Celtic began their defence of their
Clydesdale Bank Premier League title with a home game against
Kilmarnock, knowing they have not lost to the Ayrshire side at Celtic
Park since 1955. It had been almost nine years since the Ayrshire
outfit picked up a league point at Celtic Park,
on
Sept 12th 1998.
A
nd
a positive result for the visitors looked unlikely as the champions
started strongly.
Celtic wasted no time getting forward and midfielder Paul Hartley
slammed a shot high over the crossbar with less than a minute played.
Aiden McGeady was looking lively and his deep cross to the back post
found Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink unmarked but the big Dutchman could
only volley back across goal and wide from six yards.
In the 16th minute Killie enjoyed a rare break forward, with Steven
Naismith putting Allan Johnston through on goal.
However, the veteran midfielder did not have the legs to escape,
allowing Celtic right-back Mark Wilson to get in a saving tackle on the
edge of the penalty area.
With
the rain pouring down, Celtic were getting bogged down as the visitors
put up stubborn resistance. After 30 min's Jamie Fowler was taken to
hospital with a suspected broken ankle.
A loose ball broke to Scott Brown in a congested penalty box but the
summer signing failed to connect properly and the ball bounced wide.
Massimo Donati then split the Killie defence with a neat pass but
Zurawski's shot on the stretch from 14 yards was easily saved by Alan
Combe.
With a minute of the first half remaining, the ball fell kindly to
Kennedy and the Celtic defender hurried his shot to blast over the top
from close range.
The second period was only a minute old when Hartley's looping header
had to be tipped away by Combe.
Killie were then forced to make a 2nd injury substitution as Garry Hay
There
was a let-off for the home side when Colin Nish was allowed to hook the
ball into the danger zone and the unmarked Simon Ford headed over from
just five yards.
Celtic immediately raced up the park and Alan Combe made a great
diving save to keep out Zurawski's stabbed effort.
And when the ball broke back to the Poland international he somehow
fired wide from inside the six-yard box.
Celtic stepped up the pace in the closing minutes and Combe had to
look lively to get fingertips to a Brown shot that was looping towards
the top corner via the turf.
And the visiting keeper was relieved to see a Kennedy header fly
straight into his arms in stoppage time.
As the final few minutes ticked down Killie
were forced to play with only 10 men, as 84th min sub David Fernandez
(for Magic) took a blow to an eye socket, which kept him on the
sidelines receiving treatment.
The Kilmarnock substitute received a
generous welcome from the Celtic fans
when he arrived as a second-half
substitute, but left the field on a
stretcher with a gash below his left eye
after an accidental collision with Aiden
McGeady after 88 minutes. The Spaniard
looked in considerable distress and was
later confirmed as having received a
facial injury.
Jim Jefferies, the Kilmarnock
manager, eventually relayed the news
that Fernandez’s injury, while bad
enough, was not the tragedy some had
initially feared. ”We’ve sent him to
hospital because he was in agony after
it all happened,” Jefferies said.
“Fernandez was caught by an elbow in the
corner [below the eye] and we think it
has caused some internal bleeding. We
hope he will be OK, but it’s been a
terrible time for the lad.”
These 90 minutes in Glasgow were also
a period of personal release for Steven
Naismith, the Kilmarnock striker, whose
whole summer has been one long tormented
wait upon an acceptable offer from one
half of the Old Firm or the other.
Despite Celtic reputed to still be
interested in the striker, Naismith has
withdrawn his transfer request and took
his place in Jefferies’ side. This,
though, was not the sort of gruelling
struggle in which the Kilmarnock player
could thrive.
A tremendous spirited point was no more than Killie deserved.
Sandy's Match Pic's are
HERE
