Sport

Stokes double helps keep Celtic on track for treble

Falkirk 1 Celtic 3: CELTIC’S IMPRESSIVE run is edging ever closer to returning tangible reward

EWAN MURRAY at Hampden Park
Mon Jan 30 2012 - 00:00

Falkirk 1 Celtic 3:CELTIC'S IMPRESSIVE run is edging ever closer to returning tangible reward. Neil Lennon's team have now gone 18 domestic matches without defeat.

Their deserved victory at Hampden, albeit over an impressively enterprising Falkirk side, secured a League Cup final meeting with Kilmarnock on March 18th. Celtic’s run aside, the fact that Kilmarnock have competed in five finals in this competition without winning a single one points towards the likely outcome.

Scott Brown sent Celtic in front after 27 minutes with a forceful spot-kick, at a time when the game was essentially even. Falkirk highlighted that with a fine equaliser, slotted home by Jay Fulton after a pass from the outstanding Karl Higginbotham.

Eleven minutes after the break Anthony Stokes sent the Premier League team back in front, with a sublime free-kick from 25 yards.

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The Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster produced an excellent double save to deny Darren Dods and Stewart Murdoch, emphasising why a third goal was needed to settle the tie. Stokes supplied it at close range after Gary Hooper’s cut-back.

Afterwards Lennon confirmed the Polish striker Pawel Brozek is on the verge of sealing a loan move to Celtic from Trabzonspor.

Rangers had hoped to coax the 28-year-old to Ibrox. “His record in Poland is excellent,” said Lennon. “Things haven’t gone his way in Turkey but he’s got the European Championships coming up, in his come country, so he’ll be very motivated to book a place in the Polish squad. What we know is he’s a goalscorer. I know Rangers were interested but we have been tracking him for a long time.”

The manager will not let anybody at his club talk about a domestic treble but there is a growing possibility of Celtic achieving it.

Guardian Service

FALKIRK: McGovern, Duffie, Dods, Wallace, Scobbie, Weatherston (White 87), Mark Millar, Murdoch, Fulton (Alston 61), El Alagui, Higginbotham (Sibbald 90). Subs not used: Bowman, Rhys Bennett. Booked: Murdoch, Dods, Mark Millar.

CELTIC: Forster, Cha (Matthews 68), Rogne, Mulgrew, Izaguirre (Ki 46), Forrest, Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Hooper, Stokes (Commons 87). Subs not used: Zaluska, Samaras.

Referee: Euan Norris (Scotland).