Mowbray fumes at Miller's easy double

Rangers 2 Celtic 1

The Celtic manager Tony Mowbray admitted he was unhappy with his defenders after they gifted Kenny Miller at least one of his goals in Rangers win at Ibrox yesterday.

Glenn Loovens – in for Gary Caldwell at centre-half – was at fault for the second as former Celtic striker Miller brushed off his challenge to fire past goalkeeper Artur Boruc. But there was also uncertainty in the Celtic backline for the first as Miller ran into space before sliding the ball home. Aiden McGeady did manage to pull a goal back from the penalty spot but his strike was not enough to prevent Mowbray's first derby as Celtic manager ending in defeat.

"We allowed them to score," Mowbray said. "There was a lot of quality in our side and yet we find ourselves having lost the game. The bottom line is, I've been critical of them over the last few weeks, hoping to get a reaction and yet the mistakes are still there."

Shaun Maloney had a strong appeal for a penalty in the first half turned down after tripping over David Weir but Mowbray did not criticise referee Craig Thomson. "If the referee thinks he got it right then so be it," Mowbray said. "He gets paid to make decisions and I'm sure the referee will be disappointed if he thinks he got it wrong."

Rangers, without Lee McCulloch and Madjid Bougherra through flu, lost Andrew Little and Kris Boyd to injuries but manager Walter Smith admitted he was disappointed with some of his side's play. "We could have caused Celtic more trouble," he said. But we've defended very well."

Miller added: "We can play better. We were a bit edgy, a bit panicky in the second half but we got the points."

Rangers: McGregor, Little (Novo, 14), Weir, Papac, Smith, Whittaker, Davis, Mendes, Naismith, Boyd (Lafferty, 42), Miller. Substitutes Not Used: Alexander, Rothen, Fleck, Loy, Wilson.

Celtic: Boruc, Wilson, Loovens, McManus, Naylor (Caddis, 76), McGeady, Brown, N'Guemo (Samaras, 62), Maloney, Zhi (McCourt, 70), McDonald. Substitutes Not Used: Zaluska, Caldwell, Crosas, Forrest.

Booked: Rangers Mendes, Novo; Celtic Maloney, Wilson, Brown, Loovens.

Referee: C Thomson (Scotland).

Man of the match: Miller.

Attendance: 50,276.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Grace Dent: If you were on your first foreign trip for 24 years, would you want Bono to be a part of the package?

Grace Dent

If you were on your first foreign trip for 24 years, would you want Bono to be a part of the package?
Ireland's austerity D-Day: How much pain can it take?

Ireland's austerity D-Day: How much pain can it take?

After years of savage cuts, the Irish now face a stark choice: do they hand over control of their economy to Europe – or go it alone without the safety net of future bailouts?
Is doctors' fixation on treatment making us ill?

Is doctors' fixation on treatment making us ill?

Advances in medicine have made the impossible, possible. But an over-reliance on healthcare threatens to bankrupt the world – and make all of us sick
The most complained-about advertisements of all time

The most complained-about advertisements of all time

The ASA has received 430,000 complaints during its existence, with a record 31,548 in 2011
Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it

Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it

From Tom Daley's six-pack to scantily clad volleyball players, Olympic athletes are being sold on their sex appeal. Why can't we appreciate talent, not totty?
Return of the unacceptable face of capitalism?

Return of the unacceptable face of capitalism?

Sir Richard Needham's resignation from the board of Lonrho brings back bad memories of the group's controversial past
Off the rails in Bermuda

Off the rails in Bermuda

Best known for beaches, it's also home to a stunning hiking trail that follows the route of an old railway line
Get ready for a royal good time

Get ready for a royal good time

There are plenty of events to help you fly the flag during the Diamond Jubilee long weekend and half term
Spain: World football's marathon men

Marathon men: Are Spain running out of puff?

They have every right to be exhausted after four taxing years of almost non-stop action but the chance to claim a unique treble is spurring them on
Usain Bolt: The Bolt show runs on

Usain Bolt: The Bolt show runs on

Friday's 'slow' 100m has done nothing to dent Jamaican's supreme confidence he will triumph in London
The weirdest and most wonderful Diamond Jubilee memorabilia

Weird and wonderful Jubilee memorabilia

Coronation Chicken ice cream and Jubilee jelly moulds
'I may be deaf, but you can still talk to me'

'I may be deaf, but you can still talk to me'

Being a teenager is hard enough – for those with hearing loss, it can be even more complicated
A right royal trip down the river

A right royal trip down the river

A new exhibition celebrates the glory days of London's mighty Thames
The 10 Best lawn mowers

The 10 Best lawn mowers

From petrol-fuelled to self-propelled
Every second counts

Why does life appear to speed up as we get older?

Matilda Battersby finds out how the clock plays tricks with our minds