7th May 1994 Celtic 1 Partick Thistle 1 (SFL Premier Division - game 43)

matches:1993-94: ← 50game 5152 →

	Lou Macari	John Lambie	53y, 2m, 5d

		Andy Murdoch; Alex Taylor
		Craig Nelson; David Byrne

Pat McGinlay (0-1, 49 mins)		Tom Smith (1-1, 86 mins)

Lee Martin (Brian McLaughlin, 30 mins); Tony Mowbray (Peter Grant, 79 mins)		Roddy Grant (David Byrne, 54 mins); Callum Milne (Tom Smith, 67 mins)

	Pat Bonner	Andy Murdoch	25y, 9m, 17d
	future Jag Mark McNally	Bobby Law	28y, 4m, 13d
	Dariusz Wdowczyk	Callum Milne	28y, 8m, 10d
	Tony Mowbray	Gregg Watson	23y, 7m, 16d
	future Jag Barry Smith	Willie Jamieson	31y, 0m, 10d
	Willie Falconer	Alex Taylor	31y, 10m, 24d
	Pat McGinlay	Ian Cameron [i]	27y, 8m, 13d
	John Collins	Albert Craig	32y, 4m, 4d
	Lee Martin	Roddy Grant	27y, 7m, 21d
	future Jag Simon Donnelly	Isaac English	22y, 5m, 25d
	Chris Hay	Chic Charnley	30y, 10m, 26d

			28y, 2m, 22d

	Carl Muggleton	Craig Nelson	22y, 11m, 9d
	Brian McLaughlin	David Byrne	33y, 2m, 2d
	Peter Grant	Tom Smith	20y, 6m, 25d

TTA report

Neither side impressed in this game of few chances. A shot off the underside of the bar (44) was Celtic's best chance and 0-0 at half-time was a fair reflection. Murdoch was beaten to the ball and rounded (49) but Thistle fought back. Smith had a goal disallowed (late flag) but another header (86) earned another vital point.

Media report

08-May-1994, Sunday Mail

JUST when it seemed as if Partick Thistle had sent themselves down a division with a piece of hara-kiri at the back, then had a goal chalked off which appeared to confirm it, they came back with an equaliser from substitute Tom Smith which will almost certainly keep them safe. They play Hearts, on the same number of points, next week and you won’t get a bet on a draw anywhere! With so much at stake, survival for Thistle and a possible place in Europe for Celtic, it was a curiously pallid first half. Then, seconds before the break, Brian McLaughlin, on in place of Lee Marton, got to the Thistle byeline and cut the ball back. It was missed by Willie Falconer and fell to Chris Hay. The new lad’s first-time shot hit the crossbar.

Thistle had brought back former Celt Andy Murdoch after a string of wobbly performances by Craig Nelson, but the goalkeeper’s judgment was badly amiss four minutes into the second period. Falconer chipped a first-time ball ahead of the accelerating Pat McGinlay. Murdoch decided to make an interception 30 yards out, and, for a couple of paces, it looked as if an immovable object was about to collide with an irresistible force, but McGinlay had the legs, chipped the ball wide of the challenge and rolled it into the empty net. Murdoch made another out-of-goal interception, knocking the ball from the toes of Simon Donnelly, and, within a minute, made an arching, delightful and vital save at his near post from a hammered left-foot free-kick from Dariusz Wdowczyk. Thistle showed signs of capitulating under pressure, conceding the ball repeatedly, their defence looking nervy and ragged. But, after 68 minutes and a move involving almost half-a-dozen touches, they should have equalised when the ball finally fell to Ian Cameron, but his shot was poorly flighted, lacked pace, and Pat Bonner collected easily. With seven minutes to go and everything seemingly lost, Smith apparently brought them back with a header, but the goal was controversially disallowed. Chic Charnley had sent in an up-and-under which dropped out of the sun and Bonner weakly parried. Smith employed a seal-like flick which looped the goalkeeper and ran home. Offside was given, presumably against Roddy Grant who did not seem to be interfering with play. Charnley was distraught, assistant manager Gerry Collins was enraged, said something unseemly to the linesman and was banished to the dressing room. Charnley’s demeanour changed dramatically a couple of minutes later. He sent in a similar left-foot cross which scythed airily through the Celtic defence and hung obligingly for Smith whose header from close-in counted this time. The visitors’ joy was unconfined, Charnley did a triumphal waddle to the middle, and, at the final whistle, was seen to do the previously unimaginable, shake hands with the referee and linesmen.

Afterwards, Thistle boss John Lambie said that he woke with the inspiration to put Smith on the bench. The manager said he hasn’t been able to sleep easily recently. Something about his fevered dreams seems to work.

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