Motherwell 0 Celtic 2: Brendan Rodgers lifts fourth trophy in a row as James Forrest and Moussa Dembele break Well hearts
Referee Craig Thomson grabbed the headlines again after another poor display which saw Cedric Kipre sent off
CELTIC’S air steward went flying.
Scott Sinclair played the part of a cabin crew attendant in the club's Christmas advert.
Here at Hampden he went crashing to earth to have fans looking for the exit signs.
For Stephen Robinson and his Fir Park side it was the crucial moment in this Betfred Cup final.
The Lanarkshire men were 1-0 down just before the hour mark when Sinclair was gifted a controversial penalty by referee Craig Thomson.
The spot-kick decision saw ‘Well defender Cedric Kipre sent off before Moussa Dembele made it 2-0 from the spot.
It was a wrong call from the whistler. One everyone at Fir Park is right to be furious about.
But in the cold light of day it’s also hard to argue that were worth their latest trophy win.
No-one will ever know how the game could have gone otherwise.
But Brendan Rodgers’ team looked good for another trophy win from the moment James Forrest fired them in front early in the second half.
It’s now 65 games and counting as their incredible unbeaten run continues.
It terms of quality there were times when this final wasn’t easy on the eye.
The first-half had nothing going for it at all with the biggest talking points two or three ugly challenges.
Kipre got away with a studs-up tackle on Dembele that could easily have seen him booked at least by referee Craig Thomson.
Some may even argue it was borderline red.
The Celtic striker then made a similar challenge on Carl McHugh which saw him pick up a yellow card.
Thomson had his work cut out dealing with the incidents which in all fairness were tough to call in real time.
But you wondered why one was deemed worthy of a booking when the other wasn’t.
Just before half-time one other sliding tackle saw Richard Tait go in hard on Dembele with the Motherwell full-back also escaping any punishment to the dismay of Rodgers who was standing just feet away.
The Celtic boss had plenty to say to the whistler.
Probably not as much as he had to say to his side when he got them into the dressing room at half-time.
Motherwell gaffer Robinson would have been delighted to the break.
His team were giving him everything they had and in one collective defensive shift.
Rodgers, though, wouldn’t have been happy at all at the way his players were going about their business.
Celtic had plenty of the ball throughout the first-half but didn’t force a meaningful save out of keeper Trevor Carson.
The way they started the second half told you Rodgers had made it clear he demanded more from them.
That urgency led to Forrest giving Celtic the lead.
Motherwell backed off with Charles Dunne virtually inviting the Scotland winger to have a go at goal from the edge of the box.
Bending the ball around the Motherwell full-back, Forrest was happy to oblige.
Something of a League Cup specialist, having now scored in Celtic’s last three finals, he was outstanding in the game as the man of the match.
Motherwell did all they could to respond right away.
It seemed for a split second like they’d made it 1-1 when Louis Moult headed at goal from an Andy Rose cross.
But almost as the ’Well fans started celebrating Craig Gordon lifted his right arm to make the most incredible save.
The Scotland No1 didn’t have a lot to do during the game.
And given the final outcome it’s easy to forget the part he played – but that save at 1-0 was a massive moment.
Gordon had no right to get anything on the powered header. But his reactions were outstanding.
‘Well fans screamed for a penalty, claiming Moult was clipped inside the box by Kieran Tierney in another debatable incident.
But before anyone in claret and amber could start thinking they could get back into the game Celtic were awarded their controversial penalty with Motherwell reduced to ten men.
Sinclair burst into the box with former PSG defender Kipre chasing him.
The French defender made slight contact on the Celtic winger’s arm as he tried to prevent him from shooting.
It was nowhere near enough for Sinclair to go down but last season’s Player of the Year hit the deck.
Official Thomson thought long and hard about it, possibly waiting for advice from his assistants.
But after two or three seconds he pointed to the spot to the disbelief of the Motherwell players.
Worse was to come for Kipre as he pleaded his innocence with Thomson reaching into his pocket to lift out a red card.
The ‘Well stopper was almost inconsolable as he trudged off the pitch.
After Dembele stroked his spot-kick straight down the middle, that was that.
Robinson’s men had nothing left to give with Celtic seeing the game out comfortably against ten men.
Dembele was taken off with Leigh Griffiths given a chance to do some damage in the closing stages.
The Scotland striker rattled the post with one attempt and forced another sensational save from keeper Carson with a blasted free-kick.
Motherwell fans cheered ironically as they were awarded a late injury-time free-kick which Moult smacked against the frame of the goal.
Seconds later Celtic were celebrating their latest silverware win with Rodgers becoming their first manager to win four trophies back to back since the great Jock Stein.