LIVINGSTON manager David Martindale tonight joked that he wanted to call at taxi to get him out of Parkhead after his team fell 3-0 behind to rampant Celtic at half-time.
First-half goals from Greg Taylor, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi put Ange Postecoglou’s team in a commanding position at the end of the opening 45 minutes.
And the Scottish champions saw out the win in the second-half to maintain their nine point lead over Rangers at the top of the cinch Premiership table.
Martindale admitted that his team, who had been on a six game unbeaten run, had been well beaten and quipped that he had wanted to get out of the stadium at half-time.
“It was lucky I couldn’t get a reception,” he said. “I was trying to get an Uber.
“I think it’s containment at that point. Are we going to come here and score three goals? Are we going to come here and score four goals? It’s all about going and getting the next goal.
“When you go in at half-time, it’s about getting their heads lifted and don’t concede. The next 45 minutes is making sure we don’t concede, but can you get the next goal? We never got that goal to get the impetus to get us up the park.
“But I’m not kidding anyone on. Celtic are three up, they are coasting, they are dominating the ball. They probably took their foot off the gas slightly. The game becomes a bit easier for them.”
Martindale added: “Celtic were worthy winners, to be honest. I thought they played some nice football at times.
“It was a really difficult game for us to lay a glove on them. But I did think we gifted them two goals. The second and third goals we’ve got to do a lot better defensively.
“They’ve got international players. I’ve seen them do that to Real Madrid – they were probably the better team in that game for 60 minutes.
“You’ve got to take your hat off to Ange. What he’s done at Celtic, he’s done it incredibly well. It’s all right having money. It’s how you spend it and then it’s how you coach the players you bring in.”
