Celtic 3 - 0 Inverness CT

League Match
Saturday, November 18th, 2006, 3:00 PM at Celtic Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 56,637
Referee: Kenny Clark
Celtic Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Dods (43 og)
Vennegoor of Hesselink (71)
Jarosik (85)
None.

Team Managers
Gordon Strachan Charlie Christie

Starting Eleven
Boruc
Telfer
Caldwell
McManus
Naylor
Nakamura
Lennon
Graveson
Maloney
Vennegoor of Hesselink
Zurawski
Michael Fraser
Richard Hastings
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Darren Dods
Barry Wilson
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
John Rankin
Graham Bayne
Craig Dargo

Bench
Riordan
O' Dea
Jarosik
Sno
McGeady
Wilson
Marshall
Jonathon Smith
Stuart McCaffrey
Stuart Soane
Ian Black
Zander Sutherland
Dennis Wyness
Gary McSwegan

Substitutions
O' Dea -> Caldwell (60)
Jarosik -> Graveson (76)
McGeady -> Maloney (87)
Dennis Wyness for Barry Wilson (69)

Bookings
None. John Rankin (55)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Michael Fraser (GK) 5 apps -
Darren Dods 89 apps3 goals
Ross Tokely 378 apps28 goals
Grant Munro 184 apps5 goals
Richard Hastings 275 apps2 goals
Roy McBain 242 apps13 goals
Russell Duncan 199 apps5 goals
John Rankin 15 apps2 goals
Barry Wilson 287 apps75 goals
Graham Bayne 78 apps13 goals
Craig Dargo 53 apps25 goals
Dennis Wyness (sub) 203 apps92 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (27 years 262 days)
Oldest Player:John Rankin (2008 years 110 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 246 days
Domestic Players:10 (90.91 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (27 years 262 days)
Oldest Player:Stuart Soane (2008 years 110 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 246 days
Domestic Players:17 (94.44 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

CELTIC 3-0 ICT Caley Thistle were soundly beaten by Celtic but in truth didnt play at all badly. Mike Fraser, replacing the suspended Mark Brown in goal had a good game and made several crucial saves especially in the first half, and ICT had plenty of chances at the other end before the game was lost. Club historian Ian Broadfoot reports from Celtic Park.

A disappointing afternoon in Paradise for Caley Thistle but a good performance – particularly in the first half.

It took until close to half time before Celtic broke down the resolute defence but it was not all about defending. There were good moves going forward and chances created.

With Mark Brown suspended Mike Fraser came in for only his second start and he had an excellent game – early stops gave him confidence and he had no chance with any of the goals. Teenage keeper Jonathon Smith took Fraser’s usual bench spot.

Russell Duncan was captain for the day to mark his 200th appearance since joining the club in the summer of 2001. The August 1-1 draw between the teams in Inverness was the last SPL point dropped by Celtic and they went into this game looking for a clean sweep over the other eleven teams. They succeeded but victory was only assured when the second goal went in.

The visitors pushed hard from the kick-off and nearly gave Celtic a fright in the second minute. Ross Tokely crossed from the right and Roy McBain had two shots blocked with Graham Bayne and Barry Wilson fighting hard to latch onto the rebounds – eventually it went over for a corner.

Mike Fraser was called into action in the fifth minute when Maciej Zurawski raced down the left and shot – the keeper parried it for a corner. Five minutes later Fraser dived to take a header from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. A long Fraser clearance in 14 minutes was headed down by Bayne for John Rankin but the midfielder was fouled 23 yards out. The free kick by Wilson was touched back to him by Rankin but his shot was held by Artur Boruc.

Bayne headed a Shunsuke Nakamura corner off the line in 21 minutes then a break upfield led to a cross from McBain which just eluded Craig Dargo. In 25 minutes there was an old fashioned stramash in the Caley Thistle goal following a header from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. It took Fraser plus two defenders to clear the danger at the third attempt. A minute later a Wilson corner from the left at the other end was headed back across goal by Grant Munro and a Bayne diving header looked in – in the event it slid just wide.

Fraser saved from Maloney and Boruc from Rankin before the opening goal came in 43 minutes. A Nakamura corner from the left was touched on by Zurawski and Darren Dods went for it along with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink – it skidded past Fraser and was credited as a Dods own goal.

Half Time: 1-0

This was a blow from which ICT really never recovered. Straight after the break Dods blocked a Maloney cross and the home fans claimed a hand was used. Kenny Clark was having none of it. Caley Thistle continued to give as good as they got until the 72nd minute when a second goal put the game beyond them. Paul Telfer played a clever one-two with Nakamura then crossed from the right - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink slid in to net from eight yards out.

With ten minutes left Maloney tried one of his trademark free kicks from 25 yards out. It went over the wall and dropped just above the bar as Fraser could only watch. Goal number three came with five minutes left when Maloney sent a corner from the right and substitute Jiri Jarosik rose high to head into the top left corner. In added time Fraser held a Nakamura low shot and time was up.

Full Time: 3-0

The defeat took ICT back to seventh place with Celtic streets ahead at the top.

Match report written by Ian Broadfoot



Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Celtic 15 13 1 1 31 10 21 40
2. Aberdeen 15 7 4 4 19 13 6 25
3. Hibernian 15 6 4 5 28 16 12 22
4. Rangers 14 6 4 4 22 16 6 22
5. Hearts 14 6 4 4 21 15 6 22
6. Kilmarnock 15 6 4 5 19 23 -4 22
7. Inverness CT 15 4 7 4 16 19 -3 19
8. Falkirk 15 5 3 7 18 19 -1 18
9. St. Mirren 15 4 4 7 14 20 -6 16
10. Dundee Utd 15 3 5 7 14 28 -14 14
11. Motherwell 15 3 3 9 16 27 -11 12
12. Dunfermline 15 3 3 9 11 23 -12 12