24th Feb 1996 Celtic 4 Partick Thistle 0 (SFL Premier Division - game 27)

matches:1995-96: ← 34game 3536 →

	Tommy Burns	Murdo MacLeod	37y, 5m, 0d

		Kevin McKee; Stevie Pittman
		Callum Milne; Derek McWilliams

Peter Grant (0-1, 8 mins); Pierre Van Hooijdonk (0-2, 26 mins); Pierre Van Hooijdonk (0-3, pen 81 mins); Morten Wieghorst (0-4, 88 mins)

John Collins (Morten Wieghorst, 58 mins); Andreas Thom (Brian McLaughlin, 78 mins); John Hughes (Malky MacKay, 83 mins)		Stevie Pittman (Jamie McCue, 69 mins); Tom Smith (Nicky Henderson, 78 mins); Rod McDonald (Derek McWilliams, 2nd half)

	Gordon Marshall	Nicky Walker	33y, 4m, 26d
	Brian O'Neil	Alan Dinnie	32y, 9m, 10d
	Tosh McKinlay	Kevin McKee	29y, 8m, 14d
	future Jag Jackie McNamara	Tom Smith	22y, 4m, 12d
	John Hughes	Steve Welsh	27y, 10m, 5d
	Peter Grant	Gregg Watson	25y, 5m, 3d
	future Jag Simon Donnelly	Rod McDonald	28y, 11m, 4d
	Paul McStay	Stephen Docherty	20y, 0m, 6d
	Pierre Van Hooijdonk	Wayne Foster	32y, 5m, 13d
	Andreas Thom	Ian Cameron [i]	29y, 6m, 0d
	John Collins	Stevie Pittman	28y, 7m, 6d

			28y, 3m, 10d

	Morten Wieghorst	Nicky Henderson	27y, 0m, 16d
	Malky MacKay	Derek McWilliams	30y, 1m, 8d
	Brian McLaughlin	Jamie McCue	20y, 7m, 26d

TTA report

The result was never in doubt once Celtic scored with a deflected shot (8). Another deflected shot going nowhere set up the 2nd goal (26). There was a good start to the second half and Pittman went close but damage limitation was the priority. A pen (foul, 81) and a late 4th goal (88) knocked the theory on the head.

Media report

25-Feb-1997, Sunday Mirror

PETER Grant's opener set up a day Celtic fans have been dreaming about - catching Rangers at the top of the Premier League. The midfielder's goal sparked the demolition of relegation strugglers Thistle and moved his side up to joint top with their rivals. To cap it all the Parkhead faithful were given a glimpse of things to come even before the match, when new signing Jorge Cadete was paraded on the pitch with boss Tommy Burns. That seemed to boost his new side, as they made an immediate impact on the Thistle defence.

After just two minutes Simon Donnelly burst down the right and pulled the ball back to Pierre Van Hooijdonk whose fierce shot was blocked. A few minutes later it was Andreas Thom's turn to prise open Thistle's defence, only for his cutback to be intercepted. It was one-way traffic at that stage, with Celtic's slick passing game working at its most efficient. Their pressure paid off after nine minutes when midfield grafter Grant fastened on to Van Hooijdonk's flick to hit a low shot which was deflected off Gregg Watson past keeper Nicky Walker. Celtic kept pressing for a second and Thistle could only cling on, rarely offering a threat. Their most aggressive move was a Rod McDonald drive which keeper Gordon Marshall didn't even have to save. Celtic added a second goal after 26 minutes when Van Hooijdonk blasted the ball into the net after Paul McStay's shot was deflected into his path. They should have had a few more before the half ended but squandered their chances.

And it looked as if they were going to rue those misses after the break as Thistle fought their way back into the match. They even went close after 53 minutes, when Stevie Pittman drove in a shot which Marshall did well to get his fingers to. But it wasn't long before Celtic were back in command and they grabbed a crucial third goal after 81 minutes. Dane Morten Wieghorst, a second-half replacement for John Collins, was pulled down in the box by Steve Welch. Up stepped Van Hooijdonk to knock in the penalty. Two minutes before the end Celtic put the icing on the cake with their fourth goal, Wieghorst racing through Thistle's defence before slipping the ball past Walker. The goal capped a great Celtic display and sent a warning to Rangers who face Aberdeen today.

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