1977-12-17: St Mirren 3-3 Celtic, Premier League

Match Pictures | Matches: 1977-78 Pictures | 1977 – 1978

Trivia

• Frank Munro had departed Celtic Park during the week with the expiry of a loan period. Celtic were waiting to hear from him! The long-term injured – Stanton, McGrain and Burns – were all in training but still not ready.
• Celtic's first legue visit to Love Street since 1971.
• Jackie Copland was sent off.
• In the Reserve League on the same day Celtic drew 0-0 with St Mirren at Celtic Park. The Celtic team was Baines, Mackie, Kay, Ward, McWilliams, Casey, Temperley, G. McCluskey, Godzik, Lennox, J. McCluskey Subs Gibson and Clifford.

Review

With Saints 3-1 up after 75 minutes with only 10 men things looked desperate for Celtic. But they rallied at the death and Lynch's penalty and Craig's late equaliser give brave Celts a point.

Tom McAdam gave Celtic the lead after eight minutes when he collected a Joe Craig pass and shot home. Billy Stark equalised for the Buddies with a header soon after. The rest of the first half was pretty evenly balanced.
In the second half Hugh Alexander sent off Copland on 52 minutes after he had punched with Edvaldsson when Copland had objected to big Shuggie's challenge of the Saints keeper. The game then degenerated into a series of inter-player niggles all over the park with Aitken booked for a challenge on Stark and Doyle also going into the book. McGarvey put Saints ahead when he shot home at the second attempt. The ten-man Buddies went further ahead when Munro finished a very decent solo goal.
Celtic did not give up and Lynch made it 3-2 from the penalty spot for a handball. Just before the final whistle Johnny Doyle won the ball and crossed for Joe Craig to steal in and score.

The game was played in front of a packed crowd in a cup tie atmosphere.

Teams

Saint Mirren:
A Hunter, Young, Beckett, Fitzpatrick, Reid, Copland, Munro, Stark, McGarvey, Abercrombie, Hyslop. Subs: Richardson, Leonard
Scorers: Stark (11), McGarvey (70), Munro (77)

Celtic:
Latchford, Filippi, Lynch, Edvaldsson, MacDonald, Aitken, Doyle, Glavin (Dowie), McAdam, Craig, Conn (Wilson)
Scorers: McAdam (8), Lynch (pen 80), Craig (88)

Referee: H Alexander (Kilmarnock)
Attendance: 17,000

Articles

• Match Report (see below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

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