2nd May 1995 Celtic 1 Partick Thistle 3 (SFL Premier Division - game 34)

matches:1994-95: ← 40game 4142 →

	Tommy Burns	John Lambie	54y, 2m, 0d

		Wayne Foster
		Alex Taylor

Peter Grant (0-1, 20 mins)		Roddy Grant (1-1, 42 mins); Wayne Foster (2-1, 55 mins); Wayne Foster (3-1, 85 mins)

		Kevin McKee (Alex Taylor, HT)

	Pat Bonner	Nicky Walker	32y, 7m, 3d
	Tom Boyd	Kevin McKee	28y, 10m, 22d
	Tosh McKinlay	Stevie Pittman	27y, 9m, 14d
	Brian O'Neil	Alan Dinnie	31y, 11m, 18d
	Tony Mowbray	Steve Welsh	27y, 0m, 13d
	Peter Grant	Tom Smith	21y, 6m, 20d
	Phil O'Donnell	Wayne Foster	31y, 7m, 21d
	Paul McStay	Albert Craig	33y, 3m, 29d
	Willie Falconer	Roddy Grant	28y, 7m, 16d
	Pierre Van Hooijdonk	Ian Cameron [i]	28y, 8m, 8d
	John Collins	Chic Charnley	31y, 10m, 21d

			29y, 5m, 13d

	Gordon Marshall	Mark Cairns	25y, 7m, 7d
	Rudi Vata	Tommy Turner	31y, 6m, 21d
	Brian McLaughlin	Alex Taylor	32y, 10m, 19d

TTA report

Thistle wasted 2 good chances before Celtic scored (21) but Foster set up Grant to level with a volley (42). Charnley's quick (disputed) free-kick caught Celtic out and Foster scored (55). Furious Celtic lost the plot and there were 6 bookings in the last 35 mins. Foster wrapped it up (86). The ref got a police escort (90).

Media report

03-May-1995, The Scotsman

Celtic severely stung by Thistle… PARTICK THISTLE last night earned virtual immunity from even the possibility of relegation but the manner of their win at Hampden provoked a furious response from Celtic’s manager, 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 which Partick Thistle scored their second goal. Chic Charnley took the kick while Celtic’s defence 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.

Partick Thistle are 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 made Partick Thistle’s first-half goal for Roddy Grant and then scored a solo effort after his more contentious contribution in the second half, was unabashed by controversy. “The Celtic players 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 that Celtic’s prospects of qualifying for Europe next season on the strength of their league position are almost non- existent. Partick Thistle manager 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 that Celtic took 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. Partick Thistle’s annoyance 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 the Celtic support as they saw, four minutes from the end, Foster dispossess Brian O’Neil and evade Bonner before scoring.

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