Motherwell 1-3 Celtic: 'We will write own story', insists Brendan Rodgers
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Celtic players celebrate as Adam Idah makes it 2-1 in stoppage time
"There's a story being written about this group, but we will write our own story."
Brendan Rodgers was brimming with spiky defiance after Celtic found two late goals to complete a tense and crucial 3-1 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park.
With 93 minutes on the clock, it looked like the Scottish champions were on course for a third draw in four league outings.
But Adam Idah found his second goal of the game to send the visiting fans wild and Luis Palma added another to cap a strong second-half display.
It leaves Celtic where they were at the start of the weekend, two points behind Rangers.
With 11 matches remaining in the title race, including two Old Firm derbies, Rodgers remains sanguine, despite recent grumbles from supporters over dropped points and unconvincing performances.
"The key thing for us is to stay together," he said. "It's still a long way out.
"Even if we draw the game today, four points isn't a lot in my experience. Four points would have been nothing.
"But it was important for us to get the win, psychologically, and for our football. It was another game to convince that when we play how we can play then the goals and creativity will be there."
Creativity was in short supply in a subdued first-half showing as Motherwell had the upper hand and led through a fantastic Blair Spittal strike.
It was a different story after the break, with the visitors flooding forward with increased purpose.
"The players responded magnificently in the second half," said Rodgers. "We started with a bit of anxiety and didn't connect the game enough.
"We weren't really at the required level and we go behind from a throw-in, which is disappointing.
"We had to show our mentality and belief as a team and that's what we reinforced at half-time, just to play our game, shorten the passes, correct a couple of angles. Then the game starts to flow for us and we can pin teams back. We ran out very deserved winners."
'Just put it in the box', Idah impact 'huge'
Idah banged in a second-half brace with an xG (expected goals) of 0.39
Idah took over from Kyogo Furuhashi at the interval and made a vital contribution.
The substitute striker's double came from three efforts, glancing just wide in between a towering header and a well-placed shot.
The Irishman had five touches in the penalty box and gave the visitors a muscular focal point, with Rodgers saying: "His impact was huge.
"We needed more from the front area of the pitch. We needed someone who can run in behind and also set the game up for us. Adam scores a great header and from that moment we really took control."
The BBC Scotland pundits were also impressed by Idah, who now has four goals since his winter deadline-day arrival.
"You know Kyogo has great movement, but he needs quality passes into him," said former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner. "When you have a player like Idah, you can just put it into the box. That gives you an extra option.
"Brendan had Moussa Demble and Odsonne Edouard (in his first spell at Celtic), those are the kind of players he likes."
Ex-Motherwell skipper Stephen Craigan added: "A lot of people viewed it as underwhelming when Idah came in. He was at Norwich City and he wasn't playing regularly. People asked why bring in a striker who couldn't get a game for a team trying to get into the play-offs in the Championship.
"That will have given him the bit between his teeth. He will have wanted to show people what he's all about and he's done it. Today showed the influence he can have on this Celtic team."
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