Celtic 2 Motherwell 0

HELLO and welcome to www.celticfc.net for today’s SPL match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park. Kick off is 3pm.
Gordon Strachan has made only one change to his side following the 1-1 midweek draw with Manchester United. Artur Boruc misses the game ahead of his looming knee operation, with Mark Brown taking his place.

TODAY’S TEAMS:

CELTIC: M.Brown; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson; S.Brown, Hartley, Robson, Maloney; Sheridan, McDonald
Subs: Fox, Caddis, O’Dea, Naylor, Donati, Hutchinson, Mizuno

MOTHERWELL: Smith; Quinn, Hammell, Reynolds, Malcolm, Lasley, Fitzpatrick, Hughes; Sutton, Clarkson, Porter
Subs: Nielson, Smith, Murphy, O’Brien, McGarry, Page, Connolly

The game kicks off

Motherwell win an early free-kick in the wide area, but Celtic deal with it

Celtic start to enjoy some possession and Wilson's cross has to be cleared by Reynolds

Maloney picks out Hinkel on the right but his cross is too heavy for McDonald

Porter races on to a long pass, but Caldwell covers the danger

Let-off for Celtic. Caldwell clears Sutton's header off the line. Brown then saves from Porter

McDonald gets to the deadball line and finds Scott Brown, who slides a shot off the post

Caldwell looks to set McDonald free but he is flagged offside

Brown saves Sutton's left-foot volley

Sheridan flicks Hinkel's free-kick into the path of McDonald, but Smith gathers

Hammell's free-kick soars over the bar

Fantastic effort from McDonald. Taking Hartley's pass, he turns and lets go with a swerving drive. Smith parries the ball away

Clarkson tests Brown with a low drive. The Celtic goalkeeper does well

Clarkson shows great skill to break clear but is denied by a Caldwell tackle.

Wilson defends well and sets up a counter-attack but Motherwell defend

Sheridan and McDonald try to combine on the edge of the box but Reynolds gets in to steal the ball

Robson's low cross goes straight into the arms of Smith.

Robson picks out Sheridan in the box. Malcolm clearly fouls, but no penalty is given

Scott Brown has moved into centre midfield, with Robson on the right

Sheridan tries his luck from the corner of the box and forces a fine save from Smith

Sheridan combines well with Robson and Brown sends a low drice wide

McDonald has the ball in the net, heading home Hinkel's cross, but is penalised for a shove on Quinn

HALF-TIME: Celtic 1 Motherwell 0 - Hartley's goal gives Celtic a half-time lead

The second half kicks off

Celtic sub - A limping Shaun Maloney is replaced by Paul Caddis.

McManus heads over the bar from Robson's cross

McDonald is flagged offside as he goes for Hinkel's low cross.

Caddis starts brightly and Smith has to save his low cross. 56, 504

Hinkel's chip is met by Sheridan and his header floats wide

Brown feeds Sheridan, whose low shot is blocked.

Motherwell have some pressure but Celtic cope

Let-off for Celtic as Porter pokes past the post from six yards

Hinkel plays a one-two with Sheridan and surges into the box, but bumps into McDonald and the chances is lost

Motherwell sub - Murphy on for Porter

Motherwell sub - O'Brien on for Lasley

Caddis looks for a way through the Well defence but is crowded out

Celtic sub - Donati on for Robson

The youthful duo of Caddis and Sheridan combine to release Donati but he is tackled in the box. Caddis then blazes over

Donati surges forward and plays in Sheridan, whose touch is heavy. The big man looks exhausted after another good shift,

Sheridan almost turns Malcolm but is foiled at the last moment

Caldwell produces an excellent block from Sutton's shot.

Celtic sub - Koki Mizuno on for McDonald

There are three added minutes

Mizuno shows pace and skill to power forward and send a shot inches over the bar

FULL-TIME: Celtic 2 Motherwell 0 - Goals from Paul Hartley and Scott McDonald give Celtic three points and move the champions five points clear