Late strikes enough for makeshift Celtic

Scottish League Cup Celtic 2 St Mirren 0Late goals from strikers Craig Beattie and Maciej Zurawski against St Mirren sent holders Celtic through to the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.

It was an uninspiring night of football with a makeshift Celtic team playing in front of a half-empty stadium and struggling to find any cohesion against the tidy but unimaginative Saints.

St Mirren goalkeeper Tony Bullock and the crossbar had denied Beattie earlier in the game but he eventually got his first goal since October last year when he hammered a Stephen Pearson pass past the former Dundee United keeper in the 76th minute.

Then, with three minutes to go, Zurawski was handily placed to slam home number two from Aiden McGeady's wayward volley and make the tie safe.

Only Artur Boruc, Paul Telfer and Stephen McManus remained in the Celtic side from Saturday's 1-0 league win over Dunfermline as Gordon Strachan rested the core of his team ahead of the Old Firm derby at the weekend.

Bullock was in impressive form and denied Beattie on three occasions to keep the first half goalless.

Beattie's first effort came early when he drove a Pearson pass straight into the arms of Bullock following some good build-up play by the home side. Then, in the 18th minute, Beattie was foiled by the Love Street keeper from only six yards out, with Bullock touching his header from a Telfer cross over the bar.

It was not all one way traffic, however, and, moments later, St Mirren left-back Ian Maxwell headed a Richard Brittain free-kick from wide on the left against the bar, with a static Celtic defence recovering quickly to clear their lines.

Five minutes after the interval, Derek Riordan's curling drive from 25 yards had Bullock tipping over for a corner. There was little between the sides, but, in the 65th minute, Saints substitute Mark Corcoran skilfully dribbled into the Celtic penalty area but his tame shot from 16 yards was easily saved by Boruc.

Moments later, Beattie crashed his shot off the bar. Then Zurawski had the ball in the visitors' net but was ruled offside but Celtic's class finally told.

CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, O'Dea, Riordan, Sno, Jarosik (McGeady 45), Pearson, Zurawski, Beattie. Subs not used: Marshall, Nakamura, Cuthbert, Vennegoor of Hesselink. Booked: Jarosik.

ST MIRREN: Bullock, van Zanten, Millen, Maxwell, Broadfoot, Mehmet (Sutton 70), Murray (Iain Anderson 81), Brittain, Reid, Kean (Corcoran 61), Lappin. Subs not used: Smith, McGowne. Att: 32,587

Referee: K Clark (Scotland).