1968-03-23: Celtic 5-0 Raith Rovers, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19671968 | 1967-68 Pictures

Trivia

  • John Clark was reported to be fit again but was played in the Reserve game for match sharpness.
  • All the players involved in the Scottish League game against the English League came through unscathed and were available for selection.
  • An unchanged side form the one that had face Falkirk the previous week with Chalmers again as sub. Raith Rovers , who were on a successful looking run to escape any relegation worries and and had picked up 7 point in their last four games, were also unchanged.
  • On the same day Celtic Reserves defeated Raith Rovers Reserves 4-0. The scorers were McBride 2, Quinn and Hay. The Celtic team was Fallon, Murray, Shevlane, Cattanach, Connelly, John Clark, Taggart, McBride, Quinn, Hay, Jim Clarke.
  • Celtic play in all green change strip on a muddy pitch with pools of standing water.

Review

After a shock opener from Wallace on sixteen minutes after Raith had made an excellent opening spell, Raith fought back hard in the first half. Once again, as at Falkirk, the half time team talk and Celtic's superior fitness did the business in the second half and four goals were added to the opener. Jimmy Johnstone again had a blinder of a game on the wing but it was Wallace that was the scoring ace. His first came after Johnstone had dazzled on the wing and then sent an inch perfect cross for him to shoot home.
It was Johnstone too who set up John Hughes for the second after the interval with a pass that Hughes fired in at the near post. Lennox got his foot to a Hughes pass to score the third. Chalmers came on for Gallacher immediately after. Just when it seemed Celtic had relaxed Johnstone produced more brilliance to set up Wallace with a beautiful shot who then completed his hatrick when Reid failed to hold a Chalmers shot and Wallace took time before picking his spot.
Hislop was booked for Raith for a tackle on Chalmers.

Teams

Celtic
Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Lennox, Wallace, Gallacher (Chalmers, 55), Hughes
Scorers Wallace 3(16, 70, 76), Hughes (51), Lennox (54)

Raith Rovers
Reid, Hislop, Gray, Stein, Polland, Millar, Wilson, Falconer, Wallace, Judge, Gillespie
Scorers:

Referee: D. Small (Selkirk)
Attendance: 22,500

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

Celtic v Raith Rovers, League, 23/3/68