Scottish Football: Brady has some problems to ponder

BROCKVILLE PARK witnessed a thunderous afternoon on Saturday; nine goals, two red cards and the referee being hit by a missile. It was exciting, entertaining and at times downright dangerous. It was football in the raw, but it was no way to prepare for a cup semi-final.

The ordering off and subsequent suspension of his centre-half, Tony Mowbray, will give Liam Brady, the Celtic manager, something to ponder over before Wednesday's Skol Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. Mike Galloway, the natural replacement, missed Saturday's game through tonsilitis and if he does not recover in time the Celtic defence will have to be restructured.

The goalkeeping position, too, is likely to keep Brady from sleep. Pat Bonner conceded four goals on Saturday but, having recalled the Republic of Ireland international after 10 months in the reserves, Brady is unlikely to drop him after one game.

One consolation for Brady was the last-minute winning goal in a 5-4 victory, scored by John Collins, which provided a happy end to a dismal week for Celtic, who lost 2-0 in Cologne on Tuesday after suffering a 3-2 home defeat by Hibernian last Saturday.

Celtic's resolve, as well as their ability to conjure results in adversity, will be severely tested at Hampden Park by an Aberdeen side resurgent following a 2-0 win over Partick Thistle which marked the comeback from injury of Alex McLeish and the debut of Lee Richardson, their recent import from Blackburn Rovers.

Both should feature on Wednesday in what is expected to be the more closely-contested of the two semi-finals. Rangers, who are firm favourites to dispose of St Johnstone in the first of the Hampden ties tomorrow, beat Hearts 2-0 at Ibrox, while the Perth side were involved in an exciting 3-3 draw at Motherwell.

Rangers' win keeps them at the top of the League and they go into the cup encounter heartened by the news that their English striker, Mark Hateley, who missed Saturday's game through injury, will be fit for Hampden.