Thompson double keeps Celtic´s faint title hopes alive

A Josh Thompson double helped Celtic come from behind to record a narrow 2-1 win over Motherwell at Parkhead that cut the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League to bitter rivals Rangers to ten points.

The home fans knew any slip-up from the Hoops could hand Rangers the opportunity to clinch the title at Tannadice on Wednesday and an already subdued and half-full Celtic Park fell silent when Mark Reynolds fired Motherwell ahead in the 48th minute.

However Celtic, who lost their only realistic chance of silverware when they exited the Scottish Cup to lowly Ross County at the weekend, showed the desire interim manager Neil Lennon had called for before the game when Thompson levelled two minutes later.

The defender then popped up with just over ten minutes remaining to head Celtic in front to deny Rangers, who play Dundee United on Wednesday, a title party until at least Sunday.

Lennon was pleased with the reaction he got from his players.

“We got the win obviously which was huge for us,” said the former Celtic and Northern Ireland midfield dynamo.

“I am delighted for the players who played on Saturday and played tonight and delighted with the players who came in. They are pretty pleased with themselves but it is a small step in the right direction.”

His Motherwell counterpart Craig Brown bemoaned the way in which his side had conceded the goals.

“We didn’t hold the lead long enough. To lose two goals from corner kicks was criminal defending,” said Brown.

“I genuinely felt for Neil Lennon after what happened at the weekend and I think the response he got was very much to his credit and his players’ credit.”

Lennon made three changes to the side which slumped to Saturday’s semi-final defeat.

Out went Georgios Samaras, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Andreas Hinkel to make room for Diomansy Kamara, Niall McGinn and Mark Wilson.

Motherwell had the best chance of the first-half when Jamie Murphy slipped a pass to Lukas Jutkiewicz but Lukasz Zaluska was quick off his line and saved his fierce shot with his outstretched feet.

Reynolds fired Motherwell ahead just after the break. Kamara missed a header as he attempted to clear Tom Hateley’s free-kick and the ball broke off Thompson’s leg to Reynolds who blasted home from close-range.

Lennon would have been pleased by his team’s response when they equalised just under two minutes later.

McGinn delivered a corner to the back post where Scott Brown picked out Thompson with a header to allow the English defender to lash the ball past Michael Fraser from six yards.

Motherwell continued to pressurise the Hoops and came close when Jim O’Brien’s cross found John Sutton at the back post but Zaluska made a great reflex save to stop his header sneaking in.

Thompson looked desperate to make amends for his part in Motherwell’s opener and had a shot blocked and sent a header wide before grabbing his second of the day.

The teenager jumped highest to bullet a header past Fraser from Lee Naylor’s corner in the 77th minute.