1919-09-13: Heart of Midlothian 0-1 Celtic, League

Match Pictures | Matches: 1919 – 1920 | Pictures: 1919-20 Pictures

Trivia

  • The Glasgow Herald that reports on this game also reports from Dublin which is quiet following the assassination of Detective Offiecer Daniel Hoey and Friday's raid on Sinn Fein HQ. LINK
  • Also in the Herald is a report from Paris on the negotiations between M. Clemanceau and Mr. Loyd George as to the division of the Lebanon and Syria between France and Great Britain.
  • Another report in the Herald states that Winston Churchill had travelled to Paris to speak to the Prime Minister on the actions of the commanding office of the Hampshire Regiment, Colonel John Sherwood Kelly, who "failed to take any part in the fight" at Troitsa, a village south-east of Archangel as the action was to be preceded by a poison gas attack against the Bolshevik enemy.

Review

Teams

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN:

CELTIC:

Scorer: Gallacher

Referee: A. A. Jackson (Glasgow)
Attendance: 40,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

  • Match Pictures

Articles

The Glasgow Herald – Sep 15, 1919
RANGERS AND HEARTS LOSE GROUND

The elimination of Heart of Midlothian from the small coterie of unbeaten teams and an inexplicable display of ineptitude by Rangers’ forwards improve Celtic’s chances of retaining their slight advantage over both clubs for a period that may not extend over many days, since the leaders will be engaged in the City Cup competition on Saturday, while Rangers will be demonstrating to an aggrieved following how easy it will be to recover against Dumbarton the prestige lost at Parkhead. The attendance at Tynecastle reached 40,000, and formed a record for a League game, as against the 41,000 present at the Victory Cup tie game with Airdrieonians last season. The game, like the attendance was an advance on all previous Hearts-Celtic encounters and none have ever been wanting in exciting incidents. The present position of the clubs, memories, pleasant or otherwise, of past League and cup contests raised hopes of another tense struggle, and reasonable expectations of a normally constituted Tynecastle eleven taking ample revenge for a series of wartime defeats that too readily admitted of explanation. Those who looked forward to a display in keeping with past meetings and present form were not disappointed, and the pity was that the teams did not finish as they began, unbeaten.

By reason of their longer association with each other the Celtic forwards showed method and understanding that could not be expected in a hastily improvised attack, and it was the superlative saving of their goalkeeper that enabled the home team for so long. Individual effort counted for little against a well knit and resolute defence, so there were excuses for the failure of Sinclair, Miller, and Wilson to do more than occasionally approach a goal guarded by so resolutely by Cringan, McNair, and McStay. But the latter aligned forwards found it no more easier to out-manoeuvre Mercer, the most deceptive of defenders, nor to elude two stalwart full backs and get in a counting shot. Crossan and Wilson gave their opponents neither space nor time to take deliberate aim, and to all speculative attempts Kane was very attentive. With both forward lines held in thrall, a goalless draw was inevitable, and Miller’s enforced retirement in no way impaired his team’s chance of saving a game they had set their hearts on winning. The Tynecastle defence was as obdurate as ever, their four forwards no less likely to score than the other five, until a flag kick gave Gallagher his final opportunity and he took advantage to score the only goal within three minutes of the end. As the better balanced in attack Celtic deserved to benefit in the event of a goal accruing, but there was sufficient merit in the home defence to warrant equality. Leaving sentiments aside, it was doubly unfortunate that Hearts should lose a player and a goal so late on in the game as to make recovery impossible, after holding out so long and so successfully.