1995-05-02. Celtic 1-3 Partick Thistle. Premier Division.

Match Pictures | Matches: 1994 – 1995 | 1994-1995 Pictures

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Review

Teams

Celtic:
Bonner, Boyd, McKinlay, O'Neil, Mowbray, Grant, O'Donnell, McStay, Falconer, van Hooijdonk, Collins. Subs: Vata, McLaughlin, Marshall (rgk).

PartickThistle:
Walker, McKee, Pittman, Dinnie, Welsh, Smith, Foster, Craig, Grant, Cameron, Charnley. Subs: Turner, Taylor, Cairns (rgk).

Referee:W Young (Clarkston).
Attendance:18,963

Articles

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Articles

The Scotsman
May3, 1995, Wednesday
Celticseverely stung by Thistle

BYLINE:By Hugh Keevins

PARTICKTHISTLElast night earned virtual immunity from even the possibility of relegation but the manner of their win at Hampden provoked a furious response fromCeltic'smanager, Tommy Burns, his players and the club's supporters.The match referee, Willie Young, had to be given a police escort from the national stadium's main entrance to his car at the end of a match that hinged on the free kick from whichPartickThistlescored their second goal.
Chic Charnley took the kick whileCeltic'sdefence hesitated and Wayne Foster scored the first of his two decisive goals.
Tony Mowbray, who had conceded the foul, was booked for running half the length of the field and complaining to the referee that he had been speaking to him when the free kick was taken.

As a result of his caution, Mowbray will miss the Scottish Cup final against Airdrie on 27 May.A total of six players, three from each side, were booked between the award of the controversial free kick and the final whistle.
Afterwards, Burns said: "I commend my players for keeping their heads in extraordinary circumstances. They may have lost their discipline later on in the game, but it was easy to understand why."
These comments may now be considered by the SFA, who have already fined Burns this season for remarks made about a match official.
PartickThistleare now one point above Hearts and have moved far enough away from Aberdeen and Dundee United to ensure that even one point will guarantee them another season in the major league.
Foster, who madePartickThistle'sfirst-half goal for Roddy Grant and then scored a solo effort after his more contentious contribution in the second half, was unabashed by controversy.
"TheCelticplayers can argue all they like because it was their fault they lost the goal they did," he said. "An early free kick is part of the rules and it is the other team's mistake if they do not react to it."
The defeat, as well as doing nothing for pre-final morale, means thatCeltic'sprospects of qualifying for Europe next season on the strength of their league position are almost non- existent.
PartickThistlemanager John Lambie had a chilling observation to make while offering warm congratulations to his players.
"This result puts real pressure on Hearts because they have Hibs and then Motherwell to finish their league programme.
Roy Aitken and Billy Kirkwood must be biting their fingernails now, as well," he said.
The irony is thatCeltictook the lead with a memorable goal before ending the match in such a state of disarray that the margin of their defeat could have been far heavier.
Peter Grant is not normally the type to run through on the opposition's goalkeeper, sell him a dummy and then slip the ball into an empty net. He was that bold last night, however, after 21 minutes.
PartickThistle'sannoyance over going behind to one of Grant's rare goals would have been intensified by the knowledge that they had missed two opportunities to go ahead before it arrived.
Three minutes before the interval, though, Foster outjumped Mowbray and headed the ball to Grant, whose shot from six yards was unsavable.
Burns later claimed Foster had impeded the defender.
A fitful game then exploded into life ten minutes after the interval when one foul sparked a catalogue of incidents.
Mowbray was adjudged to have fouled Grant on the edge of the penalty area and Charnley's quick thinking saw Foster take control of the ball and dispatch it beyond Pat Bonner.
Mowbray's booking inspired a rash of yellow cards for his team-mates, Paul McStay and Peter Grant, along with Roddy Grant, Ian Cameron and Foster from the visiting side. Some of Hampden's floodlights then failed for good measure.
The subdued lighting which accompanied the game to its conclusion matched the dark mood of theCelticsupport as they saw, four minutes from the end, Foster dispossess Brian O'Neil and evade Bonner before scoring.


The Herald (Glasgow)
May3, 1995
Men from Maryhill take Hampden by storm in the league, but there's mixed fortunes for Cup finalistsCelticand Airdrie. Another premier show from fighting Thistle

BYLINE:Ian Paul

IF they have been called remarkable often enough this season, Thistle earned that description, and then some, with another courageous, eager, and willing performance.
The net result may not entirely have reflected play, althoughCeltic'sdefence was posted missing on a few occasions, but Thistle's heroes were not paying too much attention to such niceties as they counted three more points which very nearly guarantee their place in the premier division next season.
They now are ahead of three other teams in the lower half of the league with just two games left, and it is surely a remote possibility that they will fail now.
Celtic, on the other hand, can just about forget their chances of taking second place and the UEFA Cup spot that goes with it.

They had much more of the play last night, made better chances, and forced Thistle into long spells of defence, but the Maryhill side's refusal to concede anything earned them a famous victory.They had gone behind to a Peter Grant goal in the first half, but his namesake, Roddy, equalised before half-time (a goalCelticseemed to believe was the result of a foul by Wayne Foster) and Thistle had the impudence to grasp the lead early in the second half through Foster.
Just asCelticfrantically chased the equaliser, the Firhill team snatched a third goal through Foster again to complete a memorable night.
In the early evening sunshine in front of a relatively sparse crowd, it might have been difficult for the teams to appreciate the importance of it all to begin with. Perhaps that had something to do with the chance Thistle missed before two minutes had passed.
Chic Charnley had robbed Paul McStay of the ball before laying it ahead of Roddy Grant, but the striker reacted slowly, and by the time he turned to shoot, Pat Bonner had smothered the ball.
Pierre van Hooydonk, who had dithered when given a fine pass by Willie Falconer, made amends soon afterwards when he was involved in the opening goal after 20 minutes. A long ball from defence reached the Dutchman, who sent it perfectly in front of Peter Grant, and when he cleverly manoeuvred around keeper Nicky Walker, he was left with the simple task of touching the ball into the empty net.
Celticdominated most of the play that followed, and might have snatched a second goal when a fine van Hooydonk free kick went over the bar. But Thistle, as so many clubs have found out, are at their most threatening when apparently out of the running. They proved it once more three minutes from half time when a long ball from Walker was captured by Foster, who touched it on to Roddy Grant, and he had an easy job to place it over the line, with theCelticdefence in disarray.
Celtictried to reply immediately and van Hooydonk would have scored but for a magnificent diving save by Walker.
Thistle replaced Kevin McKee, who had suffered a leg injury, with Alex Taylor, as they tried to improve on their first half effrontery.
However, it wasCelticwho produced the first dangerous move, with Collins and McKinlay linking on the left before the defender's cross was delivered to the heart of Thistle's goal, but was cleared for a corner.
Van Hooydonk met the kick powerfully but steered his header a shade too high.
Once again, Thistle responded in the best possible way, by taking the lead, albeit in controversial circumstances. Tony Mowbray was penalised for a foul just outside the area, but protested vigorously, and while he was still making his point, Charnley chipped the free kick over the defence where Foster nipped in to shoot past Bonner.
That incensed Mowbray so much that he chased referee Willie Young to the half -way line where, inevitably, he was booked, to be followed by McStay who was also shown the yellow card for his protest.
A game that had begun sedately was now on fire and Ian Cameron was next to be booked for a foul on McStay, with Peter Grant suffering the same penalty for what did look a relatively minor offence. Referee Young whipped out another yellow card for Grant's namesake in the Thistle team when he fouled O'Donnell, but eventually the players did get back to the playing, andCelticcaused a series of escapades in front of Walker's goal.
Foster had his name taken for breaking out of the defensive wall as van Hooydonk took a free kick, but the striker hit the defenders with his second attempt, too.
Thistle, by now, were defending almost incessantly and their commitment was demonstrated by Alan Dinnie who, after lying prostrate when hit by an O'Neil drive, climbed to his feet to head away a van Hooydonk shot before going down to ground again.
But with five minutes left the irrepressible Firhill men stole off to score a third goal. A long clearance by Charnley was headed on to Foster who went past Bonner and knocked the ball into the net.