Celtic 5 Buckie Thistle 0: Plucky Buckie enjoy their Celtic Park day but holders show their class in Scottish Cup romp
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An unforgettable experience for Buckie Thistle - a comfortable victory for Celtic.
Jags did the Highland League proud at Celtic Park with a stubborn performance on the biggest footballing day of their lives.
A Scottish Cup shock was never going to be on the cards, though Buckie did spurn one glorious chance to score at the home of the champions.
Celtic's class proved too much in the end, scoring five times and having four more strikes disallowed for offside.
Not one member of the 2500-strong travelling green and white army cared too much about the scoreline - it was all about the occasion.
And what an occasion it was for those fans, and the part-time players at the club who rubbed shoulders with top internationals on a dreadful day of weather in Glasgow.
The rain never stopped pouring down the whole afternoon, but couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the cheering Jags followers when they acclaimed the entrance of their favourites on to the famous turf.
Jags fought manfully to resist Celtic’s relentless forays in the first quarter of the contest.
The first VAR decision in Buckie’s history went their way less than two minutes in, as Darryl McHardy seemed to bring down Liel Abada but an offside was spotted in the build-up.
With the chants of “oh when the Jags go steaming in” being heard across the stadium, the visitors perhaps began to believe they had a chance when Kyogo uncharacteristically slipped a simple chance wide of the target - he was ruled offside in any case.
The travelling supporters were certainly enjoying their day, particularly when Celtic had a goal ruled out for offside - again VAR making the call.
The resistance was finally broken by a moment of class on 25 minutes, Paulo Bernardo elegantly chipping over Buckie keeper Stuart Knight.
Jags fans were on their feet when Max Barry took the game to Celtic with a probing run and a pass to Josh Peters, whose drive was deflected out.
A first corner for Jags? Sadly the flag was up.
VAR was proving popular with those of a Buckie persuasion, ruling out Kyogo’s goal on the half hour.
Celtic’s pressure was almost continuous and goal number two arrived on 33 minutes, Norwegian Odin Thiago Holm working a slick one-two before firing home via a post.
The frequency of the home raids was frightening and the Buckie crossbar was rattled by a Liam Scales header.
But what about the Buckie scoring opportunity on 41 minutes?
Peters - denied the chance to play against his cousin Stephen Welsh due to Brendan Rodgers’ team selection, broke clean through on goal and must have been working out his Celtic Park goal celebration when he only had Joe Hart to beat.
But the big Englishman cuts a mighty figure and he spread himself fully to thwart Peters’ netbound effort with his legs - a cruel moment for the striker.
Mercilessly, Celtic broke up the field and Abada teed up Kyogo for an easy finish to make it 3-0.
It could easily have been more that three at the break, as Bernardo had yet another strike ruled offside - the third disallowed goal of the half for the homesters.
A fourth goal chalked off for Celtic arrived just after half time, Abada this time ruled out.
Luis Palma soon crashed in a fourth for the home side on 49 minutes.
Up at the other end, Buckie fans roarded for a penalty when Peters went down in the area - this time VAR went against the Jags.
A big moment for local boy and Celtic-daft Buckie man Marcus Goodall came on 63 minutes as he came on to play at the home of his heroes.
Mercifully there was just one more Celtic goal, fired into the roof of the net by sub Rocco Vata on 75 minutes.
Some great saves by Stuart Knight ensured that the holders wouldn't add to their tally.
And as the final minutes ticked by, you could only hear the chants of the Buckie faithful, thrilled to have their day in the spotlight.
A touching scene at full time as every Buckie player and coach joined the supporters in their own version of the Celtic Huddle.
Who will ever forget the day that Jags went steaming in at Celtic Park and did themselves proud.
