28/04/2013 Sportscene

The title was tucked away by Celtic last weekend. Relegation and

European places were still on the agenda this weekend. All the key

moments coming up, in the company of Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes

and St Johnstone defender Callum Davidson. Let's start with today's

game at Fir Park where the champions were clapped on to the

pitch by their hosts. Then Motherwell set about trying to

beat them. The best of the action Celtic had plenty of players but he

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games. -- he scored. Samaras is goalkeeper. That was great play to

set up Gary Hooper but what a great stop by the goalkeeper. But there

was a shout for hand ball. The second attempt. Hooper should have

finished the first time but he did the second. That gives Celtic the

Henrik Ojamaa. A brilliant goal. There was a narrow gap. A tiny gap

and it was picked up by Henrik side of Ojamaa. He tried to change

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direction and took him down. That a phrase of all staff. -- Fraser

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goalkeeper. He has had a terrific Did Motherwell show wide a finish

best of the rest behind Celtic? think they did. I don't think

anyone could deny they deserve the three points. They were aggressive

enough in the right areas but show the quality that separated them

from the rest of the teams chasing them. They had a fantastic season

and the way they played to date is probably the way they have played

the majority of the season. It is simple and full of passion and

energy. Stewart has done a week great job.

You could probably pick out a half a dozen players who caught the eye.

James McFadden as well. Yes, he looks like he is hungry and has

something to prove. He has been fantastic. That was a great touch

there and a reverse pass. Ojamaa has been excellent. Like a

rottweiler. He has a lot to do? was a great touch across the

defender. You look at his energy, that was a great pass. Motherwell

to isolate Humphreys. Look at the bodies for what they have. From a

break and they are a good counter attack team. The only surprise he

was Mike fat and didn't score. Again, getting bodies for. They are

always carrying a threat. They are a very attacking team. Motherwell

are phenomenal. The referee was in the spotlight a few times today.

through. It wasn't stopping a goal. A what about that? He was very

unfortunate. You just can't get out the way. I can see why the referee

David but it was harsh. I thought it was a soft penalty. The player

was offside. He should deal with the situation but there was no

question Higton was massively on Neil Lennon had a little blast at

player of the year in the week. Heidi do feel about that? He is

probably disappointed his players aren't there and it was a knee-jerk

reactions. He will probably wish the four nominees all the best and

congratulate them. Personally, from St Johnstone we've probably have

six or seven players so it is not exactly as if they don't realise

they have had a good season. I personally voted for Michael Higdon.

He has led the line extremely well and allowed them to build and

scored dark - might score goals. That is why I voted for him but

that is my opinion. I think Neil is looking back and it is a knee-jerk

reaction to not seeing his players there. The title is one for Celtic

and the title is four weeks away. I'll these difficult games for

Celtic to negotiate? He has got to try to make sure they get to the

Cup final. The players have a lot of pressure on them and he will

make sure they are fresh going into it. The performance today... There

are alarm bells for Neil going into the Cup final. That performance

today will make sure it isn't a formality. The Celtic have shown

that when they have been on the top of the game they are better than

the rest. He would hope that individually and as a team they are

capable. They are in Europe. Dundee have been showing a distinct

reluctance to accept relegation. Ahead of this weekend's home game

against Hearts, John Brown's team had lost only one of their last

seven league games. Highlights from Dan de were to survive in the SPL.

It is mathematically possible but the fight continues. Was that a

foul? A free-kick on the edge of there was a we rugby-tackled to the

ground. The Dundee striker was manhandled. A great save from Jamie

back of Finnegan. Webster it could be in trouble and there will be

another card from the referee. And De Wet step is sent off before the

Brown's appointment seems ridiculous now as he has done a

pressure. That was palmed away and that is the closest they have

come to scoring this afternoon. The goal that could be. -- Dan de have

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defence. It is now eight goals in 13. Thompson was taken out but it

his 17th appearance. That was a lovely finish. He simply didn't

Maze but drilled that the ball past the keeper. They have restored

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equaliser of the afternoon. Danny without scoring a single goal in

the season and now he gets to for minutes to play. Griffiths

inside the box and the benefit went to be attacking side. -- Bob been

The fact that Dundee 1 and St Mirren didn't, John Brown's team is

They have want to eat in a row and they have built up a bit of late

season momentum. Yes, it has been fantastic. All credit to John Brown.

It has been interesting, although it might be late. It does make St

Mirren at nervous though. It would be against all odds if they

survived? There is still a lot to be done, but they have given

themselves a chance. Nobody gets an easy game against Dundee. I think

we will played Dundee next weight - - next week and have a tough game.

Nobody can deny how world John has done and the players deserve a lot

of credit. There was a controversial goal from Finnegan

and one yesterday at Easter Road. It has been a plus for Dundee.

Obviously I want to win the game and we will go there and tried to

win, but we will expect a tough match, and it is credit to John

because there were a lot of people who were ridiculing his appointment

and he has proved them wrong. wasn't laughing after the match. He

was raging over the dismissal of Webster. Will he be watching this

and changing his mind? I was not sure of this one. It does look as

if he has fouled him. He has bowled his leg, which was a reaction when

he went down. I think this was it that no yellow card. I think the

first one was dubious though. Reilly was sent off late in the

game. Dundee still one, but he is going to be suspended for a couple

of crucial games coming up. I think the linesman push the player harder

than the other player! And that should not have been a red card.

Should be Assistant have gone for that? I think there has been a lot

of over-reaction. He is what Derek was touching on earlier, that the

goal that kept it alive for Dundee School by Leigh Griffiths

inevitably been a good St Mirren - is he in line? -- being against St

Mirren. I think he was slightly off. Very difficult for the linesman to

see. A think McAusland got himself a bit square. He should have been

cutting off that ball. I think they have had a bit of fortune there. It

did look a bit of side. St Mirren cannot believe they are in this

situation they are in, in that they are not completely safe. They have

not won again in the SPL for a couple of months, which is amazing

for 18 that can produce top-quality football. Here is the run-up of

games to come for Dundee and St Mirren. You would expect them to

get something from them? Derek wants to win, but Dundee will look

at those Games as all been great in their current form. Aberdeen is

slightly different because they have a new manager. Players are

fighting for their contracts. You would hope that St Mirren will get

a points. -- will get a point. Derek had his first home game as

Aberdeen manager. He has taken over the team in the bottom half of the

leak, but he would love them to finish with a flourish. Derek

McInnes takes charge of his first home game after taking over as

Aberdeen manager. Can his side produced a victory after the

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season. No wonder he is one of the here. Kilmarnock still searching

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enough to directed back downwards. That is used still unbeaten. How

happy were you with that yesterday? We started the game really well.

The first 15, 20 minutes were really intense. It got us going the

right way, but Kilmarnock, to be fair to them, started to enjoy it

and they were the better team going into half-time. We matched up with

them in the second half and then we started to control it. We did pass

up a few opportunities to finish the game off, but we were creating

chances. There was a trademark goal from McGinn, but it may be also

underlines what you don't have and that his goal scoring back-up.

can see there that the ball is still gathering pace. He did get

his 20th goal in style. I think he is the first Aberdeen player for a

long time to score 20 goals, so hopefully there is more to come

from him. The game on Monday night at Easter Road was less than

memorable. I think we all lost part of our lives that night! How did it

feel to be taking the reins for the first time? I have had a long

honeymoon period because it has been announced for a while. There

was a lot of training and preparation. It was 17 days since

the last game and it showed in our players. The best players on both

sides were beat defenders. -- world the defenders. When you look back

at the glory days, following on in the footsteps of Sir Alex Ferguson,

lot of people have tried and failed in that job, haven't they? That was

such a great era for the club. Where we are at the moment is such

a long, long way away from that, but what we can do is be somewhere

in between. I remember playing against Aberdeen teams in the past.

You can see from the graph there some years we have come second. We

need to get back to that, although I am not saying we would do it

instantly. We need to make sure that the way we work, the way we

practise, will set standards. it be too comfortable a situation

at Pittodrie? Not really. I am judging it from what I have seen.

There are areas where we can work harder. We need to meet

expectations and for me we have to make sure be a better in certain

departments and areas. On the football side of it, we work harder

than some clubs and hopefully we can set a pace and a demand and

hopefully we can be rewarded for that. The Aberdeen people and the

city itself are fantastic and there are lots of good people at the club.

They have treated me very well and we have got off to a good start. We

are all working hard for the same thing. In battle for the third

place in the SPL and the European qualification are two teams who met

today. St Johnstone and Inverness Caley Thistle. Liam McLeod was

of grievance about that. St Johnstone will try to take

advantage of the fact they are one expecting that. It looked a touch

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They haven't been able to test the brink of European football. A draw

well. It is his penultimate home game for St Johnstone before he

and they are running out of time. Be a massive gulf potentially for

Dundee United and Celtic and they need to win today. What wonderful

You have to fancy yourself. The games are all going to be difficult

so hopefully we can keep going. the teams in the top six have a

goal scorer well into double figures. St Johnstone are a bit

different. You have half a doesn't -- half-a-dozen guys. The scoring

is spread across a number of people. Yes. A lot of players score

consistently all the time. You have guys like buying who you could say

is playing out of position -- like a Vine. There are chop and changes

in formation as well. Nigel came on Yesterday and what an impact he

made. Liam Craig scored a header as well. You think these pictures are

significant, don't you? The bond that exists? Yes, you can see how

much it means to the boys to get in the top six. The demand they put un

themselves and they have to work to get the reward. All three teams are

in the mix. They would all have taken this situation at the start

of the campaign but it is who can finish the season strongly. Steve

has done a great job and if he can get them into Europe again, a

fantastic achievement. There are a lot of good people at St Johnstone

as well and it is good to see them getting a reward. Was there is a

clear goalscoring opportunity followed by the send off? When I

first saw it, I was unsure whether he was covering. But, to me, that

was a definite red-card. We probably played better in the first

15 minutes and struggled when we went down to 10 men. Breaking teams

down is difficult. You play Nigel in a five-a-side game and you want

him in the team because he will always make something happen and he

did it again there. I'm pretty pleased with that one. Steve Lomas

followed you at St Johnstone. A tough act to follow. I am surprised

he doesn't get more of a mention in terms of manager of the year. Does

this guy not merit more of a mention? I think he is probably

tucked in behind the others when he has been mentioned. Everybody in

football recognises what a good job he has done. Terry, Stewart and

Adams have had good Stephens but -- seasons but Steve Lomas is up there.

He has done well. The players have all worked -- and enjoyed working

under him. The results are important and the demands as a club

have increased year on and year out. If you get into Europe wants it is

a great achievement but if you can do it again the next season it is

probably a bigger achievement and we will go all out to try and get

there. This was Friday night action and we are indebted to that phrase

-- saved. It was a great delivery from Barry Douglas. The Save or was

fantastic. It is a terrible pitch but County manage to produce some

These goals from him have been really important as he has scored

really important goals. They almost scored twice. If you look at their

performances of late, Ross County are rate team who have gone from

The January window it, it is sometimes difficult to get someone

with an injection and he has given Ross County that. Dundee United saw

a dismissal. What did you think? That looks quite bad. A foot high

has come off his and he jumped in the air. I would have been

disappointed if I had got sent off for a tackle like that as a

fullback. And I think There is an element of not in -- intending to

hurt him. I thought it was a harsh red card. Let us look at the

Motherwell had just about secured second spot. Dundee are at the

bottom, at eight adrift of St You'll see all that action next