SPL Saturday December 15th

Celtic 3

Dundee 1

0:1 Fan (18); 1:1 Sutton (49); 2:1 Larsson (55); 3:1 Hartson (63)

Att: 57,198

MIB: John Rowbotham

Celtic: Douglas; Valgaeren, Balde, Mjallby; Thompson, Lambert, Lennon, Sutton, Petrov; Larsson, Hartson

Of all the teams we face in the league Dundee are by far the most popular visitors. Under Bonetti they always come to play a real game - none of this ten men behind the ball stuff. They want to score goals. Last season we had possibly our toughest series of games against them and they were the only team to take three points from Celtic Park. So we knew what to expect here, and lo, it was so.

We were responsible for our own poor form in the first half; no wingers, all three forwards on, Sutton playing the withdrawn role. It took time for us to adjust. Unfortunately by the time we found our feet, we also found ourselves a goal down.

Douglas had produced a great save just before it, but some "After you Claude" style defending allowed Fan to score. And we didn't look like striking back quickly. The midfield couldn't cope with the running of Ketsbaia - the slaphead famous for beating the living daylights out of the advertising at Newcastle.

Half time in the home dressing room must have been 'heated' judging by the way the players started to second half. Lennon, Lambert and Thompson appeared especially motivated, and that was where the game was won.

Four minutes into the second half Lambert found top candidate for player of the year Sutton and his header levelled the game. Soon after that Larsson went shoulder to shoulder to win the ball before cheekily nipping the ball in at the near post to give us the lead.

And then a bad moment. First the lighting in the stands went out. But that wasn't a problem. The pitch was still perfectly visible, but when those lights came back the floodlights went. Nightmare. The last thing we needed was an abandonment and another fixture, especially one as tricky as this. Happily 50p was found and the meter was soon running again.

The game was wrapped up by Hartson with a nice header. Three points, a goal each for the strikers, and with events at Fir Park taking a nice turn we now sit 13 clear (and it's not New Year) with a game in hand. We can start resting players for the league to concentrate on the two cups.