1994-12-31: Celtic 2-0 Falkirk. Premier Division.

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The Herald (Glasgow)
January2, 1995
No dancing, but a little joy A win at last is relief forCeltic

BYLINE:Ian Paul

THEY didn't do a lap of honour around Hampden. With due respect toFalkirk'shard-won current reputation, beating them at home is not quite the stuff of ritual dance, althoughCeltichad reached the point where victory over anybody was bound to induce some joy.The first league win since September, after a run of 12 games without a victory, entitles any side to a wee celebration but, times being the way they are,Celticare a long distance away from open-top bus parades.
They were not easy winners, even if the 2-0 scoreline suggests a comfortable afternoon. Until they scored the first goal midway in the second half, in fact, they looked a shade odds-on to be the victims. However, they have lost games they should have won often enough in the past and it would be churlish to grudge them the three points this time.

If there were few inspiring moments, no-one could deny the willingness, industry, and urgency in their play. As things stand, that combination may help them to regain some self-belief but looks unlikely to be enough to lift them to trophy territory.Manager Tommy Burns, none the less, was entitled to be a bit happier as the new year beckoned. If he had been leading his team into the Old Firm meeting with a 12-game winless run behind them, injecting any kind of confidence would have been difficult, if not impossible.
For all his awareness of the team's vulnerability — and Burns has not been shy about facing up to the realities — the manager has shown a bit of courage himself by throwing in the young players in the midst of what was to become the longest unsuccessful run of league matches in the club's history. He did not shirk the possibility of outraged criticism, either, when he decided to play with two wingers in the last two games, against Aberdeen andFalkirk.
He earned the reward for his daring with a draw at Pittodrie and a win yesterday. The two young wingers, Chris Hay and Brian McLaughlin, were by no means outstanding but they show enough ability to warrant an extended run.
The best showing of a young Celt this time was by Stuart Gray — son of former Leeds and Scotland star, Eddie — the midfield player who was hauled on to the field as a full back to replace injured Tosh McKinlay after only half an hour. Gray had a splendid game, slotting in comfortably to his defensive role but also using the ball intelligently when he did get forward.
Still, the top man for the Parkhead lot was someone who has been around the scene a while. He may be the centre of much controversy among someCelticfans, who seem to be either loudly for or bullishly against him, but Peter Grant can never be accused of dereliction of duty.
He led by example in the second half, tackling furiously in his own half one moment and racing forward the next.
0 it was his anticipation of what could develop that brought the opening goal. He ran something like 60 yards as a move on the left gathered momentum. Collins fed the ball back to Gray, whose pass to McLaughlin was accurate enough to leave the little winger with space and time to decide his next move.
It was decided for him, however, as by now Grant had completed his long journey and was ready to join the fun. McLaughlin duly obliged with a sweet pass and Grant hit it early to beat Billy Lamont.
The goal came just whenFalkirkseemed to have the upper hand and transformedCelticinto a team who suddenly wondered what all their uncertainty was about. Six minutes later Andy Walker, who had missed an easier chance in the first half, squeezed in the second goal and everything in theCelticgarden was fine.
"That was a game we should never have lost," saidFalkirkgaffer Jim Jefferies. He was right but, as Burns could tell him, it sometimes works that way.

The Scotsman
January2, 1995, Monday
Grant bonus as youth wins the day

BYLINE:Roddy Thomson

YOU could forgive Peter Grant for indulging in some Hog manay hyperbole asCelticfin ally put an end to their dismal streak with a 2-0 win overFalkirkon Saturday.At the end of a year in which the club broke its mould off the park, it wasn't as if the team's old faithful were figuring any thing much had changed on it, but he was entitled to offer a spot of cheer to a young side, some of whom were licking their teeth in appreciation of their first win in first-team colours.
Grant was one of the group of senior players who came up with the idea of scrapping the old bonus system – a move intended to avoid gags likeCeltichaving a draw in hand.

What he didn't make clear at the time, however, was that cash payments wouldn't automatically accompany full points unless the club were high enough up the league table to merit them.With the Sky-lights on at Ibrox on Wednesday, it was a point well worth making if any of the five players aged 21 or under at the weekend were of a mind to think their time had come.
Grant surely had tongue slightly in cheek when he said: "I don't even know if we're high enough up in the league to get a win bonus today. We feel if we're not in at least third or fourth position then we're not worth anything." The victory – secured thanks to two fast- breaking goals from Grant and Andy Walker – tookCelticaboveFalkirkand into fourth place.
And even if their palms were not about to be greased, Grant still offered encouragement to his more youthful colleagues.
"These kids can all hold their head up high. It puts me in mind of the time when we won the double in our centenary year – then, we lost lots of experienced players at the same time. This time, though, we need to play these youngsters. The reserves have been showing up the first team left, right and centre."
The midfielder, who ran some 60 yards to be in place to fire home the first goal only moments afterFalkirk'sDavid Weir had headed against the bar, was especially pleased with the team's attitude.
"When everyone's a bit des perate, players sometimes take that extra touch that makes them too deliberate. Thankfully, our boys have shown great desire throughout the bad spell." Man ager Tommy Burns was satisfied with the showing of Brian McLaughlin, Chris Hay, Barry Smith and Stuart Gray, but re served his real praise for his goal scorers.
Falkirk'sJim Jefferies took a different view. "Grant is a mid fielder who has run 60 yards to score against the run of play, and the second goal was another bad one because Walker was on his own. My players have been dropping too deep lately, they've been losing their shape and discipline."