| Match Pictures | Matches:1976 – 1977 | 1976-1977 Pictures |
Trivia
Once again the weather hit. Celtic had been due to face Hearts at home on Saturday 15th but snow meant a postponement of the game. The rearranged game against Motherwell at Fir Park on the Wednesday 19th also had to be postponed with the ground unfit for play. The weather broke on the 20th allowing this game to go ahead.
- This game took place after a prolonged period of bad weather and the Celts were somewhat ring-rusty. A total of five games had been postponed. There was much discussion at this time about the merits of under-soil heating, rubber mats, straw and polythene tents.Also the League agreed to advance clubs the football pools money with the decrease in gate revenue felt by many due to postponements.
- Two ex-Celts (Frank Welsh and Billy Murdoch) and one future Celt (Davie Provan) lined up for Killie.
- The same Celtic team played that was becoming to be Jock Stein's standard pick.
- Danny McGrain was elected Player-of-the-Year by Glasgow University Supporters Club.
- Bobby Lennox had the plaster cast removed from his broken leg and was due to start light training on Monday.
Review
Willie Fernie was managing Kilmarnock and gave the Bhoys a tough first half. Celtic started slowly and Killie took the lead. This spurred the team into action and Ronnie Glavin put in a tremendous performance.
Ian Fallis gave Killie the lead but Glavin equalised before half time. Paul Wilson put the Bhoys ahead in the second half and Glavin finished it off from the penalty spot after being brought down by Welsh.
Following this game the Bhoys were top of the Premier Division level on 26 points with Aberdeen with a better goal difference and 2 games in hand.
Rangers were third with 26 points.
Teams:
Kilmarnock:
Stewart; Maxwell, Clarke, Welsh, Robertson; Murdoch, McCulloch, McDicken; Provan, Fallis, Smith (Sheed)
Scorer: Fallis (28)
Booked: McDicken
Celtic:
Latchford; McGrain, Stanton, MacDonald, Lynch; Aitken (P. McCluskey), Glavin, Dalglish; Doyle (Gibson), Craig, Wilson.
Scorers: Glavin 2 (38, 64 pen); Wilson (53)
Referee: G. B. Smith (Edinburgh)
Attendance: 14,363
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
From Celtic View:
Latchford was called on to make important saves in the first half. In the first minute a header by Dalglish was kept out by Stewart and Glavin missed an open goal with a left footed shot. Fallis scored from a pass that split the defence from Billy Murdoch. Glavin beat two men then played a one-two with Craig before firing the return past Stewart. This goal marked the turn of the match.
Craig should have got a second just after the restart after being played in from a strong run by Glavin but he screwed the ball over the bar.
A move started by Danny McGrain was continued by Dalglish, who had a quiet game, but played a through pass for Wilson to crack home the second off of an upright.
Dalglish then 'scored' a third from 20yds, only for the goal to be ruled offside – much to the consternation of everyone as there were two Killie defenders on the goal line.
Joe Craig was upended in the box after some neat footwork and Glavin put the penalty away emphatically.
Johnny Doyle was then upended in the penalty box with the ref waving play on saying that Doyle had dived. Doyle was then substituted. John Gibson and Pat McCluskey on as subs fitted in well and kept the momentum in Celtic's favour.
Roddy McDonald and Pat Stanton both had good games giving little away. Andy Lynch was a bit careless with his passing. Glavin Craig and Wilson were always a threat. Dalglish and Doyle both had off-days.
- Manager Interview
Mr Stein said on the performance of Kilmarnock, "They did very well and got a number of good shots on target, shots which were well held by Peter Latchford in his best form."
"We had to sort out one or two things at half time",
"Doyle received some rough treatment during the game".
"Aitken had done enough on the heavy ground. He was suffering from a toe injury which made him doubtful for the game. If the ground had been hard he wouldn't have been risked".
On the title race…."As far as we're concerned we are in a nice position. However, we mustn't be as careless as we were on Saturdayor we could be punished severely. If the team continues to improve, the results will do the talking for them".
