| Match Pictures | Matches: 1955 – 1956 | 1955-1956 Pictures |
Trivia
- Dunfermline’s unorthodox, but high scoring, centre-forward Charlie Dickson put the Pars in front on 27 minutes and Celtic struggled to keep the deficit down to one goal. In the end Celtic were fortunate to be in a position to get an equaliser through Bobby Collins in 81 minutes.
- This day saw Scottish football’s first ever floodlit League match. This was the contest between Rangers and Queen of the South, which ended in a scoreline of 8-0. Rangers goals were scored by Don Kitchenbrand (15, 19, 57, 67 and 80 minutes), Billy Simpson (37 and 52), and Alex Scott (49).
- Celtic were drawn against Clyde in the Scottish Cup semi final to be played at Hampden. Hearts and Raith Rovers were to meet in the other semi final at Easter Road.
- Willie Loney, Celtic’s centre half from 1900 – 1913 passed away on 6th March 1956. he was buried at St Kentigern’s Cemetery.
- The boy pupils of a local Secondary School, St. Margaret’s R.C., were taken by the headmaster, William Collins, to see this Wednesday afternoon game.
- A White Paper containing the findings of a group of Privy Councillors set up to investigate the Burgess and MacLean affair has recommended that Communists, or those having a wife or husband who is a Communist or sypathiser, be moved from security sensitive jobs.
Review
Teams
CELTIC:
Beattie, Haughney, Fallon, Boden, Evans, Peacock, Collins, Fernie, Walsh, Tully, Mochan.
Scorers:
Collins (81)
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC:
Mackin, Laird, Williamson, Samuel, Colville, Mailer, McKinlay, O’Brien, Dickson, Reilly, Anderson.
Scorers:
Dickson (27)
Referee: H Phillips (Wishaw)
Attendance: 10,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Herald
Verbatim transcript of article on Page 9, Dunfermline Press, Saturday 10th March 1956
Incidents Meant Loss of Point
By “Gleaner”
The records will show that Dunfermline Athletic and Celtic drew the postponed “A” League game by scoring one goal each at East End Park on Wednesday evening.
But Dunfermline supporters and many neutrals will argue till doomsday that the Athletic beat the famous Parkhead combine fairly and squarely had they been granted what they were entitled to.
Up till ten minutes to go the homesters were grimly holding on to a one goal lead, and it might have been three had two particular incidents been dealt with in their proper perspective long before Celtic got their “face saving” equaliser.
The first was when Dickson headed in a high ball from the right and Beattie seemed to be at least a foot over the line when he scrambled the ball clear.
On the back of this the Athletic centre took on the whole Celtic defence on his own and when he was upended it seemed a clear case of a penalty-kick.
Had any of these awards gone in the Athletic’s favour they would have had a lead which in the light of subsequent exchanges would have given them a victory, and a thoroughly deserved one at that.
To be so near their first win of the year, and to fail at the last so to speak, was a bit of a blow to Athletic and their supporters.
But they can take all credit from the game even if they secured only one of the points, and the morale boost which this performance can give the team can have far-reaching effects in the struggle to avoid relegation.
Wholehearted Display
There can be little doubt that the acquisition of Colville has given much needed strengthening to the defence, although I would like to pay tribute to the outstanding display of Mailer.
Here was a player whose whole hearted tackling and refusal to be beaten gave the lead to others to fight for every ball, and to their credit they were not slow to follow his lead.
This was more like the Athletic we watched away back in October, and they have only to repeat this display and they can yet reach the safety zone.
The thing that surprised me to start with was the extent of the crowd bearing in mind that Celtic’s big support was absent, but I suppose that most of the 10,000 spectators turned out to see the Glasgow club, with so many famous names in their ranks.
They must have felt disappointed that they did not witness any of the traditional Celtic football, yet there was scarcely one but felt he had got his money’s worth from a really pulsating game.
Never for a minute did the Athletic let up. They might not have shown the same class of football as their opponents, but it was good enough to show the opposing defence any amount of trouble.
What’s more, their goal-scoring efforts were up to the standard of the opposition, and one cannot forget that amazing bombardment of the Celtic goal when three successive shots hit the crossbar.
It seemed as if the Athletic’s luck was definitely out, but from the resultant corner-kick by McKinlay the ball was strongly headed into the net by Dickson.
That goal sufficed to give Dunfermline a half-time lead, and the second half started with Celtic putting in a series of power attacks which saw the Athletic goal heavily assailed.
Would the superior full-time training of Celtic turn the tables, just as it had done in the first game between the sides? That’s what everybody was asking at the interval.
Fought to the End
That it did not was a grand tribute to the Athletic players, and not only did they hold tight but (as has already been show) they were able to fight it out right to the final whistle.
Naturally the exchanges took on a thrilling note as time went on, and Celtic in their anxiety to force an opening, took to exchanging Fernie and Collins, and swapping Tully and Mochan.
They even went to the lengths of adopting the Athletic’s tactics of dropping high balls in the Athletic goalmouth, and breaking their usual practice of working on the ground.
But they did not get things their own way, and whenever the ball was round about their goalmouth there was always a scare with Dickson running about.
The normally cool Evans was strangely ill at ease, and there was one occasion when Dickson got the better of him in a tackle, but he failed to place the ball past Beattie who had run out.
It was noticeable that most of the danger to the home goal was coming from Collins and eventually it was he who brought relief to his clubmates by scoring the equaliser.
He was fortunate to get the break of the bounce of the ball when several players went into a tackle and Mackin was “from home” when the Celtic player shot home.
The remaining minutes saw no slackening of the play and the winner could have come at either end, although the Athletic were nearest to scoring.
While we must be thankful for small mercies (in the shape of one point) how valuable would have been that other one, especially when it was within the Athletic’s grasp.
