| Match Pictures | Matches: 1994 – 1995 | 1994-1995 Pictures |
Trivia
- Tony Mowbray missed the game due to the death of his wife, Bernadette, three days earlier. Mowbray considered playing in the match. Manager Tommy Burns dedicated the result to Mowbray after the game.
- The game was played on a Wednesday evening, with a 7:30pm kick off.
- Paul Byrne would score his last goal for the club in the match.
Review
Celtic go into the match with a depleted squad and as underdogs. They fall behind to a goal from Ian Ferguson. But an assured second half performance, and a memorable strike by Paul Byrne, gives Tommy Burns‘ side a share of the points.
Teams
RANGERS : Scott, McCall, Robertson, Gough, McLaren, Boli, Huistra, I. Ferguson, Durie, Miller, Laudrup.
Substitutes — Brown, Durrant, Thomson.
Scorers : Ferguson (38)
CELTIC : Bonner, Boyd, Gray, O’Neil, Galloway, O’Donnell, Byrne, McStay, McLaughlin, Walker, Collins.
Substitutes — Nicholas, Hay, Marshall.
Scorers : Byrne (59)
Referee — J McCluskey (Stewarton)
Attendance : 45,794
Articles
See below
Pictures
Articles
- Match Report
Celtic make a point on Byrne’s night Rangers lucky not to lose more than equaliser
5 Jan 1995
Rangers 1, Celtic 1.
ANOTHER step towards a seventh successive premier division championship was taken by Rangers last night, but other than that, the Ibrox side had little about which to celebrate. Much was expected of them and, frankly, they failed to deliver while Celtic, patched up and fresh-faced in various positions, stole the show in the second half.
With a shade more good fortune, Tommy Burns’ side would have scored more than once, but while a second goal would have given them three points, it might also have taken the shine off Paul Byrne’s second-half strike which was quite stunning. The Irishman, who scored in his last first team appearance, also against Rangers at Hampden back in October, equalised the goal scored in the first half by Ian Ferguson — his first of the season — who probably believed his team-mates would go and secure maximum points. But Celtic had other ideas. They resumed with greater zest and skill, and as the second half progressed they grew in confidence.
It was only in the closing minutes of the match that Rangers, who had too many players out of sync, came back into the match, but by then their supporters had started to drift away, bemoaning the performance. The fans had anticipated a comfortable win because of Celtic’s youthful look which was forced because of their injury problems. One Rangers fan in the back of the main stand couldn’t stand the pressure, and in his anxiety to shout at his team, he let go of his teeth. His wallies ended up about three rows in front. Celtic’s fans held on to their teeth and their credibility, and were, in fact, the happier of the two sets of supporters. They had probably arrived at Ibrox expecting another defeat, but left for home much more confident about what Burns is trying to achieve.
However, Ferguson’s goal was the only notable event of the first half in which Brian Laudrup played only on the fringes. It was as though he kept looking in and deciding against taking part in what he saw going on. Rangers will have to do without him in the next couple of matches while he is on international duty with Denmark, and Walter Smith can only hope Mark Hateley and Ally McCoist regain fitness quickly.
Celtic’s problems were evident as they lined up with Stuart Gray in a defence which also had Tommy Boyd in the centre. Mike Galloway, who had not featured in the first team for a month, was at right full back.
Also Byrne was in, and the tiny figure of Brian McLaughlin was there, but could barely be seen on Celtic’s left flank. Even though they were unfamiliar in appearance, Celtic didn’t waste any time in introducing themselves to Rangers, and in particular Gordon Durie and David Robertson. First Brian O’Neil clattered into Durie and was fortunate to escape punishment, and then Galloway body-checked Robertson, who was trying a wall pass with Pieter Huistra.Galloway was booked and a minute later, O’Neil selected another target, this time Charlie Miller, and left him on the ground. The Celtic player was cautioned, but he and his defensive colleagues had made it clear they would not be passed easily.
However, Laudrup demonstrated he can pass defenders almost as though he has a divine right to do so, and after he had skipped away from Galloway, he tried to chip Pat Bonner from an acute angle. The ball sailed narrowly wide, perhaps a reminder that the Dane is, after all, a mortal. Laudrup should have found the net in 25 minutes, though, after Durie’s pass had been deflected by O’Neil, but he slid the ball wide of Bonner’s right-hand post. The keeper was exposed again in 38 minutes when McCall’s high ball dropped just inside Celtic’s box, and Miller managed to jab out a leg and touch the ball on. Gray seemed to hesitate as the ball flew to the right of Bonner’s goal, but Ferguson was alert and his shot was low and true.
A silence fell over Celtic’s supporters, and just before half time when McLaughlin hit his shot from the edge of Rangers’ penalty area over the bar and high into the Copeland Road stand, their hearts sank. The Ibrox regulars were in full voice, anticipating their team would go for the jugular in the second half. Miller, who had taken a heavy knock in the first half, didn’t re-appear after the break and Rangers resumed with Ian Durrant in midfield, yet another example of their strength in depth.
Still, it was Celtic who made the running with Phil O’Donnell, a surprising inclusion in their side since he had been labouring because of injury, being denied only by the speed of Robertson, who managed to block a shot after the Celtic player had run through a sparsely populated Rangers defence. A few minutes later O’Donnell tried again, this time with a header, but the ball carried too far and dropped on to the roof of Colin Scott’s net.
Celtic were growing in confidence and pinning Rangers in their own territory where they were behaving in a most erratic manner, with the ball being swiped at wildly. It was inevitable that Celtic would take advantage, and they did in 59 minutes. John Collins collected the ball on Celtic’s left and saw Byrne arriving at speed towards the far post. Collins’ ball was delivered with stunning accuracy, and Byrne’s finishing shot from just inside the box was equally brilliant.
The goal gave them even greater belief, and Celtic began to dominate the match, getting to most balls first, leaving Rangers’ players lunging at spaces. Celtic’s midfield players were enjoying the freedom but just when it looked as though they would engineer a second breakthrough, Laudrup burst forward. The Dane caught Celtic’s defence short and picked out Durie running to his left. The ball was played perfectly, but Durie shot straight at Bonner. At the other end Andy Walker had a go but knocked the ball into the side netting. In the closing minutes Rangers almost stole the points when Laudrup weaved his way into the box, but Bonner denied him and also Durrant, who tried to score from the rebound.
(James Traynor, The Glasgow Herald)
- Managers Interview
Tommy Burns
‘It has been a humbling experience for all of us to watch Tony over the past nine months. His has been a story of courage and dedication to his wife. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s an incredible man.” (On Tony Mowbray, whose wife had died 3 days earlier)
‘We didn’t play well in the first half, and I can’t explain why we did much better in the second,”
”We told the midfield players at half time to take more control of the game and we told the wee fellah (Brian McLaughlin) on the left to come in and do more than play on the fringes.”
”These boys had to find out what playing in Old Firm games is all about, and I thought they did very well. These players are saying, ‘we are in the team and we are here to stay for more than one or two games.’ They are making it hard to be left out.” (On Brian McLaughlin and Stuart Gray)
”However, it was only a draw and we have had too many of those already. We need firepower like Rangers who will be able to call on players like Hateley and McCoist.”
”he tends to do well against Rangers.” (On his decision to pick Paul Byrne ahead of Chris Hay)
Paul Byrne
”I enjoy playing against Rangers. Maybe it’s the crowd, I don’t really know, but it brings out the best in me.”