1957-03-16: Celtic 4-0 Ayr United, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19561957 | 1956-57 pictures

Trivia

  • Higgins was fit again and came back in on the right wing; Collins switched to inside right with Fernie out (injured in the Scottish league game) and Tully came in on the left wing.
  • Ayr Utd. were bottom of the league and headed for relegation.
  • Willie Fernie and Bobby Collins were both in the Scottish League team that played the English league at Ibrox on 13th March, Scotland winning 3-2. Willie Fernie scored.
  • The Reserves met Partick Thistle reserves on the Friday night in the semi final of the Second XI Cup at Firhill

Review

A strangley quiet ground saw ex-Celt Alec Boden win the toss for Ayr. Celtic attacking from the off with a casual langiour. However a couple of sharp moves from the Ayr forwards reminded the celts that the game still had to be won. Ayr should have had a penalty when Haughney used an arm to control the ball in the area, only to find himself in need at the other end to despatch a Celtic penalty when Neil Mochan was brought down in the area.
Celtic shook off some of the lethargy of the first half and scored in two minutes of the second when Higgins backheeled to Byrne to shoot in off the far post. After a rather dull spell Byrne scored his second from a poor Graynor header back to his goalkeeper. Collins topped it off with a fourth goal on 74 minutes.

There was no chance of Celtic making any run in the League and it was a question of playing the season out. However a close run was anticipated at the top.

Team P W L D F A Pts
Hearts 28 19 4 5 69 45 43
Rangers 25 17 5 3 67 37 37
Raith Rovers 28 14 7 7 74 45 35
Kilmarnock 28 13 6 9 50 32 35
Motherwell 26 15 7 4 64 45 34
Aberdeen 27 15 11 1 66 48 31
Celtic 25 11 8 6 47 33 28

Teams

Celtic:
Beattie; Haughney, Fallon; Evans, Jack, Peacock; Higgins, Collins, Byrne, Mochan, Tully.
Scorers: Haughney (pen, 44), Byrne 2 (46, 66), Collins (74)

Ayr United:
Travers; Paterson, Thomson; Graynor, Boden, Haugh; Price, Paton, Whittle, McMillan, Beattie.
Scorers:

Referee: R Rodger (Stonehouse)
Attendance: 10,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

Celtic V Ayr Utd, League, 1957