The Herald (Glasgow) January12, 1995 Dutch delight then Celticpay penalty. The new bhoy proves his quality with a brilliant strike but is starved of chances
BYLINE:James Traynor
A SPECTACULAR goal from Pierre van Hooydonk on his debut should have setCelticup for a rare win, but guess what? Tommy Burns' side could only draw.
Burns introduced his new £1.25m striker last night, but some things about thisCelticside will not be easily changed, and Burns again had to squirm as his players lost an advantage and had to settle for a share of the spoils. This was their thirteenth premier division draw of the season.
Van Hooydonk struck in 12 minutes, when he controlled a Mike Galloway lob out of defence, flicked the ball over Neil Berry, and then held off another challenge. Having drifted across the edge of the box it seemd the Dutchman had been too elaborate in his execution — "I thought he had lost his opportunity," Burns confessed afterwards — but suddenly he tried a shot.
The ball hurtled through the air and was trapped in the top left-hand corner of Craig Nelson's net almost before theHeartskeeper could react. Nothing to it. Just like that.The goal was totally unexpected, but it is precisely that quality, the element of surprise, which has been missing fromCeltic'splay and, naturally, Burns was delighted to see someone deliver at last.
"You won't get too many big guys who will pull the ball down, beat two men on the edge of the box and score," said Burns. "He is more than just a front player who will run on to balls thrown into the middle, because he links well and has a good touch."
However, the fact is van Hooydonk was then denied a decent supply of quality passes and crosses, even though Burns rhymed off the names of thoseCelticplayers he felt had performed well. He named his midfield players, Paul McStay, John Collins, and Phil O'Donnell, but it seemd to me that while they enjoyed a great many touches, particularly in the first half, they rarely played the killing pass.
Despite van Hooydonk's early breakthrough, which gaveheart to Celtic'ssupporters and all those who had been tempted by odds of 25-1 against the Dutchman scoring a hat trick on his first outing for the club, the match degenerated into an evening of sweaty endeavour. It never did match up to van Hooydonk's early flash of brilliance, and that was a pity, because the newcomer's presence had a significant effect on the gate.
It was bitterly cold and damp last night, but 26,491 turned up, and that was almost 5000 up onCeltic'sprevious Hampden attendance. Having offered so much at the beginningCelticfailed to follow through, leaving their supporters still burdened with doubt.
Burns, though, was adamant his side would have won comfortably had it not been for a decision by referee Hugh Dallas to award Gary Mackay, a substitute for the injured Scott Leitch — as a precation he had a badly bruised leg encased in plaster last night, but there are no broken bones — a penalty after the midfield player had gone down heavily insideCeltic'sbox after a challenge by Stuart Gray. "I am very disappointed about the goal we lost, but I can't say any more about it," said Burns.
Hearts'equaliser arrived in 55 minutes, and regardless of Burns' interpretation, Gray's challenge was rash. In fact, it was the action of an inexperienced player, because there was no need to tackle Mackay, who was pursuing the ball away from Pat Bonner's goal.
Celtic'splayers registered protests, but when order had been restored, Jim Bett ambled forward and placed the ball inCeltic'snet.
The Tynecastle side moved the ball with slightly better efficiency in the second half and their manager, Tommy McLean, felt his side could have won. "If anyone was going to win it was us," he said. "We dominated the second half, when there was more purpose to our passes."
Apart from a Brian Hamilton shot, which hurtled a yard or so wide of Bonner's left-hand post,Celtic'sdefence had no cause to be concerned early on, while van Hooydonk's goal certainly alarmedHearts'defence.
The striker demonstrated his aerial threat in 23 minutes when he rose above Dave McPherson to meet Paul Byrne's cross from the left, but unfortunately for van Hooydonk, he could not get enough purchase on his header and Nelson heaved a sigh of relief.
At the opposite end, Kevin Thomas's solid header from a Stephen Frail free kick flew narrowly wide of Bonner's top left-hand corner and served as a warning thatHeartswere not about to retreat into a defensive shell.
McLean made his second subsitution only three minutes into the second half when Thomas limped off after having hurt a foot. The diminutive John Robertson was sent on, and less than a minute later he was cautioned after having fouled the elf-like Brian McLaughlin, who probably felt like telling the striker to pick on someone his own size.
Tommy Boyd fouled David Hagen a few minutes later and left the former Rangers player writhing in agony as the referee allowed play to continue, andHeartsshould have taken advantage by equalising. Frail ran the ball down the right -hand side of the pitch and placed a cross at the feet of Robertson in front of Bonner's goal, but the striker mis-kicked and a wonderful opportunity was lost. The Scotsman
January12, 1995, Thursday
Dutch touch is not enough
BYLINE:By Hugh Keevins
CELTICcontinue to draw league matches. The only difference was that last night's share of the points, the 13th of the season for Tommy Burns's team, cost £ 1.5 million more than the last one on Saturday.Pierre van Hooydonk, who had been signed since the weekend from the Netherlands, made a suitably effective debut, scoring an early goal which should have been good enough to inspire his new team-mates.
Celtic, though, conspired to have an ineffectual night. In particular, the quality of the crosses to the Dutchman was woefully remiss.
Hearts'sense of organisation survived the loss of two players because of injury and the substitutes, Gary Mackay and John Robertson, made eager contributions to a fixture they have revelled in for years.The Tynecastle side, who moved into fifth place thanks to Jim Bett's second-half equaliser from the penalty spot, could have taken all three points from any one of a number of chances near the end.
The booking of Stephen Frail late on took the disciplinary total to five yellow cards and the frenetic nature of the game saw van Hooydonk fade out of a contest he had brought to life.
Van Hooydonk was bought to galvanise a team and a support and it took him 12 minutes to perform both those functions at Hampden.
The Dutchman's first goal forCelticwas an explosive interruption to what had been a timid opening to the game. The newman had joined in the languid progress of the match until the 6ft 5in forward confounded nature by scoring a goal that had everything to do with his control of the ball on the ground rather than in the air.
Mike Galloway's pass did not threaten danger when van Hooydonk gathered the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Yet the big man evaded Neil Berry and Willie Jamieson and made enough space for himself to drive a shot high into the top left-hand corner of Craig Nelson's net.
It had been a long time since the supporters in the stand had witnessed finishing of such aggression from aCelticplayer.
More familiar, however, was the defensive laxity which almost allowedHeartsan equaliser through Kevin Thomas.
Bett took a free kick which deceivedCeltic'sdefensive wall and was headed over the bar by Thomas. When the referee ordered the kick to be retaken, the same twoHeartsplayers conspired to bring about an identical ending to the move.
Injury had forcedCelticto play Tommy Boyd in a central defensive role beside the teenager, Jim Slavin, playing in only his second first-team game.
There was, van Hooydonk's goal notwithstanding, not much difference from any otherCelticgame this season, therefore.
The irony forHeartswas they should have found themselves behind to a goal that was not a header from van Hooydonk.
Tommy McLean had deployed Stephen Frail to mark oneCelticwinger, Brian McLaughlin, and put Scott Leitch on the other, Paul Byrne.
Consequently, there was little in the way of aerial bombardment while the supply to the Dutchman was cut off.
When van Hooydonk stepped forward to take a free kick that earned Brian Hamilton a booking for a foul on John Collins, there was a sharp intake of breath, though.
The effort was firmly struck but took a deflection for a corner kick. Two goals in the first half of his debut game might have given van Hooydonk a reputation it would have been impossible to sustain.
Within five minutes of the restart,Heartshad used both substitutes, Mackay having replaced Leitch in the closing minutes of the first half and Robertson then coming on for Kevin Thomas.
Robertson was soon booked for a foul on McLaughlin before he had kicked the ball andCeltic'sBoyd had to be shown the yellow card too, for a reckless challenge on Hagen.
Heartswere continuing to show thatCeltic'simprovement was far from significant.
Robertson ought to have equalised but a cross into the six-yard box saw the ball caught up between his legs as he attempted to shoot.
In the 57th minute,Heartswere awarded a penalty kick and drew level.
Stuart Gray tripped Mackay and thoughCeltic'sprotests were extensive, the referee remained unmoved and Bett sent Pat Bonner the wrong way from the spot. The decision left manager Burns less than impressed and afterwards he said: "I had better not say too much about that, though, in case I am accused of being paranoid".
As soon asHeartsscored,Celticbrought on Andy Walker for Byrne and had him play through the middle with van Hooydonk as Colin Miller became the fourth player booked.
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