FROM NEIL DOHERTY AT CELTIC PARK: CELTIC 1 – MOTHERWELL 0. THE Hoops march towards the SPL title continued here in Glasgow this afternoon as they overcame a stubborn and often dirty Motherwell side by a single goal, scored in the second half by Gary Hooper.
Hooper’s 19th goal of the season came from a long throw in the 59th minute. Samaras, who had another good game, headed to ball down and Hooper lashed the ball past Randolf.
It had been a fairly scrappy game before that, and afterwards – play constantly interrupted by Motherwell fouls. I counted 27 blatant fouls. It was just a surprise that just four yellow cards were shown – it could have been twice that.
One of those was for the dive of the season by Ojamaa who threw himself to the ground so theatrically in the 70th minute, he could be contender for gold at the Olympic Games.
Hooper nearly doubled the lead shortly after that but was denied by Randolph.
With just under 20 minutes to play, the Motherwell goalkeeper kept his side in the game with a brilliant save from the lively James Forrest.
Moments later, Fraser Forster was finally called upon for the first time when he saved from Henrik Ojamaa who was substituted shortly afterwards to jeers from the home support.
The hosts were able to see out the rest of the game with relative ease to secure their 17 consecutive league victory.
I’ll have reaction from Neil Lennon later.
Meanwhile Rangers game with Celtic at Ibrox on March 25th – a week after the League Cup Final – will go ahead, say police.
Strathclyde police had threatened to stop policing Rangers’ games after the club failed to come with police payments for last week’s game against Kilmarnock.
But Rangers’ administrators have now paid up.
Meanwhile the SPL confirmed that it is investigating the singing of anti-Catholic songs and chants during the defeat to Kilmarnock.
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