1936-04-11: Arbroath 0-2 Celtic, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19351936 | 1936 Pictures

Trivia

  • After an early Jimmy Delaney goal Arbroath F. C. competed gamely and twice came near to equalising before Jimmy McGrory's brilliant header, which gave Arbroath's goalkeeper Dave Cumming no chance, and sealed the points in the last minute of the game.
  • The defeat of Rangers at Hamilton while Celtic consolidated their position by defeating Arbroath almost ensures the league championship flag will be flying at Parkhead next season. Celtic are 3 points clear with 3 to play and Rangers have 4 to go.
  • In England Scots were to the fore with David McCulloch scoring 2 in Brentford’s win over Grimsby, while Hugh O’Donnell and Jimmy Dougal both score in Preston’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool at Deepdale.
  • In Dublin city centre 100 people were injured including West Fife MP Willie Gallagher when marchers on the way to Glasnevin Cemetery to honour the Irish Republican Army dead were attacked by anti-treaty protesters.
  • The Scotsman carries advert for London Midland & Scottish Railways, Special Edinburgh Spring Holidays Excursions to Troon, Prestwick and Ayr. Trains departing Waverley at 8.25am and returning from Troon at 7.45pm for a return fare of 7/6d (under 40p).

Review

Teams

ARBROATH:
Cumming, Fordyce, Becci, Adam, Duff, Urquhart, Lowe, McNab, Brand, Cargill, Walker.

CELTIC:
Kennaway, Hogg, Morrison, Geatons, Lyon, Paterson, Delaney, Buchan, McGrory, Crum, Murphy.
Scorers:
Delaney, McGrory.

Referee: D. F. Reilly (Port Glasgow).
Attendance: 10,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

The Scotsman – Monday, 13th April 1936, page 3

CELTIC 'S HARD FIGHT AT ARBROATH

ISSUE IN DOUBT UNTIL LAST-MINUTE

Ten thousand spectators—the highest attendance at Gayfield for the season—saw Celtic take full points at the expense of Arbroath.

The score of 2-0 more than did justice to the visitors' superiority. Opening the scoring after 12 minutes' play with a rather easy and unsatisfactory goal the visitors failed to penetrate again until the last minute of the game when McGrory smartly counted with his head from a corner kick, nicely placed by Murphy. Until Celtic secured their second goal the issue remained open. Indeed, in the closing stages, Arbroath went near to obtaining the equaliser, which was twice denied, them by the hardest of bad luck.

While Celtic were superior in craft, and deserved the points, a measure of commiseration could not be withheld from Arbroath in their defeat. The home side gave a plucky and very praiseworthy display, and Celtic never had a harder fight for the points. What they lacked in the finer touches of the game shown by their opponents, who were smarter on the ball, fleeter-footed, generally, and more studied in their movements, Arbroath possessed in enthusiasm, which was limitless. Celtic found little time for concerted action and had to exert themselves to the utmost to hold their, slender advantage until the last minute.

McGrory’s goal was cleverly taken, but otherwise he did not distinguished himself. Duff, the home pivot, took the honours of the day. Delaney and, Murphy were Celtic's most valuable forwards, but a whole-hearted home defence nullified much of their fine work by crowding-out the inside men. Brand took the best out of Lyon, Celtic's pivot, but he was not too well supported, only Lowe responding favourably to his fine leadership.

Both defences gave very little away, and no one came out of the game with greater credit than Cumming, who, when Celtic were at their best, saved his goal brilliantly. Kennaway had many anxious moments, but he was not tested in the same way as the home goalkeeper by direct shots. More than once the wood saved Arbroath, but that was a good fortune that, on occasion, prevented a score against Kennaway.

Play throughout was distinguished more for its strenuous nature than high standard.

Arbroath v Celtic Apr 1936