Scottish Communities League Cup
Sunday, 29/01/2012. KO 15:00
Celtic 3 - 1 Falkirk
Brown (pen)
Stokes (2)
Celtic progressed to the final of the Scottish Communities League Cup after a hard fought 3 - 1 victory over Falkirk. Falkirk looked the livelier of the 2 teams but Celtic had the ball in the net after approximately 10 minutes when Hooper tapped home after a shot from Brown was saved. However, the goal was incorrectly ruled out for off-side. Stokes headed a Forrest cross on to the bar but Celtic took the lead after 26 minutes when Brown confidently fired the ball home from the penalty spot after Rogne was fouled. Rogne had a header hit the bar from a Mulgrew corner but Falkirk made it 1 - 1 after 40 minutes after Izaguirre was caught up field. Celtic should have regained the lead before half time but first Rogne failed to connect properly with a Brown free kick and Forrest had a shot saved well after being one on one with the Falkirk goal keeper.
In the second half Falkirk should have taken the lead but the striker fired wildly over. Rogne was again denied by the woodwork and in the following scramble somehow Falkirk managed to keep the ball out of their net. Stokes made it 2 - 1 to Celtic after 56 minutes via a wonderful 30 yard free kick. Forster was forced to make 2 superb saves in quick succession as Falkirk looked for the equaliser. Stokes got his second, and Celtic's third, 86 minutes when he tapped home from close range after superb work by Hooper. As the game drew to a close Commons had a cheeky lob go narrowly over.
This was a fairly poor performance by Celtic but credit must be given to Falkirk who didn't let Celtic settle and played some great football.
