Soccer/SPL: Martin O'Neill has condemned the behaviour of some Celtic supporters while jumping to the defence of Robert Douglas following the Parkhead club's 2-0 defeat to Rangers.
Fernando Ricksen needed a stitch inserted in a cut after being hit with what appeared to be a cigarette lighter towards the end of the lively Glasgow encounter.
Rangers manager Alex McLeish played down the incident and O'Neill has acted quickly to hit out at the missile-throwing fans who heaped shame on the champions.
O'Neill said: "Naturally you wouldn't want this sort of thing to happen to anybody at all. That would be disappointing if anything was thrown at any players. It shouldn't happen. You want the passion and everything else about the game but you don't want it to get to that stage. You want to keep it within the laws of the game."
Douglas was left red-faced after allowing Gregory Vignal's 25-yard strike to slip through his grasp and into the back of the net. However, O'Neill believes that the Scotland goalkeeper will recover from his costly blunder.
He explained: "I am disappointed of course but it's just one of those things. It was a big couple of minutes with their goalkeeper making a wonderful save from John Hartson and I thought he might score and I'm sure he did.
"Rab has been playing very well and with a lot of confidence but that is naturally a setback. In a big game like this it was a poor goal from our view point but I'm sure he'll recover."
O'Neill admits that the result gives Rangers the upper hand in the championship race, but he believes that it could be as tight as it was two seasons ago when Rangers took the Premier League trophy to Ibrox on goal difference on the final day. Celtic can still pull themselves level on points as they have a game in hand, but Rangers can go six points clear if they beat Kilmarnock next week.
O'Neill was also satisfied with the performance of debutant Craig Bellamy despite the Wales striker passing up a great chance to score in the first half when he was sent through one-on-one on fellow new boy Ronald Waterreus in the Rangers goal.
He added: "He had one chance when he got clear and he didn't put it away but I thought he would get a bit tired in the second half. It was a difficult game overall and I am certainly not displeased with him."
The sight of Jackie McNamara leaving the field with an injury was a cause for concern but O'Neill is expecting him to recover in time for next weekend's Scottish Cup tie at Clyde.
The former Northern Ireland international concluded: "Full credit to Rangers because they played very well in the second half - much better than us."
