1930-02-18: Celtic 4-0 Ayr United, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19291930 | 1930 Pictures

Trivia

  • Only days after signing, 20-year old Colraine-born, William "Willie" Cook, formerly of Port-Glasgow Juniors made his debut in this game, in which Peter Scarff dominated the proceedings with four goals. In the only other game played on this Tuesday night St. Mirren beat Hamilton Academical by 2-0.
  • Jack (Kid) Berg, the Aldgate boxer, beat Mushy Callahan, the hard-hitting American who was beaten by the English boxer last July in the United States. The fight was advertised by the promoter as for the world's "junior" welter-weight title, but such titles have been abolished by the American boxing authorities, it would appear that the winner gained merely an enhancement of his reputation and little in the way of tangible reward. Berg, however was anxious to win this fight, as it meant for him a match with Sammy Mandell for the light-weight championship of the world. Callahan was decisively beaten, and retired at the end of the tenth round.
  • Lagos, February 18.—Details of the circumstances in which Mr Christopher Matthew Barlow, the nephew of Sir Montague Barlow and Chief-Magistrate for Shendam, met his death on February 9 are still lacking. Shendam is an outlandish district and many days must elapse before further particulars are available. All that has filtered through is that Mr Barlow fell a victim to a stone hurled, presumable by means of a sling, by a native. It is presumed that he was tax-collecting at the time. Like their white confreies the natives of Shendam have never taken kindly to taxation, and generally on the approach of a Government official they run away to the hills, which are natural fortresses. It is believed that on the present occasion Mr Barlow and some police followed them instead of, as is usually done, waiting in the village until their return.

Review

Teams

CELTIC:
Kelly, Cook, McGonagle, Wilson, McStay, Robertson, R. Thomson, A. Thomson, Scarff, Napier, Hughes.
Scorers:
Scarff, (4).

AYR UNITED:
Hepburn, Robertson, Fleming, Yorke, McLeod, Docherty, Nisbet, Tolland, Hart, Brae, Ferguson.
Scorers:

Referee: W. Webb (Glasgow).
Attendance: 8,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

The Scotsman – Wednesday, 19th February 1930, page 16

SCARFF GETS FOUR FOR CELTIC

At Celtic Park yesterday, before 2,000 spectators, Celtic boat Ayr United by 4 goals to nil.

The ground was very treacherous, being hard underneath and soft on the surface.

Celtic had changes in five positions, which involved the introduction of Cook (Port-Glasgow Athletic, Juniors) at right back, R. Thomson at outside-right, and Hughes at outside-left, Geatons, McGrory, and Connolly being left out, and Scarff and Napier stepping one pace to the right.

The fog which had enveloped the city all forenoon kept many people away, but there was good visibility when the game started. The greasy surface handicapped the players considerably at the start, and play was scrappy tor some time.

Scarff, in centre for the home team missed several chances, as did Nesbit and Brae for Ayr, but Scarff made amends when he opened the scoring nineteen minutes after the start.

Ayr's reply was not of a convincing nature, and ten minutes later Scarff got his head to a cross from Hughes to further increase the score.
Three minutes later the centre-forward accomplished the "hat trick" with a fine goal after running through Ayr's defence, and ten minutes after the interval the same player scored his team's fourth and last goal.

Ayr made a poor show, only Hepburn, McLeod, and Brae playing to reputation.

Cook made a splendid debut for Celtic, and gave the impression that He is indeed a "capture."

The only other feature of the game was Scarff's success in centre, which should encourage the Celtic management to give this promising player a further trial in the position.

McStay was injured during the second half, and occupied the outside-left position for a short time before ultimately retiring.

Celtic v Ayr Feb 1930