Stevie Frail couldn’t hide his disappointment after watching Celtic draw 1-1 with Hibs today to bring their 100% record to an end.
A late goal from Scott Smith cancelled out a spectacular 70th minute free kick from Jordan Lowdon with both teams finishing the match with ten men.
After five straight wins without conceeding a goal Frail was understandably deflated to see both records go at the Hibs Training Centre.
“The conditions weren’t great but we just didn’t play as we can and that’s disappointing,” he admitted.
“I was pleased to go one up but then we lost a scrappy goal from a corner. We can’t play well all the time in terms of passing the ball and penetrating teams, sometimes you have to play the conditions and we didn’t get in behind them well enough in the first half.
“Hibs put the ball in behind us in the second half, they got our centre-backs into full-back areas and stretched the game.
“We scored a great goal from a free kick, it was a fantastic strike from Jordan Lowdon whose had a good week after scoring a fantastic goal for the reserves against Newcastle on Wednesday. After that we sat back and ended up losing a goal.”
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Filip Twardzik and Jordan Lowdon came into the side that beat Dundee 6-1 last week with Michael Ordish and Bahrudin Atajic dropping onto the bench.
The heavy surface kept clear cut chances to a minimum but just before the interval a mazy run from Callum McGregor almost put Celtic in front.
There had been a few heavy challenges from both sides to test the tolerance of the referee before the match exploded in the 68th minute.
Callum Bagshaw was felled 25 yards from goal by a two footed lunge from the Hibs centre half which sparked a free for all with players from both sides weighing in as the two assistants raced on to help the referee restore order.
Filip Twardzik was red carded alongwith the Hibs defender before the unlikely figure of Lowdon popped up to flight a brilliant left foot effort over the wall and across goal into the top corner of the net.
Celtic failed to take advantage of their lead with Hibs’ pressure rewarded in the 87th minute when a corner from Phil Addison ended up in the back of the Celtic net off the chest of Scott Smith.
“We’re still unbeaten but everyone is disappointed that we only took a point,” Frail added. “We set high standards, the players have to deal with that and know what to expect.
“Our players are playing in cup finals every week. No-one wants to lose anything to Celtic and they raise their game. That’s part of our players development because we want some of them to step up into the first team and they’ll find the exact same if they make it to the first team.
“Our players need to be big and strong to handle that, for the most part they do that but it didn’t happen today.
“We’ve got a game with Rangers coming up on Tuesday and we’ll be back in tomorrow preparing for that.
“That’s a game to look forward to and we’re looking to get back to winning ways. This group have played and trained at a good tempo since the start of the season and I’m confident that they’ll react well to this set back.
“This is a team that went a goal down to Liverpool and came back to win 3-1. We know what they are capable of and come Tuesday I’m sure they’ll be ready.”
CELTIC: Thomson; O’Donnell, Toshney, Hughes, Brennan; P Twardzik, Bagshaw, F Twardzik, Lowdon; McGregor, Gormley
SUBS: Ordish (Gormley 53), Wightman, Fraser, George, Heron, Chalmers, Atajic
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Very scrappy game played in windy conditions, Celts midfield failed to get on top, tackle was a shocker, and it was from a former Celtic player.
Filip lost the head, and both deserved red cards. Hibs very fortunate , with their goal, player looked as surprised as anyone when it hit off him, and went in, looked the only way the defence would be breached.