Celtic fans went through all the emotions during their Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren.
That includes Anthony Ralston, who produced a Man of the Match display at Hampden, including finding the back of the net before the end of the first half.
At the time, Celtic would go 2-0 up, and were then pegged back and forced into extra time, before unleashing chaos and winning the game 6-2.
The utter madness summed up Celtic and what the club has been through this season, as Ralston was honest enough to highlight the team’s ‘negative’ play that led to St Mirren coming back into the match.
“Then we kind of had that period, where I felt after the first goal slightly and after the second goal,” said Ralston.
“I felt we kind of just went into a negative way of playing, in terms of we weren’t going after them as much. Negative between our actual play.”
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Anthony Ralston admits Celtic were ‘negative’ against St Mirren in Scottish Cup semi-final
Celtic fans, pundits and even rivals have been screaming and pointing out that the champions of Scotland just haven’t been at it this season.
While recruitment has been verbally bashed left, right and centre, another issue has been Celtic’s style of play.
Yes, it doesn’t help when you have had three different managers in the dugout, starting with Brendan Rodgers, and Martin O’Neill making two trips to Glasgow.
But even with O’Neill in the hotseat for several months, even he hasn’t been able to transform Celtic’s style of play, and the team has been dragging itself over the line.
Speaking to Celtic TV, Ralston highlighted the issue and explained that at 2-0, ‘we kind of just went into a negative way of playing, in terms of we weren’t going after them as much,’ which probably sums everything up.
“I thought we started the game strong,” said Ralston. “Everything that we set out to do was going well. Obviously, getting the early goal was massive for us.
“Then we kind of had that period, where I felt after the first goal slightly and after the second goal, I felt we kind of just went into a negative way of playing, in terms of we weren’t going after them as much. Negative between our actual play.
“That’s something we can access between ourselves, if I am being completely honest.
“In the end, the boys showed terrific character. We have shown it all through the years, and why we have been successful.
“When they get that first goal, pretty sure it was quite early on-ish in the second half, like you said, their tails are up. Then it becomes even more nervy, it’s about dealing with that aspect, which, in fairness to us, in the main, we did well, because they score in the 93rd minute, so it was a bit of a kick in the teeth.
“That goes back to what I was saying about the mentality that we have shown, in terms of we can concede a goal that late on, go into extra time and then come out by scoring four or five. It’s hats off to all of the players.”
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