Plucky Buckie Thistle put up a spirited fight at Celtic Park, but a professional performance by the hosts saw them cruise into the Scottish Cup fifth round.
The hosts had four goals and a penalty award ruled out for offside, with the assistant referees perhaps having a decent claim for repetitive strain injury from raising their flags, but goals from Paulo Bernardo, Odin Thiago Holm, Kyogo Furuhashi, Luis Palma and Rocco Vata ultimately brought about the expected outcome.
Here are the talking points from a wild, wet and windy day at Celtic Park…
HOLM SHINES AS CALLUM MCGREGOR GIVEN RARE REST DAY
The Celtic captain probably didn’t like it, but he was given the day off as Brendan Rodgers took advantage of this tie to schedule in a well-deserved break for his skipper, who would have been starting the 60th match in succession had he been pressed into action.
Instead, the lesser spotted Odin Thiago Holm was given an opportunity in the centre of midfield, his first start since the draw here against Motherwell in November, with his manager challenging him to take the game by the scruff of the neck prior to the contest.
With the greatest of respect to Buckie, his performance of course has to be caveated by the level of opposition, but he showed up well, displaying a nice range of passing and a willingness to try and play the ball progressively rather than just shuttling it side to side.
He helped himself to a lovely goal too, exchanging passes with Matt O’Riley on the edge of the area before dancing through the heart of the Buckie defence and finishing low off the inside of the post.
He faces huge competition for a place in that Celtic midfield, and will of course be displaced next week against Ross County when McGregor returns to the line-up. But he certainly looks as though he has something to offer Celtic in the long term.
NO MERCY FROM RODGERS
It was something of a surprise to see Rodgers going quite so strong against Highland League opposition, with McGregor the only notable absentee from an extremely strong looking line-up.
The reasoning from the Celtic manager was that he wanted to maintain the rhythm and speed that had developed in his team’s play just prior to the winter break, and there was indeed a verve and vim about their play against the deep-lying visitors.
That being said, it might also point to the lack of options in certain areas, particularly at left back, where Greg Taylor was again wheeled out to maintain his perfect record of starting every game this season.
There was an opportunity for a few fringe men later on, the most notable of which was perhaps Rocco Vata, who has been attracting admiring glances from Italy and elsewhere of late…
AND VATA TAKES HIS CHANCE
The young Irish youth international came on up top in place of Kyogo, and almost got on the scoresheet straight away as he failed to make proper contact with a header at the far post.
He wouldn’t have to wait long for his goal though, and after some fine work from fellow substitute Mikey Johnston to dance to the touchline, he was in the right place at the right time to hammer Celtic’s fifth into the roof of the net from a yard or two out.
It was his first goal for the club, and it brought a fist pump from his manager. Whether it will be his last goal for Celtic, remains to be seen.
LIEL ABADA SERVES REMINDER OF VALUE
It has been no secret that the Israeli has been facing a tough time of it this season, both through injury and on a personal level, but he served a reminder of his value to Celtic here in his first start since the win over Rangers at Ibrox in early September.
What he certainly proved was that his mindset and mentality have not been affected by the off-field issues that have surrounded him this term. Though, he did seem to forget about the existence of the offside rule at times.
He might have had a bucketload of assists and a few goals too had he not continually been caught on the wrong side of Buckie’s high line, and he missed a sitter just after Celtic’s fourth as he slid the ball wide when in on goal.
But all-in-all, it was a fine display from the winger, who teed up Kyogo for his goal with a low cross that in fairness, Buckie keeper Stuart Knight might have felt he should have cut out.
He received a standing ovation from the Celtic crowd as he was replaced in the second half, leaving him in no doubt that the supporters are behind him, no matter the complications of his current situation.
NO FAIRYTALE FOR BUCKIE, BUT PLENTY OF PRIDE
Without meaning to patronise Buckie, the Highland League side can be thoroughly proud of the display they put on for the 2,500 travelling supporters that made the four-hour journey down to Glasgow.
They battled and competed and manage to keep the score down to a level that even Premiership opponents have struggled to on occasion this season, with Aberdeen losing by six at Celtic Park not so long ago.
They almost had their dream moment too. With the score at 2-0 to the hosts, striker Josh Peters latched onto a long ball and bore down on Joe Hart. The keeper spread himself well though to rob the striker of a priceless anecdote, and to rub salt into his wounds, the ball was instead in the Buckie net seconds later.
Still, they left Glasgow with plenty of priceless memories, and the six-figure sum they pocketed will reportedly keep them going for around three years.
The fairytale might not have had the happy ending, but they can’t be too sad about how their big day unfolded.
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