Mowbray not concerned at Celtic home form

Tony Mowbray says he isn’t concerned by Celtic’s home form after watching his side lose top spot in the Scottish Premier League following a goalless draw against Motherwell.

The Celtic coach was visibly frustrated after watching his side waste a host of chances against Jim Gannon’s side, who also held Rangers to a goalless draw at Fir Park earlier in the season.

The pressure was on the Hoops going into the game after Old Firm rivals Rangers moved top of the league with a 2-1 away win to St Johnstone but the shot-shy Celtic strikers could not find a way past a well-organised Motherwell defence.

The result means that the Hoops have won just two of the seven games played at Celtic Park in all competitions so far this season.

Along with the draw against Motherwell the Bhoys have dropped points to Dundee United, lost to Arsenal and Dynamo Moscow in the Champions League and needed a last-minute winner to see off Hearts.

Celtic face German giants Hamburg at Parkhead on Thursday as they attempt to kick-start their Europa League campaign but Mowbray shrugged off suggestions of a crisis in confidence at home.

“You can massage the stats all you want. I think we have drawn against Dundee United and now Motherwell,” Mowbray said.

“I’m not interested in Arsenal at home in the Champions League or Moscow. You can throw stats at me all you want but our league form is fine.

“It’s the first time we’ve failed to score a goal in the league this season. I defy anyone to say there was a lack of effort and lack of determination about the way the team went about the job.

“If we had scored two of our 15 efforts on goal we would have been sitting here saying job done, let’s move on to next week.

“But we missed them so we are disappointed and frustrated. The centre-halves have kept a clean sheet today after a little bit of flak they have taken in recent weeks so the strikers might score a hatful next week.”

Rangers had to come back from a goal down at St Johnstone after falling behind to a 17th-minute strike from Collin Samuel and Gers boss Walter Smith praised his opponents’ industriousness.

“We were always going to have to work hard for a win today and St Johnstone made us do that,” he said.

“In spells they played well and so did we play well in spells.

“Although St Johnstone had possession of the ball at times, there weren’t that many opportunities for either side.”

The champions hauled themselves level shortly before half-time through Kris Boyd before Bosnian defender Sasa Papac secured all three points with a fine curling shot in the 83rd minute.

“It was a good finish for a full-back, getting himself into that position,” said Smith. “Last season and this season Sasa Papac has shown he is capable of getting forward.

“That’s back-to-back wins for us and that is something we have struggled to do this season and hopefully we can keep it going.

“We’re struggling to find consistency of performance but the signs are getting better with each game.”