it was a

goal at the other end. They call this the right height for the

goalkeeper, but the save still had to be made. We are deep into injury

time. The referee blows for full- time. Celtic have won this. The

heroes, Fraser Forster and Wanyama. These two had an issue earlier in

These two had an issue earlier in the second half. Scott Brown,

getting back to his old self, by the looks of it. The gap was 15

points, it is now back to four. They're desperate they do not drift

further away from Rangers. You can see how much it wins to them at the

moment, six wins on the trot. games like that will keep them in

the title race. They might not have performed how they would have

wanted, they might not have replicated their form over previous

week's, but coming to this time of the year, it is about winning games.

They know that on 28th December, they have got Rangers at home, they

will fancy their chances at Parkhead. One man who has been a

top former for them has been Victor Wanyama. Kenyan International.

I think he's more of a defensive player. But it is all hands to the

pump when you're looking for a goal. Neil Lennon said, he does not even

do that in training. It is totally out of the blue. That can be the

difference between staying in the title race or not. People step-up

to the mark, people who do not normally do that sort of thing.

this a handball? I can see why it was given. When Wanyama goes up for

the ball, the penalty could have been given for the foul. He could

have catches him across the face. As the referee given it for

handball, or for that? I'm not too sure. But when you put your hand up,

you're giving the referee the you're giving the referee the

opportunity to give a penalty.. you OK with gamesmanship like this,

Georgios Samaras, and then Fraser Forster, querying where the ball

was placed. The FIFA rules are pretty vague, saying the ball

should be properly placed, no more than that. Yes, it is gamesmanship,

it is trying to put the player off. But when you're wanting to win

titles, you need your big players to step up. And Fraser Forster has

made a big save for his club. Interesting to look at the Hearts

team selection yesterday, John Sutton disappeared without trace,

no Andy Webster, is the Hearts team at the moment being picked for

financial reasons? You will probably have to ask the answer,

but you will not get an answer, because he does not speak to the

press. There have been question marks in the past about who's

making the decisions. But when you're making so many changes, it

is going to upset the rhythm of the team. Paulo Sergio is trying to get

a winning formula. It is no coincidence that the pay issue and

the bad results, to me, they go hand in hand. Sometimes you just

need a couple of results together, back-to-back, to pursue one of it.

There is no doubt they have got some top-quality players. Udinese

the won today to go top of the League in Italy. How will that go

in midweek? For me, they might as well go and have a go. There is no

point going and trying to be defensive. I would expect Neil

Lennon to be positive. From a few weeks ago, the position they were

in, it has all progressed, there on a winning run. I think he will be

looking forward to it. Motherwell were in Perth yesterday trying to

protect their position as best of the rest in the SPL. St Johnstone

have been edging closer, and they did this at fir Park in September.

Aside from being beaten by the Old Firm pair, Motherwell have suffered

only one league defeat this season, and this was it, 3-0 at home to St

Johnstone. Highlights of the rematch at McDiarmid Park coming up

now. This promises to be a fascinating tussle, fourth place

against third. On the attack, and it was a fairly weak shot in the

end, easy for goalkeeper Enckelman. On his less favoured left foot.

It's a cute ball, pandered decent effort by Murray Davidson. Pushed

away by goalkeeper Randolph. The best chance so far for St Johnstone.

Nicky Law trying to find room for the cross. He does well. And it is

tucked in from close range, a disaster for the defence. It

follows good work from Nicky Law. But Enckelman should have gathered

to that. Omar Daley Puts Motherwell in front. Murray Davids and

arriving late, that was so close to the equaliser. Brave from Davison

to attack this one. He does it so well, though. Inches wide. Omar

Daley Was caught late by the full- back there. But play continues.

Jamie Murphy rising, and doubles Motherwell's lead. It was a fine

header, planted firmly past Enckelman, and mother well in

command. Terrific ball in from Heatley. Murphy got in between the

two defenders. And the header was perfectly placed, no chance for

Enckelman. Picked up Omar Daley. He goes down under the challenge of

the goalkeeper. It is only a corner kick. Motherwell wanted more. The

referee says the goalkeeper got a touch on the ball. He certainly

seems to direct the ball away from goal. Difficult to tell. Stuart

McCall will be well pleased with his side thus far. Terrific away

form, four wins on the trot. That Randolph. They have been pretty

toothless without Yeah! Up front. Omar Daley Looking to test

Enckelman once again on his near post. He's full of confidence at

the moment, Omar Daley. Tom Heatley to deliver the corner. He plays it

short. Omar Daley, and a huge deflection. Jamie Murphy takes the

credit! It was Omar Daley's shot. Not sure how much Murphy knew about

this, it came off his backside, giving Enckelman absolutely no hope

of keeping it out. Motherwell have surely made sure of the points. St

Johnstone desperately searching for something. That pretty much sums up

And when that rising star of the media world K Flatley was sitting

there, he said they were among the best he had faced this season.

Yesterday must have been sweet revenge? For us, it was about

picking up points. That game was called off at half-time and we only

got a draw the week before. We had a good week's training, if there

was such a thing. We went good going in and they were up for the

game. I felt we played well first half with a couple of scares but we

managed to get ourselves in front. You'll say there should have been a

penalty but I will say Peter Enckelman got a touch to the ball.

Alan Muir had said he touched the ball. At the time, I felt it was

not a penalty kick but he was in a better position to judge. Jamie

Murphy has practised this one? didn't think he had a backside!

When what is going your way and results are going your way, these

things go against you. If you speak to Aberdeen or Inverness, these

things do not go your way when you're down on your luck. Do mother

will find it easier to perform away from home because that is now five

on the bounce on the road? It seems to be. We tend to score first. --

Motherwell. We have a lot of guys who are good on the counter-attack

and a lot of teams in the Scottish Premier League tend to be set up to

play counter-attacks. It has been good for us and people call this

our lucky strap. -- strip. I cannot remember so many away wins and one

season but to have it now. Even now, you are 10 points short of last

season's total and you have only played 17 games. How much credit

goes to Stuart McCall as some people wondered when he took over,

how he would get you to another level? Cake and that Archie had

done reasonably well. It was probably intimidating by Stuart

McCall to come in and knowing that they had done well. He has always

said he felt he could. He has brought in Omar Daley and others so

he has added quality to the squad. Even he I do not think would have

thought we were in the -- would be in the position we're in. We never

thought we would be here with this many kits -- points. We're just

enjoying ourselves. Inverness hauled themselves off the

bottom of the SPL last weekend. And were hoping to continue that upward

momentum yesterday at home to Dundee United. Paul Mitchell was

clubs at inside and a chance for Jonny Hayes! They take just 75

seconds to go ahead. A lovely ball across and a left-foot finish. Gave

him no chance. A good run, and the Mackie going forward and over the

top. He seems to be in trouble and Davies will be yellow-carded for

the challenge. Mackie steaming straight into him and Chris Hogg

knew he was in trouble. He is off, Cox is on. He goes down but it is

not a penalty. It looked unintentional. A quick start to the

second half. He said that the Cross, Mackie! Are just like in the first

half, Inverness Caledonian Thistle stand in the United with a quick

start. Dundee United in all sorts of heart

at the moment and have never come from behind this season. Armstrong

is past three, four. Goes down and they have a ball back through the

substitute, at Johnny Russell. -- goal. Great run from Armstrong and

a lover reaction from Johnny Russell. -- lovely reaction.

Plenty of time, slide City since it forward. A good flick on. A chance

for Armstrong at! He took it away from his own goalkeeper. Dundee

United have come from two behind to level at 2-2. More like a pass back

than a shot. United and Inverness are locked together at 2-2. Quickly

taken, a good ball in. Almost making up with -- for the own goal

with a goal at the other end. Through on to John Rankin, he says

it on to Gary Mackay. Johnny Russell had a chance! What a

comeback for Dundee United and the catalyst is Johnny Russell. A

lovely ball through, look at the left out here and it finishes well.

They trailed by two goals and now lead 3-2 with a double for Johnny

Russell. The United fans continue to make

noises. He could be in trouble if he goes for the challenge and he

has! At tackle from behind and a yellow card. He has already been

booked and will be sent off. Disappointment for David Davies and

Inverness. He will miss the match at Ibrox. He was pushing and

pushing and went for the challenge. I think you will know what the

wrath of Terry Butcher is like. Possibly a managerial master stroke

bringing on a Johnny Russell and an immediate impact. At 2-0 down, you

are often forced just to go for it. You think all was lost and may as

well just go for it. He has made substitutions before and they

probably will not have worked but on the day, Johnny Russell did. He

rewarded his manager's fate yesterday with two good goals. He

has all the attributes to be a top player. I think these two goals

will push him on. 3-2 win for Dundee United. As you say, he has

shown what he can do before, Johnny Russell. This goal coming up was in

again when David Goodwillie was still playing. He may be suffered

with all those hopes being expressed for him as David

Goodwillie's replacement. It can affect young players because

suddenly they may think they're better than they are. I do not know

him as a kid but it can sometimes happen. The media speculation goes

with it. Perhaps he is not ready for it. It is about scoring goals

as a striker and that builds your confidence and gives you a lift.

Well done, Johnny Russell and Dundee United. Craig Brown was

hoping a little celebration might be in order yesterday after exactly

a year in charge at bottom-of-the- league Aberdeen. St Mirren were at

quickly and they could not have got off to a better start. Scott Vernon

slamming the ball into the top corner after just 30 seconds. Quick

start to do not get much quicker. Isaac Osbourne Robert Kenny McLean

on the edge of the box and Fraser Fyvie provided the perfect ball on

which was headed in by a Rory Allen. 2-0 up after just 16 minutes. Then

came the contentious issue - was as if a handball from Kenny Maclean?

Nothing given and a goal back in 34 minutes. Did the ball strike his

shoulder or his arm? Scott Vernon was next going down in the box. As

definite nudge from the sin Mirren player but not enough for the

referee. There was contact made by Jeroen Tesselaar but was at a

penalty or a died or not enough are either? -- dive. There then

followed a free-kick which Craig Brown felt was soft but he did seem

to shove him to the ground. From all of 35 yards, a thunderous free-

kick to make it 2-2. Perhaps a slight touch from the keeper's

elbow held the ball over the line but a tremendous strike nonetheless.

Aberdeen tried to hit back. A messy incident innocent man in penalty

area. The shot was blocked. Fraser Fyvie then floated in what would

have been a spectacular goal. I get saved from Craig Samson to put it

round the post, hitting his head against the terrain and the process.

A marginal throw-in decision then went against Aberdeen weeding

Fraser Fyvie to say something. He was given a straight red card, a

disappointing end to another -- disappointing end to another --

The first time I saw Kerry McLean's Gall, I thought, there are enough.

Then I thought handball, now not so sure. I think you can tell by the

way his head dropped back, it hits him in the face. It has not been

spoken of since the game. None of the players complained. Good play

by Kevin MacLean in the first place to get beyond the striker and get

the ball. His arm is up. He is giving the referee the option to

blow for a free-kick but it went St Mirren's way. That made it 2-1.

This one made it 2-2, an absolute belter of a strike from Graeme

Carey. Could the goalkeeper have saved it? I think it was a

misjudgment on the keeper's part. We have seen previous three kicks

and Graeme Carey knows he can make the ball dipped and swerved. We'll

see some of them here. Danny Lennon said after the game that he works

on it and he'd get his reward by getting calls. That is good advice

for any young players - if you practise, it will come off. There

is a touch of Ronaldo about that one. He is obviously working on his

technique. He seems to be going through the wall or round the side

of the wall, making the ball move, so credit to him. Pat Fenlon had

his first half much as his manager a couple of weeks ago. He had the

full thing at Easter Road yesterday Hart. Chance for Rangers and Lee

Wallace. Flicked away. That needed a better cross from Lee Wallace,

after the error by Michael Hart. Great pass from Wallace. That's a

decent ball across. Stephen Whitaker coming in. Defended well

in the end by Ivan Sproule. It was a good cross. In his first home

game as manager, Peter mate, trying to get his point across. That was

three at home against Rangers. That's really good from Ivan

Sproule. And what a chance for Leigh Griffiths, just before half-

time! Ivan Sproule took on Whitaker and won that battle. But that was

poor from Leigh Griffiths. There was a shout for handball, but it

did not look like it. One or two Hibs players complaining. It

appeared to come off the chest of visits to Easter Road. And they're

proving forward again. Penalty kick. Michael Hart has been penalised

following the tangle with Lee Wallace. Their arms were linked,

but Michael Hart certainly held him back. It is a correct call, just as

it was moments ago to deny Hibs a penalty. Jelavic has not really

been involved in the match. But that perfect from Nikica Jelavic!

Seven goals in his last 10 coming into today. He serves the

goalkeeper the wrong way, it is perfectly placed, into the corner.

Paul Hanlon unlucky not to have scored here. That's a nice step-

over. The Rangers fans are happy with what they are seeing now. It

comes across, Jelavic! He got away from his man and helped himself to

his second double of the season. He got away from Michael Hart, and

that's a really simple header. Hanlon, that has taken a deflection.

McGregor has to go back. He has not been overworked today, but he did

been overworked today, but he did really well to get back following

his defection. I was at this game yesterday, Rangers were not at

their creative best, but it is about grinding it out, Rangers and

Celtic are good at it. Yes, Rangers have been renowned for it,

especially under Walter Smith, and Ally McCoist seems to have carried

it on. There's only three of for games a season where all the

players play to their potential. It is about picking up points whenever

you can. Maybe at times, they have not been dominating games, but when

you have got strikers like Nikica Jelavic, and players like Steven

Davis, that's the difference between the top two winning more

games than the rest, because they have always got that little bit of

quality. Someone always steps up to the mark and gets the points.

might have been different, yesterday, had Leigh Griffiths

taken his chance. This was in stoppage time at the end of the

first 45. You dream of a chance like this, don't you? You do, when

you play the Old Firm, there is a defining moment in the game, where

you think, it could have swung away. Pat Finnan said after the game just

as much. When you do have a chance, you have to be clinical. -- Pat

Fenlon. And Leigh Griffiths strikes a good ball, he would have been

very disappointed with that finish. This was Leigh Griffiths towards

the Rangers supporters, that has got to be inflammatory, hasn't it?

It is a little bit naive, we have got to put it that way. He has had

a little chance to get his name on the scoresheet, it is probably a

bit naive. I think he will learn from it. He's back up in Scotland

on loan, doing reasonably well. It is something the manager will have

a word with him about. Hibs had a great first hour of the match, then

conceded twice, and sadly for him, Michael Hart was implicated for

Michael Hart was implicated for both goals. Did he get himself in

the wrong position here? We have got to credit Lee Wallace for

gambling. That's the left back, trying to make things happen. But

that's the defining moment of the game, you get a penalty kick.

That's what Hibs were undone by yesterday, two set pieces, a

penalty kick and a corner kick. Probably out with fat, there was

not an awful lot between the teams. -- outwith that. His 13th and 14th

-- outwith that. His 13th and 14th goals of the season, which makes

That just underlines the importance of Nikica Jelavic to Rangers. Will

there be an important decision that has to be made in January, do you

think, for Great White? I suspect there will be, if it is not in

January, it will be next summer. -- Craig White. There was a �7 million

bid made in the summer for him. He has continued his good form. He

will be going to the Euro 2012 with Croatia. So, he is in demand. But

if Nikica Jelavic goes, that will be a huge boost to Celtic. Celtic

will not have to sell anybody, I don't think. So Rangers could be in

trouble if he goes. Why match which did not happen because of the fog

was Dunfermline against Kilmarnock. It was called off 90 minutes from

kick-off, did you agree with that decision? I think you can see the

reaction, by all accounts, the players were happy to go and try it,

and see if it went away. I understand the referee is making a

decision to look after the safety of the players. But if the players

do not feel under any threat, sometimes I think we have to go

with the players and management. Maybe the decision was made just a

little bit too early. If they had held on for another hour, before

the decision was made. Let's have a look at the Clydesdale Bank Premier

League before we go. It is still four points at the top between

Rangers and Celtic. Motherwell have increased their position of

increased their position of strength in third place, now seven

Tuesday night in Perth for the rearranged match between St

Johnstone and Aberdeen, that will We will have all of that action for