SPL WEEKLY 3rd October

[RAB - P]

Saturday 3rd October

15:00 Hamilton vs St Johnstone
Guillaume Beuzelin could make his Hamilton debut in Saturday's SPL game against St Johnstone.

Former Hibernian star Beuzelin joined Accies this week on a three-month contract and is likely to be in the squad against Saints.

Fellow midfielder Simon Mensing will be given until the last moment to shake off a hamstring problem, while Derek Lyle (knee), James Gibson (knee) and Alex Neil (hip) are all long-term casualties.

St Johnstone team boss Derek McInnes has one big doubt for the SPL clash at New Douglas Park - but has refused to identify the player.

Kevin Rutkiewicz and Graeme Smith played in a closed-door this week after recovering from knee and thigh injuries respectively and are back in contention.

Striker Steven Milne returns from the knock which caused him to miss last week's defeat against Dundee United.

15:00 Hibernian vs Dundee Utd
Defenders Ian Murray and Darren McCormack are both available for Hibernian's SPL clash with Dundee United.

Murray was laid low by flu this week but has recovered sufficiently, while Darren McCormack has shaken off the hamstring strain which saw him miss last weekend's win at Motherwell.

McCormack now faces a fight with David Wotherspoon and the fit-again Kevin McCann for the right-back slot.

The Tangerines have several selection worries ahead of Saturday's game.

Top scorer Danny Cadamarteri has not trained properly all week after suffering a dead leg, while defender Andy Webster has been another absentee with a groin problem.

Skipper Lee Wilkie has been laid low by a flu virus so is likely to miss out, Danny Swanson is suspended and long-term crocks Francisco Sandaza and Jon Daly remain out.

But one plus for the Tangerines is the return of Morgaro Gomis after a calf problem.

15:00 Kilmarnock vs Aberdeen
Kilmarnock have been boosted by the return of Craig Bryson from injury for the visit of Aberdeen in the SPL.

The midfielder played in a closed-door game in midweek where he was joined by Allan Russell, Jamie Adams and James Fowler, all of whom are back from long-term injuries although none are expected to start against The Dons.

Midfielder Manuel Pascali is banned again after being sent off in the reserves last season, with his dismissal against Rangers a fortnight ago taking him over the points threshold.

Aberdeen face a defensive headache ahead of Saturday's trip to Rugby Park.

Summer signing Jerel Ifil has joined Zander Diamond (foot) and Davide Grassi (cheekbone) on the sidelines, although his hamstring injury is not expected to keep him out beyond the international break.

Winger Sone Aluko remains with the Nigeria squad at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.

15:00 Motherwell vs Falkirk
Motherwell will be looking to pile the pressure on hapless Falkirk during their meeting on Saturday.

Well slipped to their first defeat of the season last time out against Hibernian and will be looking for a positive response to that setback.

The Bairns have yet to record their opening success of the campaign, but have taken three draws from their last three outings.

Motherwell midfielder Tom Hateley is a slight doubt ahead of the weekend encounter.

Hateley has a hamstring injury but is optimistic he will make the game.

Paul Slane (calf) and Shaun Hutchinson (ankle) have yet to return to full training.

Falkirk will have Scott Arfield back from an ankle injury for the trip to Fir Park.

However, manager Eddie May has several injury worries ahead of the game.

Thomas Scobbie and Danijel Marceta both went off injured against Kilmarnock, while Ryan Flynn and Vitor Lima both struggled through the game.

15:00 St Mirren vs Hearts
St Mirren will be without Michael Higdon after the striker picked up a knee injury last weekend.

Mo Camara and Steven Robb are still out but Lee Mair returns from suspension.

Hearts will welcome back midfielder Ruben Palazuelos and left-back Lee Wallace from a stomach bug and a hip problem, respectively.

Defender Marius Zaliukas is struggling to shake off a knock, while Gary Glen, Callum Elliot and Eggert Jonsson remain sidelined for the Edinburgh side.

Sunday 4th October
12:30 Rangers vs Celtic
Rangers host Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the season, with the champions in danger of falling seven points adrift of their bitter rivals.

Walter Smith's side go into the eagerly-anticipated Ibrox encounter on the back of three successive Scottish Premier League draws, which have allowed the Bhoys to move four points clear in the early standings.

The Gers also suffered a confidence-battering 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Spanish side Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

Tony Mowbray's Celtic were also in continental action in midweek, coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Rapid Vienna in their Europa League encounter, in a match billed as the chance to gain revenge for the controversial European Cup Winners' Cup defeat 25 years ago.

While that rivalry will now be largely forgotten, the passion, tension and desire for victory in the Old Firm clash will once again burst to the surface when the two teams take to the field in a white-hot atmosphere in Glasgow.

Rangers triumphed in two of the four meetings with Celtic last season and suffered just one defeat, which helped ensure Smith's side were crowned champions in May.

Smith is hoping to have strikers Kenny Miller and Kyle Lafferty available for Sunday's showdown.

Miller is due to visit a specialist in Germany next week in a bid to cure an ongoing hamstring problem, but could still feature after being rested for the midweek defeat to Sevilla.

Lafferty has been hampered by a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Northern Ireland and a lack of match-fitness could also be a problem for the forward, who has not featured for Rangers this season.

Lee McCulloch has a flu bug and Kevin Thomson has experienced some pain in his knee but Smith hopes both will recover in time for the clash at Ibrox.

Aiden McGeady overcame his ankle injury to feature for Celtic against Rapid and the Republic of Ireland international is expected to continue at Ibrox.

Midfielder Paddy McCourt and defender Andreas Hinkel failed fitness tests ahead of the European encounter but will hope to recover in time for Sunday's clash.

Scotland international Scott Brown will travel to London after the derby to see a specialist about his ongoing ankle problem.

 

[RAB - P]

SPL round - up

Hibernian were held to a draw at home by Dundee United, St Mirren earned their first SPL win at home and St Johnstone recorded their first victory of the season.

Hibernian moved into second spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home by Dundee United.

Merouane Zemmama fired Hibs in front on 27 minutes, but Andy Webster drew United level 18 minutes from time.

United ended the game with ten men after Prince Buaben was sent off a minute from time for serious foul play.

St Mirren came from behind to beat Hearts 2-1 at St Mirren Park to finally record their first league victory at their new ground.

Jose Goncalves gave Hearts the lead on 31 minutes, but Steven Thomson drew the hosts level seven minutes later.

Craig Dargo grabbed the winner for St Mirren on 65 minutes with his first goal of the season to end their home hoodoo.

St Johnstone climbed off the bottom of the table with an impressive 2-0 victory at Hamilton.

Steven Anderson fired St Johnstone in front right on the stroke of half-time with a goal on his debut.

Danny Grainger made the game safe six minutes from time to give the SPL new boys their first win of the campaign.

Aberdeen maintained their unbeaten record away from home with a 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock.

Danny Invincibile broke the deadlock for the home side on 78 minutes as Aberdeen conceded their first goal on their travels this season.

Gary McDonald replied for Aberdeen six minutes from time with his first goal of the season.

Falkirk fell to the bottom of the table after losing 1-0 at Motherwell.

On-loan striker Lukas Jutkiewicz scored the only goal of the game on 18 minutes with his first goal for the club.

 

[RAB - P]

Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

Rangers survived a spirited second-half onslaught by Celtic to win the first Old Firm match of the season.

Kenny Miller showed pace and poise to meet a Kris Boyd through ball and slot past Artur Boruc in eight minutes.

Shaun Maloney had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down by Craig Thomson before Miller out-muscled and out-sprinted Glenn Loovens to add a second.

Aiden McGeady slotted home a 25th-minute penalty, but Celtic's subsequent pressure was not rewarded at Ibrox.

Both sets of fans were shocked when the teams were announced, with the home side fielding Northern Ireland international Andrew Little at right-back for his first start.

Rangers centre-back Madjid Bougherra and his usual replacement in that position, Lee McCulloch, had succumbed to flu so Sasa Papac moved into the centre of defence with David Weir.

For the visiting supporters, few would have predicted that Celtic manager Tony Mowbray would hand China captain Zheng Zhi his debut, and Lee Naylor made his first start of the season.

The opening exchanges were played at a frantic pace, with Maloney and McDonald testing the new Rangers rearguard, which was soon to change formation when Little went off injured in just 13 minutes, striker Nacho Novo his replacement.

In the third minute a cross from the right by Mark Wilson was missed by the Rangers defence and fell to Shaun Maloney, who had time to unleash a low left-foot shot that was saved by the legs of Allan McGregor.

Dundee United, Hearts and Rapid Vienna have scored early goals against Celtic this season and Miller was to add Rangers to that list in the eighth minute.

Boyd clipped the ball through the centre of the Celtic defence and Miller was on to it in a flash and showed great composure to roll it past the despairing hand of Boruc.

Celtic were denied what looked a certain penalty when David Weir cut across the advancing Maloney just a few yards from goal, but referee Thomson took no action.

When Maloney went sprawling in the box a second time, he was booked for diving.

No sooner had Thomson put his yellow card back in his pocket than Rangers went two ahead.

Celtic's central-defensive frailties were cruelly exposed by a long kick-out by McGregor as Miller was the stronger in a challenge with Glenn Loovens, raced on to the ball and despatched a shot round Boruc.

As the first half continued apace, with McDonald and Maloney taking turns to probe at the home backline, Celtic were awarded a penalty when Sasa Papac made a clumsy challenge on Zheng Zhi just inside the box.

McGeady's stuttering run-up allowed him a fraction of additional time to place the spot-kick and, though McGregor got a hand to it, his low kick crossed the line to bring Tony Mowbray's men right back into the game.

Rangers boss Walter Smith took in the match from the stand, the first of his four-match domestic ban, and he had plenty of cause for concern as Celtic began to exert their authority in the middle of the pitch.

As the interval loomed Boyd took an accidental blow to the cheek in a challenge with Landry N'Guemo and looked groggy as he was led from the pitch to make way for Kyle Lafferty.

Rangers' best piece of football since their second goal came against a backdrop of Celtic pressure.

Steven Naismith skilfully worked his way down the left wing and cut the ball infield to Miller. His shot had plenty of power but insufficient curl to beat Boruc at his far post.

With Rangers sitting deep, conditions were ripe for the runs of McGeady and the intelligent prompting of Zheng Zhi.

And it was the latter who fed Scott McDonald 12 yards out, but the striker's shot on the turn lacked pace and direction and McGregor enjoyed a comfortable save.

McGeady had four Rangers defenders scrambling in his wake in 68 minutes, yet could not trouble the Rangers goalie with his left-foot shot.

The impetus, though, was with Celtic, and McDonald was giving Weir and Papac not a moment's peace.

With 25 minutes of the second half gone, a free David Weir header over Boruc's bar was Rangers' only effort.

Paddy McCourt was given 20 minutes to create an equaliser for Celtic, replacing Zheng Zhi to provide a more attacking threat.

From a central free-kick, he picked out Mark Wilson rushing down the right wing and the full-back sent in a perfect low cross which Maloney touched narrowly wide.

The physical nature of the match was evidenced by a series of second-half bookings to Pedro Mendes, Wilson, Novo, Scott Brown and Loovens.

In terms of play, Rangers at last began to seize the initiative as the match moved into the final stages.

Unchallenged, Weir powered two more headers over the bar, then Wilson nudged Novo off the ball as the Spaniard raced to meet a cross right in front of goal.

And the diminutive Ibrox striker had the chance to put the game beyond Celtic with five minutes remaining. Breaking the offside trap, he was first to the ball through the Celtic defence but his lob was athletically tipped wide by the stretching Boruc.

 

[J]

 

[RAB - P]

more old firm pictures.:banana:

 

[J]

more old firm pictures.:banana:

thanks m8 .im printing them out now for the tic fans in work.lol

 

[DigiBairn]

Re: SPL round - up

Falkirk fell to the bottom of the table after losing 1-0 at Motherwell.

On-loan striker Lukas Jutkiewicz scored the only goal of the game on 18 minutes with his first goal for the club.

Falkirk should have had a draw. Motherwell had the better of the 1st half as we never turned up but, 2nd half was a reversal of the 1st. Hitting the crossbar and missing the follow-up summed up the confidence in front of goal.

 

[MFCGMFC]

Re: SPL round - up

totally agree with u digibairn

if yous had anything up front yous would have horsed us in teh seccy half

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC