GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 14: Referee John Beaton awards Celtic a penalty as Motherwell's Emmanuel Longelo is deemed to have fouled Celtic's Daizen Maeda inside the box following a VAR check during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park, on March 14, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic overcame another horrific display of refereeing by John Beaton to earn a 3-1 victory over Motherwell.
The victory closes the gap at the top of the SPFL Premiership to two points with Hearts facing Kilmarnock tonight at 8pm.
Two weeks after refereeing Celtic’s 2-2 draw at Ibrox Beaton was again put in charge of a Celtic match.
The man from the Crown Bar in Bellshill has refereed five Premiership matches in 2026. Three of them have involved Celtic, only honest Willie Collum can explain that sequence.
Beaton made his presence known in the sixth minute when he booked Alex Oxlaid-Chamberlain for a run of the mill challenge.
Celtic were nervy and uncertain in the first half but should have went in front in the20th minute but Ben Nygren hesitated when presented with with a one on one chance.
Oxlaid-Chamberlain saw a shot hit the post then roll along the line before being cleared.
In the 32nd minute Reo Hatate was disposed 20 yards from goal, moments later Elijah Just put the ball in the net.
Celtic were back on level terms in the 38th minute when Yang Hyun-jun netted from sloppy Motherwell defending.
Penalty Celtic. Maeda fouled by Modelos – red card & penalty – deemed obvious goal scoring opportunity & no attempt to play the ball pic.twitter.com/1fyGWdZ5N0
— The Global Tablet of Jurisprudence (@gtj1247) March 14, 2026
CARD HAPPY BEATON
By the 63rd minute Beaton booked Colby Donovan and Reo Hatate before the moment that broke his heart.
Daizen Maeda was wrestled to the ground right in front of Beaton. He gave nothing, allowing play to continue.
Eventually a VAR check was called, Beaton looked devastated as he was forced to the monitor.
After two minutes trying to find a way of avoiding the obvious decision he returned to the pitch.
Penalty to Celtic and a red card to Emmanuel Longelo.
In a sickening reminder to Beaton of last week’s Ibrox misery Tomas Cvancara netted from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute.
Yang put the result beyond Motherwell with a well taken finish seven minutes later.
Beaton did manage to book substitute Tony Ralston in the last 10 minutes but the match finished 3-1 to Celtic.
Next week the hoops are away to Dundee United before an international break.
He’s standing there watching it and gives a goal kick ? really https://t.co/gwtjZBhftF
— paul (@paul_sheeran) March 14, 2026
Yang Hyun-Jun. Assist: Viljami Sinisalo
Celtic 3–1 Motherwellpic.twitter.com/U9eDKWMKfB
— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) March 14, 2026
Listening to Sportsound on the way home
They got some Motherwell bint on the phone line saying the penalty was a disgrace
As expected they’re spewing
You can see why he missed the penalty… he was 10’ away
Beaton was standing staring straight at that tackle on Maeda.
He ignored it.
That should be the topic everyone should be discussing.
The supposed best ref we have and he thinks thats ok and its a goal kick.
Thats either complete incompetence or he had other reasons for not giving it.
There is no middle ground.
Spu Keevens and wee nice guy Gordon tried their best to stick up for the cheating b*stard on radio snyde. They came out with “but he gave the decision and a red card once he seen it on VAR” as if he done us a favour but if VAR as has been the case on many occasions looked the other way then we where not getting a blatant penalty that cheaton was staring straight at. How he could not have given it right away tells it’s own story