1957-12-28: Celtic 0-2 Heart of Midlothian, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19571958 | 1957-58 Pictures

Trivia

  • After the highs of winning the League Cup, Celtic hit a downturn, and at the end of this calendar year lose three matches in a row.
  • A 2:15pm kick off. The management rang the changes from the side that was beaten by Queen of the South on Christmas Day. John Donnelly was out. Fallon moved across to the right with Jim Kennedy coming in on the left. Eric Smith dropped back to right half, John Jack was dropped after his disastrous display, Bobby Evans moving back to centre half, Jim Conway went to outside right with Vince Ryan coming in at centre forward – all a set of bold changes for the game against the league leaders.
  • The game was played in the rain with slippery treacherous conditions underfoot. For Celtic the game could not have come at a worse time having lost the last two games with Fernie, Tully and McPhail out, Collins and Wilson carrying injuries, Beattie having knocked himself out in the previous game and generally having to make changes, against the team that was top of the League, and, for Celtic with games in hand, in a position they had to challenge. Hearts were largely unchanged with one forced replacement due to sickness.
  • Norman Wisdom, who was playing in pantomime in Glasgow over the festive season took in the game.

Review

In such a tight match with Celtic understrength it was good to see the game played in fine spirit despite the treacherous conditions underfoot. Young, at centre forward for Hearts had the best game and was able to demonstrate his skill throughout the game with no one of similar ability able to challenge him. His duel throughout the afternoon with Bobby Evanms was one of wit against wit with neither player resorting to hacking or barging. Celtic were under considerable pressure from the off but the first goal did not arrive till twenty minutes into the second half when Young with a deft heel flick set up Wardhaugh. and it was Young again two minutes from time that gave Hearts their second goal from a header. Celtic played with enthusiasm but were out of luck. Wilson could have won two penalties at another time but the referee saw it otherwise. As it was Celtic did win a penalty 12 minutes from time but Bobby Collins spot kick struck the bar ferociously. Fallon and Kennedy both did well and snuffed out much of the Hearts wing play. Kirk of Hearts managed to neutralise Mochan’s thrusts and Thomson was hooked to Conway and never let him get a clear sight of any ball, constantly giving away fouls which Celtic were unable to take advantage of. Eric Smith at right half also had an excellent game.

In the end a depleted Celtic team had to cede to Hearts for whom Young was outstanding.

Celtic, following on from a good beginning but a fairly disastrous end to the month, had risen to third but by the end of the month had dropped back to fifth.

Team P W L D F A Pts
Hearts 17 14 1 2 71 14 30
Hibernian 17 11 5 1 39 24 23
Clyde 15 10 5 0 40 26 20
Raith Rovers 17 8 5 4 32 22 20
Celtic 14 8 3 3 31 17 19

Teams

Celtic:
Beattie; Fallon, Kennedy; Smith, Evans, Peacock; Conway, Collins, Ryan, Wilson, Mochan.
Scorers:

Hearts:
Marshall; Kirk, Thomson; Mackay, Milne, Bowman; Blackwood, Murray, Young, Wardhaugh, Crawford.
Scorers: Wardhaugh (65), Young (88)

Referee: W Harvie (Dalry)
Attendance: 43,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

Celtic v Hearts, League 1957