Reaction after Celtic go six points clear in Premiership & Rangers beat Cowdenbeath in Scottish Cup

Summary

Scottish Premiership: Celtic 2-0 St Johnstone - McGregor & Christie score in quick succession
Scottish Cup fourth round: Cowdenbeath 1-3 Rangers - Halliday, Coulibaly & Lafferty for visitors; Cox pulls one back
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Live Reporting

Colin Moffat

Celtic dominant, O'Halloran brightpublished at 20:40 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
HT: Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
A first-half that Celtic undoubtedly dominated but they just could not find the finishing touch up front. Scott Sinclair’s 27th-minute header was definitely the best opportunity, which Zander Clark repelled in fantastic fashion.
Signs from Michael O’Halloran up front that he’s only going to need a half-chance to shock the hosts - he’s been very bright when the ball has come his way, with one slaloming run across the pitch in particular - but the Saints forward has not had a proper sniff of goal yet.
Image source, SNS
'Long Legs Lafferty doesn't give up'published at 20:37 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
HT: Cowdenbeath 0-3 Rangers
Mixu Paatelainen
Former Cowdenbeath manager on Sportsound
Quote Message
A good run, good work rate. The defender is favourite to win the ball but Lafferty doesn’t give up and gets his long legs to the ball. A real desire to score. A real striker's goal.
Image source, SNS
HALF-TIME Cowdenbeath 0-3 Rangerspublished at 20:35 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
It's been a comfortable night for Rangers since Andy Halliday smashed in a great opening goal on 12 minutes.
Lassana Coullibaly and Kyle Lafferty have added to the score and it could be a long second half for the hosts.
Image source, SNS
Image caption,
Andy Halliday cracks in the opening goal of the evening at Central Park
HALF-TIME - Celtic 0-0 St Johnstonepublished at 20:32 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
St Johnstone have made it awkward for Celtic so far in Glasgow. A win for the hosts takes them six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership but there are no goals so far.
Image source, SNS
GOAL Cowdenbeath 0-3 Rangerspublished at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Kyle Lafferty
Just seconds before the half-time whistle, Ryan Jack slips a pass through the middle and a chasing Kyle Lafferty sticks out one of his big lanky legs to prod the ball past a rather static David McGurn.
Image source, BBC Sport
Postpublished at 20:30 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
Scott Brown is the name on many Celtic fans’ lips at the moment as speculation heightens that he might be close to committing his future to the club; he came reasonably close to opening the scoring here with a rising shot from 20 yards.
Image source, SNS
Image caption,
Brown last scored for Celtic in February 2017
Postpublished at 20:30 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangers
Again, Defoe is stopped in his tracks by the linesman's flag. The official is spot on in what is maybe the fifth or sixth time the striker has been pinged for offside.
Postpublished at 20:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangers
Not for the first time, Jermain Defoe is flagged offside as he chases a ball over the top. However, the little striker can feel aggrieved on this occasion since the linesman got that one wrong. A lucky break for the hosts.
CLOSE!published at 20:23 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
Brendan Rodgers said pre-match he was even more impressed with Oliver Burke’s talent when he saw the player regularly in training.
The Scotland international was not far away with a curling effort a moment ago.
Image source, SNS
YELLOW CARDpublished at 20:21 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangers
A second late tackle from Kris Renton on Nikola Katic earns the burly Cowdenbeath striker the first booking of the night.
'Training ground' goal for Rangerspublished at 20:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangers
Mixu Paatelainen
Former Cowdenbeath manager on Sportsound
Quote Message
A well worked corner from Rangers' right hand side. An in-swinger, a flick on to the back post area and Coulibally is there to finish.That’s from the training ground. An excellent corner, well worked.
Image source, SNS
Image caption,
Rangers’ Lassana Coulibaly turns away to celebrate after he scores to make it 2-0
Postpublished at 20:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
James Forrest ties Scott Tanser in knots before skewing a shot wide, but somehow gets a corner despite no touch on the effort by the dizzy full-back.
'Celtic in control'published at 20:16 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Scott McDonald
Former Celtic striker on BBC Sportsound
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Celtic have been well in control but you can see why St Johnstone's record away from home is so strong
Image source, SNS
Postpublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangers
A half-chance for Cowden to force their way into the game, but striker David Cox's low shot on the turn is a couple of feet wide from 15 yards.
GREAT SAVE!published at 20:14 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
What a save by St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark, showing his quality in clawing away Scott Sinclair’s header after a nice ball from the left by Emilio Izaguirre.
Image source, SNS
GOAL Cowdenbeath 0-2 Rangerspublished at 20:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Lassana Coulibaly
Kyle Lafferty flicks on a Steven Davis corner and a close-range shot from Jermain Defoe is blocked. The loose ball falls to Lassana Coulibaly and the midfielder rams it high into the net.
Postpublished at 20:09 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-1 Rangers
Rangers are hogging the ball now as Cowdenbeath sit deep but the part-timers are grafting hard to close down the gaps. Will they be able to keep up this impressive work-rate?
Hard shift for O'Halloranpublished at 20:06 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Celtic 0-0 St Johnstone
Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
Michael O’Halloran is making his third full debut for St Johnstone and he’s got a hard shift as the lone front-man.
David Wotherspoon and Danny Swanson are doing their best to support him but he’ll have to be patient.
Image source, SNS
PENALTY APPEALpublished at 20:05 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-1 Rangers
The visitors are denied a blatant penalty as Fraser Mullen sticks up an arm to control a header from Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty.
The big Northern Irish international can't believe the officials haven't seen it.
'Fantastic' strike from Hallidaypublished at 20:03 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Cowdenbeath 0-1 Rangers
Mixu Paatelainen
Former Cowdenbeath manager on Sportsound
Quote Message
That goal was the result of Rangers possession. Yes Cowdenbeath were a man short. They were compact but very, very deep and that's exactly what Gary Bollan wanted to avoid. But taking nothing away from Halliday's strike - fantastic.