| Match Pictures | Matches: 1952 – 1953 | 1952-53 Pictures |
Trivia
- Third Lanark were in a relegation scrap and stood joint second from bottom with Falkirk. The result put Thirds bottom along with Falkirk, Raith Rovers having jumped above them with a win against Aberdeen.
- The Celtic team was the same one that had played the floodlit Friendly away against Newcastle Utd.
- The Scotland team to play the Army two days after this game, was announced. Not one Celt was in the squad
Review
A tense game from start to finish with the referee blowing for foul after infringement after foul. Celtic kicked off and were very much on top in the early stages with McGrory almost scoring inside a minute. Evans and McPhail's long passing kept the Thirds defense on their toes. Barclay and Henderson were having good games for Third Lanark, the former in particular stretching Hunter on two occasions and it was Third Lanark who opened the scoring on 12 minutes when a cross by Wilson was deflected by Docherty and Dobie put the ball into the postage stamp. Hunter had no chance. Celtic stepped up a gear and exhilarating football followed with attacks and clearances and counters from Thirds. Collins had a goal disallowed for a McGrory infringement. Despite all the Celtic pressure Robertson in the Third Lanark goal had not been called on to make a save. Walsh equalised on 40 minutes running 40 yards to take a Collins pass and taking it on to hit a very powerful shot which was goal bound all the way from an acute angle. At half time the score was 1-1.
Celtic went all out for the win but did not have it all their own way. Shots from Tully, McGrory, Fernie, Evans and Walsh were matched by ones at the other end from Balunas and Dobbie. Tully was in free-flow 'wandering' mood. Thirds were unlucky not to get a penalty when Docherty was upended by Stein in the area. On 65 minutes McGrory beat Balunas who up till then had been rock solid and taking the ball on he slipped it past Robertson for Celtic's second. McGrory's second and Celtic's third came from a Collins pass.
Teams
Third Lanark:
Robertson; Balunas, Phillipps; Mooney, Samuel, Henderson; Wilson, Docherty, Dobbie, Dick, arclay.
Scorers: Dobbie (17)
Celtic:
Hunter; Haughney, Meechan; Evans, Stein, McPhail; Collins, Walsh, McGrory, Fernie, Tully.
Scorers: Walsh (40), McGrory 2 (65, 85)
Referee: J P Barclay (Kirkaldy)
Attendance: 30,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)