29th Nov 2003 Celtic 3 Partick Thistle 1 (Scottish Premier League - game 14)

matches:2003-04: ← 20game 2122 →

Match Information

			Martin O'Neill		Gerry Collins			48y, 8m, 17d
					John Paul McBride; Andy Ross; Derek Fleming
					Gerry Britton; David Rowson; Willie Howie
Henrik Larsson (1-1, 23 mins); Chris Sutton (1-2, 34 mins); Chris Sutton (1-3, 60 mins)					James Grady (1-0, 11 mins)
John Hartson					Jean-Yves Anis; Derek Fleming; John Paul McBride; Andy Ross
Momo Sylla (Stiliyan Petrov, 76 mins); John Hartson (Michael Gray, 76 mins)					Adrian Madaschi (Manny Panther, 67 mins); Andy Ross (Stuart Taylor, 70 mins); Jean-Yves Anis (John Gemmell, 82 mins)
			Magnus Hedman		Kenny Arthur			24y, 11m, 22d
			Stanislav Varga		Derek Whyte			35y, 2m, 29d
			John Kennedy		Grant Murray			28y, 3m, 0d
			Momo Sylla		Kenny Milne			24y, 3m, 3d
			Neil Lennon		Jamie Mitchell			27y, 0m, 23d
			Johan Mjallby		John Paul McBride			25y, 0m, 1d
			Liam Miller		James Grady			32y, 8m, 15d
			Ross Wallace		Andy Ross			21y, 2m, 11d
			Henrik Larsson		Derek Fleming			29y, 11m, 24d
			Chris Sutton		Jean-Yves Anis			22y, 11m, 30d
			John Hartson		Adrian Madaschi			21y, 4m, 18d
								26y, 7m, 22d
			David Marshall		Jákup Mikkelsen			33y, 3m, 15d
			Joos Valgaeren		Stuart Taylor			29y, 0m, 3d
			Michael Gray		Willie Howie			21y, 4m, 20d
			Stiliyan Petrov		Manny Panther			19y, 6m, 18d
			Shaun Maloney		John Gemmell			19y, 2m, 23d

Match Report

TTA report

Grady stunned the crowd with a header from a Fleming free-kick (11) but Celtic scored 3 times (a scramble, 23, a free-kick, 34 and a clinical finish, 60). It was by no means Thistle's worst performance of the season but after 10 straight league defeats, Collins was sacked the following day.

Media report

29-Nov-2003, bbc.com

CELTIC SINK BATTLING THISTLE. Celtic continue to cruise at the top of the Premier League after a comfortable home victory over Partick Thistle. The Jags, who are the only club in Britain without a win this season, briefly upset the odds with an early goal from James Grady. But normal service was resumed with a Henrik Larsson strike and a double from Chris Sutton in a match played out in high winds and torrential rain. Celtic now sit eight points clear of Rangers, who travel to Easter Road on Sunday, while Thistle sit at the bottom of the pile with just two points. Martin O'Neill made five changes to the Celtic side and handed starts to youngsters John Kennedy and Ross Wallace. Kennedy was seldom tested at the back but did allow the tiny Grady to beat him in the air for Thistle's opener, while Wallace enjoyed a good afternoon on the left flank.

John Hartson and Stanislav Varga both tried their luck with early shots on goal as Celtic took the game to the visitors. But the home crowd was stunned in the 12th minute when Thistle striker Grady was given room to head Derek Fleming's free kick past Magnus Hedman, off the underside of the crossbar. Celtic responded with Larsson heading over from close range and Sutton saw his shot squeezed wide by a deflection. The former Blackburn and Chelsea striker again threatened when he sprinted to the near post for Wallace's corner but flicked his header over the bar. With 23 minutes gone Larsson levelled the game when he gathered a Sutton pass and drilled the ball past Kenny Arthur, despite the close attention of three Jags defenders. Hartson then saw his glancing header flash inches wide of the target after connecting with a Larsson cross. Ten minutes before half time, Celtic went in front when Larsson drove a low free-kick towards goal and Sutton's cute flick wrong-footed Arthur and the ball spun into the opposite corner of the net.

Wallace was the first Celtic player to threaten in the second half when he cut in from the left flank and tested Arthur with a powerful angled drive, which the keeper did well to tip over. With an hour gone Celtic extended their lead when Larsson and Liam Miller combined to carve open the Jags defence and the Swede found Sutton, who knocked in his 10th goal in seven games from 12 yards. Hartson then bundled his way into the Thistle penalty area and Arthur did well to push away the Welshman's rising shot. Miller went close with a low drive and former Celtic defender Derek Whyte almost headed into his own net as the game fell flat in the closing stages and the home team strolled to another three points.

Scrapbook

magnifiable if deemed necessary by your browser

BBC, 29th November, 2003

Video Highlights

(credit: BBC Scotland )

advertisement

the ultimate destination for the best and latest Thistle multimedia content, from live audio commentary to the latest video interviews and tactical analysis…

…only £5.99 per month

Stats Watch

● The twentieth managerial reign ends with Gerry Collins's last game in charge.

ongoing sequences:

● 5 consecutive competitive away defeats; 27th Sep 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 5 defeats; 6th Nov 2002 to 14th Dec 2002. Club-record: 11 defeats; 4th Dec 1897 to 15th Oct 1898.)

● 6 consecutive away League defeats; 13th Sep 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 7 defeats; 12th Feb 1972 to 9th Sep 1972. Club-record: 14 defeats; 6th Apr 1912 to 25th Jan 1913.)

● 8 away League games without a win; 16th Aug 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 10 games; 11th Sep 2002 to 2nd Jan 2003. Club-record: 26 games; 20th Mar 1935 to 29th Aug 1936.)

● 8 competitive games without a win, 27th Sep 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 8 games, 14th Dec 2002 to 2nd Feb 2003. Club-record: 26 games, 28th Nov 1908 to 28th Aug 1909.)

● 8 consecutive competitive defeats, 27th Sep 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 8 defeats, 9th Jan 1990 to 3rd Mar 1990. Club-record: 14 defeats, 3rd Jan 1898 to 15th Oct 1898.)

● 10 consecutive League defeats; 13th Sep 2003 to date. (Longest run since the club-record: 12 defeats; 27th Feb 1909 to 25th Aug 1909.)

● 14 League games without a win; 9th Aug 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 14 games; 25th Nov 1989 to 3rd Mar 1990. Club-record: 26 games; 28th Nov 1908 to 2nd Oct 1909.)

● 18 games without a clean-sheet in the League; 3rd May 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 22 games; 7th Sep 1974 to 1st Feb 1975. Club-record: 46 games; 20th Apr 1908 to 30th Oct 1909.)

● 19 competitive games without a clean-sheet; 3rd May 2003 to date. (Longest run since: 24 games; 7th Sep 1974 to 18th Jan 1975. Club-record: 45 games; 27th May 1893 to 18th May 1895.)

● 13 consecutive competitive appearances for Jamie Mitchell, 23rd Aug 2003 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: David Rowson - 15 games, 24th May 2003 to 22nd Nov 2003. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Stats Watch adheres to our stated definitions of League, League Max, Major Competitive, Competitive or All Games. Where there is no written qualification, you should presume that the Stat in question is compiled from the All Games criteria.

.

match hubs