TITLE IS CELTIC’S TO LOSE

Despite the championship trophy slipping a little further through Gers fingers, both bosses claimed the race is wide open.

Gers boss Smith insisted Motherwell’s battling second half performance gave him fresh hope that his side can still pull off a memorable treble.

He said: “There was a lot of talk today about Motherwell and the rest of the teams not having anything to play for. But if you looked at their effort out there, I think you can see that’s not the case.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m sure the games against St Mirren, Aberdeen and Dundee United will be exactly the same so there’s still a bit of football to be played.

“I don’t think either of us should consider it’s a straightforward aspect of just turning up and winning the games.

“If Motherwell are an indication of the level of effort the other teams will show then there is going to be a fair bit of football still to be played.

“We’re just a little bit disappointed we never got the second goal to kill the game. It would have opened up the game for us. Although it was early in the second half it would have effectively taken the heat out of the match.”

Rangers could live to regret the one that got away, one minute into the second half with the Light Blues leading 1-0. Cousin drifted away from Stephen Craigan before nutmegging Mark Reynolds, who had recklessly dived in.

However the big striker appeared much too casual with his finish and he allowed former Ger Smith to narrow the angle before slamming the ball off the keeper’s body.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee admitted that save had been crucial. He said: “It was critical. If they had scored at that point it was all over. It was a poor bit of defending from us. They tell me Mark Reynolds got the Man of the Match award, but I’d take it back off him just for that incident because it could have cost us the game.”

Three minutes later, Motherwell made Rangers pay a heavy price when they snatched the equaliser which took the title race out of Rangers’ hands. David Clarkson’s angled header from a Stephen Hughes cross beat Neil Alexander only to bounce off the far post.

The loose ball was knocked back in by Darren Smith, Brian McLean flicked it with his heel and Porter provided the finishing touch at the far post to score with a simple tap-in.

It was a goal which left Celtic three points clear and seven goals better off than Rangers, who still have a game in hand over their Old Firm rivals.

However Smith swiftly killed off the notion that his side could expect to wipe out that level of goals swing against St Mirren at Love Street on Monday night.

He said: “Against St Mirren we just have to go and try and win the game. Look at the amount of effort Motherwell put into the game today, that’s what happens in Scotland. Celtic and ourselves are going to have to work hard, ourselves especially with two games left, to win the remaining games. But seven goals in two games is a difficult one to turn round, especially as Celtic have to win if we get the six points required.”

If Rangers needed any more incentive than they already had, they only had to listen to the music which was blaring out of the Fir Park speakers as they lined up in the tunnel.

The Motherwell PA announcer had decided to include the Beatles’ Back In The USSR on his playlist, three days after Gers had lost to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester.

Fortunately the club’s manager has more class about him and had requested that the teams ran out to his great friend Tommy Burns’ favourite party piece Mack The Knife.

It was a thoughtful touch from one of the SPL’s brightest bosses and the warmth in the minute’s applause which followed gave some hope at the end of a black week for Scottish football.

Rangers’ hopes of taking all three points rose when they made the breakthrough after 29 minutes and it was no surprise that it came by air delivery.

Well keeper Smith had struggled with a series of inswinging corners from Nacho Novo on one side and Charlie Adam on the other, flapping at most.

Smith and his coaching staff had obviously identified a weakness and their homework paid off in style as Gers took the lead.

Kirk Broadfoot swept the ball 40 yards into the penalty area. Smith raced off his line to clear the danger, but Dailly beat him to the punch and his header bounced into the net.

Rangers had the ball in the net again a minute later but Novo was offside.

As a spectacle there wasn’t much classy football on show but things improved after the break as Well stepped it up a gear.

McGhee added: “In the first half we were poor and we were lucky not to be down and out by half time.

“I thought we were heading for defeat and I had to have a go at them at half time. I told them at 1-0 down I wasn’t really too bothered if we lost but what I was concerned about was that we weren’t just going to roll over and let Rangers outmuscle us.

“They picked it up, improved and got a goal.”

MOTHERWELL: G Smith, McLean, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, D Smith (Fitzpatrick 66), Hughes, Lasley, McGarry, Porter, Clarkson (Murphy 75). Subs not used: Daniels, Lappin, McCormack, Connolly, Meechan.
RANGERS: Alexander, Broadfoot, Cuellar, Weir, Whittaker, Dailly, McCulloch (Davis 66), Ferguson, Adam (Darcheville 77), Cousin, Novo (Boyd 82). Subs not used: Smith, Furman, McMillan, Fleck.