League Cup Wednesday December 19th

Livingston 0

Celtic 2

0:1 Balde (35); 0:2 Hartson (85)

Att: 9,146

MIB: Kenny Clark

Celtic: Douglas; Mjallby, Balde, Valgaeren; Sylla, McNamara, Petrov, Moravcik, Guppy; Sutton, Hartson

Following the original power cut debacle at Almondvale, Celtic eventually got around to putting Livvy's League Cup lights out in a rearranged fixture played in Baltic conditions at the SPL's answer to Pleasantville. Camaraderie and bonhomie between the fans seemed the order of the day, as Livvy fans asked the travelling Hoops if they thought it was going to be a good match or if Larsson would be on his game. This was something straight out of the Broons, where all references to Fenian bastards has been banished from the mouths of the opposition fans and all talk boils down strictly to football. Even the Bucky drinkers who fell into the icy burn that runs by Almondvale were rescued from hypothermia and drowning by these Samaritans.

The pleasantries soon disappeared inside the ground with the emergence of the Livvy drum corps, which has roughly the same effect as a flute band and has about as much in common with football. Celtic, resting Lambert, Henke and Thompson, gave a start to Sylla and Guppy, who also appear to have as much in common with football as a flute band. Guppy, to his credit, did hit a post early on, though whether this was by luck or design is questionable.

After our last visit here, this was always going to be a difficult tie and, as expected, Livvy were up for it from the start. This time, however, the re-jigged Hoops were mainly kept at bay by the Livvy keeper Culkin, on loan from Man Utd.

Until, that is, the immense Balde powered in a header towards the end of the half. BaldeÕs overall contribution was superb as Livvy forwards just kept bouncing off him. He fully deserved his man of the match award. The game was eventually put beyond doubt after a Culkin slip up, when he misjudged the ball to allow Hartson an easy score after 85 minutes. A Sutton free kick in injury time should have made it three, but the kick was judged to have been indirect, to the confusion of all except the MIB.