Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers Sat 28/12/11

For the second game in a week a bad refereeing decision cost Rangers the points. In their game against Celtic in the SPL the key moment of the first half came when Rangers midfielder Lee Wallace's early header crossed the line before Hoops keeper Fraser Forster clawed it back.

It was a massive call which referee Willie Collum missed completely - and one which ultimately cost the Ibrox outfit as they were beaten by Joe Ledley's second-half strike.

Manager Ally McCoist will rightly be furious at the whistler's failure to see Wallace's counter, which was then pushed back on to the post by Fraser Forster.

And he'll never know just how this one might have panned out had the early attempt been spotted and allowed to stand.

It was Celtic's ninth SPL win in a row and confirmed the turnaround in fortunes since November 5, when they were 15 points behind the champions, albeit with two games in hand.

Neil Lennon's men look to have the bit between their teeth while struggling Rangers have it all to do to recapture their form and on the evidence of Wednesday night, that is likely to need fresh faces when the January transfer window opens.

Lennon made two changes to his in-form side, both something of a surprise.

Right-back Adam Matthews replaced Cha Du-ri while defender Thomas Rogne came in for Ki Sung-yueng and swapped places with Victor Wanyama who moved into midfield.

Rangers boss Ally McCoist made three changes, one enforced after defender Dorin Goian was sent off against St Mirren at the weekend.

Kyle Bartley took Goian's spot while Kirk Broadfoot came in for the injured Steven Whittaker and wideman Sone Aluko, instead of Maurice Edu, replaced Gregg Wylde, a decision believed to have been made after arrival at the ground.

Midfielder Lee McCulloch remained in the side after the Govan club appealed the red card picked up at St Mirren Park.

In the seventh minute Wallace's header at the back post from an Aluko cross crossed the line before Forster forced it back onto the post, but as usual the referee nor the linesman seen nothing.

As the driving wind gave way, but only a little, to torrential rain, Celtic took the initiative.

Brown had a weak drive from 14 yards easily saved by Allan McGregor before Hoops striker Georgios Samaras had the ball in the Light Blues' net but he flag was already up for offside.

The conditions continued to dominate the game but in the 24th minute, after Aluko's corner from the left had been headed goalwards by striker Nikica Jelavic, Rangers defender Carlos Bocanegra inadvertently helped the ball over the bar from two yards.

However, the Hoops had the best of the possession and in the 35th minute striker Gary Hooper took a Samaras knock-down, turned and forced McGregor into another save before James Forrest blazed an angled drive well over the bar following a corner.

Both sides went at each other from the start of the second half but it was Celtic who struck after McGregor had tipped a great drive from Forrest over the bar for a corner.

From Mulgrew's delivery from the right, Ledley rose high in a packed penalty area to direct his header past the Rangers keeper.

Aluko was replaced by Wylde after 66 minutes as McCoist tried to inspire a response from his side which came in the form of a couple of spectacular efforts from Jelavic, one of which flew over the bar and the other into the arms of Forster.

Celtic's Mulgrew took a dive outside Rangers box to win a free kick which McGregor pushed round the post for a corner. It should be a matter for the SPL to look at this incident as Aluko has just served a two match ban for something similar.

In the 76th minute Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal went off injured on a stretcher, to be replaced by Ki, after a clash with McCulloch which looked to have hurt the Ibrox player more.

Moments later, the injured McCulloch and Wallace went off to be replaced by Edu and David Healy, who was soon booked for a tackle on Forrest.

As the game entered the final stages, and Celtic had not sealed the win, the tension increased and the visitors looked in danger of losing the plot.

With four minutes remaining Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty was booked for a late challenge on Matthews before Anthony Stokes replaced Hooper.

Anthony Stokes was booked for a late challenge on Papac.

There were five added minutes but Rangers, desperate as they were, failed to threaten Forster leaving Celtic winners.

Teams

RANGERS: McGregor; Broadfoot, Bartley, Bocanegra, Papac; Wallace (Healy 79), Aluko (Wylde 66), Davis, McCulloch (Edu 79), Jelavic, Lafferty,

Subs:  Alexander, Weir, Fleck, Bendiksen,

Celtic: Forster, Matthews, Rogne, Wanyama, Mulgrew, Forrest, Brown, Kayal (Ki 77), Ledley, Samaras, Hooper (Stokes 86),

Subs: Zaluska, K Wilson, Cha, Bangura, McCourt,

Ref: W Collum

Man-of-the-match: Davis

Attendance: 58,658