DOZY CELTS ON MOGGADON; Tony won't lose sleep after bore.

Byline: GORDON WADDELL

CELTIC ...................1 SUNDERLAND ........2

TONY MOWBRAY learned Scott Brown isn't 100 per cent. Now he has to work out whether half of Brown is better than all of what Massimo Donati has to offer.

But that's about all Mogga will have taken from one of the most redundant games Celts will ever play.

Sandwiched between their crucial Champions League qualifiers with Dynamo Moscow, the Celtic boss put out a shadow side with 10 changes from the 1-0 loss to the Russians in midweek.

And it showed as Sunderland strolled to victory in a stadium that was twothirds empty, despite it being free entry on the fans' season tickets.

Goals from Keiron Richardson and Kenwyne Jones in each half exposed a lethargy about the Hoops second string, before the second-half arrival of the topteam cavalry redressed some balance through a Marc Crosas strike.

But in the grand scheme of things neither the result nor the performance will have lost Mogga any sleep last night.

Tomorrow morning's trip to the Russian capital will take care of that.

The game started on the right note, a touching rivalries-aside rendition of "One Bobby Robson" from the Sunderland fans for the Newcastle icon during a minute's applause for both him and Paul McGrillen.

Value But one look at the teamsheet before kick off told you all you needed to know about how much value Mowbray was placing on this game.

If it hadn't been for Brown's workout, or the presence of Glenn Loovens as the sole survivor from midweek, they could have played the first half at Barrowfield and been done with it.

To be fair, 10 of the side who beat Spurs at Wembley last week were fielded - but they looked far more like the reserves they are yesterday.

Jones and Richardson passed up great chances in the first 10 minutes, courtesy of some terrific play by Andy Reid.

But there was no bigger courtesy given to them than the one Darren O'Dea offered two minutes later.

Bumbling an attempt to bring down the ball he gifted the lightning-quick Richardson possession 35 yards out then could only watch as he raced in on goal and drilled a sweet finish past Lukasz Zaluska.

Sunderland could have stretched their lead too, Reid forcing a fingertip stop with a 30-yarder then the bar getting in the way of a rasper of a volley from Jordan Henderson.

It was hard to tell if Mowbray was perplexed or plain bored as he leaned on the dugout like he was waiting for a bus.

Whether he would have got on if one had appeared or thrown himself under it is up for debate.

Celts' ball retention was awful and barring a Chris Killen volley inside 90 seconds and a flash of Paddy McCourt before the break, they barely made Sunderland sweat.

Still, all Mowbray wanted to learn was where Brown was - and the answer, as ever, was an inch away from lighting his own fuse.

Twice he got in to scrapes with former Rangers loan man Phil Bardsley that could have seen him booked.

Mowbray clearly wanted to see more than 45 minutes from his midfielder, only swapping two of his starters at the break to make way for Gary Caldwell and striker Giorgios Samaras.

Even the stand-in skipper's presence couldn't protect O'Dea from another caning as the Mackems went 2-0 ahead.

Gulf

Reid's cross from the left was defendable but it was man against Bhoy as Jones held off the Hoops stopper to nod home.

Mowbray piled on the big boys with half an hour left, with Brown finally stepping down.

On came Donati, Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady and Scott McDonald for a half-hour loosener.

Maybe just to show the cash gulf though, Steve Bruce introduced his two new signings from the bench - pounds 8.5millionworth in Fraizer Campbell and Lovik Cana - at the same time.

Maloney made an instant impact. He could have scored after breaking clear on the left but a poor touch took him too wide and his shot was cleared off the line and past the post.

His corner was on the money though, forcing a poor clearance that Crosas smacked home low and hard off the post from the edge of the box.

And Celtic should have levelled at the death, McDonald heading a sensational Samaras cross wide from three yards.

CAPTION(S):

O Dear, O'Dea: Super-quick Kieron Richardson leaves Darren trailing in his wake after the Celtic defender gifted possession to let him in for the opening goal Shoot that poison arrow: Hotshot Richardson celebrates after his opener for Black Cats yesterday On his Marc: Crosas and McGeady celebrate Fitness test: Scott Brown returns to action