MATCH REPORT:  HAMILTON  1  CELTIC  2

PRE-MATCH COMMENT: 

Celtic have won 9 in a row and now playing the team at the bottom. An easy game?

BROWN ….……....6 Had no chance with goal and after that had almost no active part in the game.

HINKEL...... …….. 5 Where did his recemt improvement go? Failed to make any real impact on the game.

CALDWELL.…. .5 Was troubled more than once by the lively Hamilton center forward and was posted missing at the goal.

McMANUS…. … 6 Steady.

WILSON.... …… 4 Was rightly subbed at half time as he was back to his ineffective displays of earlier games. I can't remember him making any good constructive passes.

HARTLEY...… 6 MOM He was the only player who was showing any real effort to go forward quickly.Was rewarded by scoring a good goal to take the points.

MALONEY. …… 4  He's a strange player! He starts of showing some lovely touches and positive shooting then fades out of the game and so it was to-night.

DONATI……. …4 Proved again that if the opposition gets in to him and closes him down his contribution becomes non-existant.

NAKA..…. ……5 Gets an extra mark for converting the penalty but contributed little else.

BROWN…..….....5  A quiet game but did make a lovely wall pass to set up Hartley.

SHERIDAN .......5  Rec'd little service but still it doesn't excuse his lack of impact



SUBS 

ROBSON........…… 5 Replaced Wilson and brough more energy to the position but little skill.

SAMARAS………..5 Relaced Naka but was a shadow of the player who rocketed to the top of the scoring charts. Had one very good header saved.

CADDIS…………. 5 Replaced Donati. Did bring a more positive approach to the wing role.



REF…………...... () 5 Will be heavily criticised for giving the penalty but in truth it was his asistant who was at fault.

THE GAME ……4 An awful game mostly due to Celtic's inability to go beyond the Hamilton defence and to pass the ball well.

GOALS ………. 1. Brown was slow in covering the Hamilton player who sent over the cross and Caldwell was caught napping but it was a well worked goal.

2. A penalty that should never have been given was expertly converted by Naka.

3. A lovely one - two between Brown and Hartley created the chance for Hartley to smash the ball into the net.



COMMENTS ….. 1. There is no doubt that the Celtic players started the game with the wrong mental approach. There was no real bite or determination, neither was there the ability to play a passing game.

2. Last season and during this one I have been amazed at how often the Celtic players lose their footing and again to-day it was the same.