| Match Pictures | Matches: 1978 – 1979 | 1978-79 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic now in second place five points behind Dundee United but with five games in hand.
- Vic Davidson failed a fitness test after picking up an injury in the last game against St Mirren in midweek.
- In the Reserve League on the same day Celtic lost 1-0 to Dundee Utd at Tannadice. The Celtic team was Bonnar, Fillipi, Russell, Lumsden, Young, Duffy, Godzik, Weir, Casey, Reid, Halpin Subs Newman and Ward.
- At the end of the month Celtic released Bernie Godzik, Brian Coyne, Billy Russell, Robert Ward, Jim Marr, John Dowie, Alfie Conn and Ronnie Glavin was on the transfer list.
Review
Frantic stuff, with five players booked, several warned, and World Cup right-back Danny McGrain booting the ball over the stand in the final seconds. When the dust settled and the passion cooled, United's dream of the championship hung by a thread – and a very slender one at that.
Celtic, roared on by a 37,000 crowd, came back from losing a goal two minutes from the interval with the kind of grit and determination that wins cups. On this occasion the prize was two vital points, which now makes the Parkhead team favourites for the title. Not a pretty game but on a dry ground with little turf and a breeze, the ball was too frisky for any polish in the play. United had a slight edge in the way they used the ball in the first half, and it was skillful play from Paul Sturrock that eventually set up the opening goal for Davie Dodds. Derek Addison worked the ball down the left and released it to the roving Sturrock. He cleverly took on Edvaldsson, turned him the wrong way outside the box, and sent the ball high over. With the defenders caught in a straight line, Dodds rose and headed the ball past Latchford.
It was always a niggly match. The signs were there early on, when Celtic's MacLeod was booked for back-chat. Five minutes after the interval Sturrock and Aitken were booked for having differing views on a tackle by the Celt.
Then came the equaliser. Keeper McAlpine, who had hardly had a save, didn't look clever in the 58th minute. A Lynch free was headed into the goalmouth by Aitken. McAlpine attempted to punch the ball, missed, and Doyle got a touch with his head to put it over the line.
My how the Celtic has come to life. Sheer pressure got Celtic a penalty in the 68th minute when Stark desperately attempted to stop Doyle on the edge of the box, after Hegarty had been beaten. Doyle went down in the tackle. Referee Davie Ramsey, now struggling to control events, pointed to the spot and Lynch smashed the ball low past McAlpine.
There was no way Celtic would lose a point after that.
At the end of the moth the top of the table looked like this.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Dundee Utd | 35 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 54 | 35 | +19 | 43 |
| Celtic | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 49 | 32 | +17 | 38 |
| Rangers | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 43 | 28 | +15 | 37 |
| Aberdeen | 32 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 50 | 31 | +19 | 35 |
| Hibernian | 34 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 35 |
Teams
Celtic:- (4-3-3)
Latchford, McGrain, Edvaldsson, Aitken, Lynch, Conroy, Burns, MacLeod, Provan, G McCluskey, Doyle. Subs not used:- Lennox. McAdam.
Goals:- Doyle (58), Lynch (pen 68).
Booked:- MacLeod, Aitken.
Dundee Utd:- (4-3-3)
McAlpine, Stewart, Hegarty, Narey, Stark, Addison, Fleming, Hall, Kirkwood (Payne 72), Sturrock (Kopel 78), Dodds.
Goal:- Dodds (43).
Booked:- Sturrock
Referee:- D. Ramsey (Edinburgh).
Attendance:- 37,000.
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
|
|
