League Cup Final Sunday March 16th 2003

Celtic 1

Rangers 2

0:1 'kineejit (23); 0:2 Lovencrap (35); 1:2 Larsson (56)

Att: 52,000

MIB: Kenny Clark

Celtic: Douglas; Valgaeren, Balde, Mjallby (Petrov 88); Smith (Sylla 66), Lennon, Lambert, Sutton, Thompson; Larsson, Hartson

Of all the matches to be played in this important period this one wasn't exactly top of the list of priorities. It's also true that the League Cup really only counts as part of the Treble. But this was still a sore one to lose, not least because it marks a return to a depressingly familiar pattern after the league victory at Celtic Park. This was another travesty of a result and the fact that linesman David Doig played his part in ensuring the pointy heads got their hands on the cup merely added insult to injury.

The opening phase of the match saw the Hoops well in control and coming forward purposefully. Once again the only thing missing was a goal. No sooner had the thought struck me that this was beginning to feel horribly reminiscent of last year's semi-final when a defensive lapse by Mjallby let Lovencrap in to provide the cross for the opening goal.

The big Swede was at it again a few minutes later, this time allowing his opponent to slip inside and get away to poke in the second. You would think by now that a player of Mjallby's experience would have thought this one through for himself wouldn't you. Since Lovencrap would find it difficult crossing a road you'd expect him to keep him outside. But no, once again he allowed him to show inside and we found ourselves undeservedly two behind before the interval.

If the first period had been fairly even in terms of possession, the second was played almost entirely in Rangers' half. The Huns did threaten with their occasional forays on the break but Balde largely kept it together well, and when his defence was breached big Rab came to the rescue.

In general, though, it was, as Martin O'Neill said, a case of 'Wave after wave after wave... after wave.'

Just before the hour Henke nipped in to head home a Thompson corner and the fightback got into full swing. Indeed it came to fruition five minutes later when Larsson played in Hartson for what everyone in the ground thought was the equaliser. Everyone except linesman Doig that is. Television replays merely confirmed that Hartson wasn't even close to being offside when the ball was played through. Doubles all round at the next Lodge meeting Doigsy.

The Fates had had enough. Sutton went off after a collision with Balde then Lennon senselessly allowed Ricksen to provoke a reaction which brought him to the attention of Kenny Clark. The fact that the Dutch dud was still threshing his way around the Hampden turf was itself testimony to Clark's handling of the game. Arvaladze soon capitalised on the situation to engineer Lennon's demise. It was another decision O'Neill was fulminating about after the match.

Clark awarded Celtic a penalty in the final minute - the third strong appeal of the afternoon and one that was difficult even for him to ignore - but Hartson made an arse of it. Surprising given the way he normally dispatches them when called on.

The Hoops didn't deserve to lose this one and the ovation they got from the fans at the end of the game was well deserved. Once again Celtic were the better team but were thwarted by two defensive lapses, a dodgy linesman and the Cat in the Hat's very own brand of Satanic good fortune. This simply can't continue for much longer.

As for David Taylor's pre-match warning about racism from the stands, he will undoubtedly have taken note of the usual monkey-style grunting emanating from the Rangers crowd every time Bobo went anywhere near them. Expect draconian sanctions to be taken by the SFA against the cash-strapped Ibrox club just after Hell announces the gritters will be out.