1996-01-09: Raith Rovers 1-3 Celtic, Premier Division

The Herald (Glasgow)
January10, 1996
Rovers’ challenge peters out after early promise;Celticcoast to victory and narrow the gap on Rangers

BYLINE:Ken Gallacher

THE bandwagon continues to roll for the challengers,Celtic. Last night, the Parkhead men, with John Hughes and Peter Grant both in the starting XI, stretched their unbeaten premier division run to 16 games and brought themselves to within five points of league leaders Rangers in the title race.But it was how they narrowed the gap with this victory overRaithRoversat Kirkcaldy which was so impressive. This was a venue where, last season, they might have stumbled, a game where they could have racked up one of the many draws which ended any thoughts of a challenge last term.

This, of course, is a differentCeltic, they now are a team who are playing with confidence. They were able to survive some early flurries from Raith and then move comfortably towards a two-goal lead before half-time.The goals which pushed them in front by the interval were worth waiting for. The first, after 16 minutes, was scored by Phil O’Donnell.Celticmanager Tommy Burns has had to wait long and patiently for a return on his £1.7m investment in the former Motherwell player, now, he is seeing the player’s talents blossom.
When John Collins pushed a ball forward to him at the edge of the penalty area, O’Donnell sent it unhesitatingly beyond Thomson, turning away almost before the ball had crossed the line.
The second, seven minutes before the break, was carved out byCeltic’sforeign connection of Pierre van Hooydonk and Andreas Thom though they had more than a little help from Raith defender Ronnie Coyle.
Coyle’s too casual clearance went straight to the Dutchman. He placed the ball back to The German, who delayed for a moment, then, as he saw Collins make ground on the left, sent a perfect ball into the Scottish internationalist’s path. Collins smashed a shot into goal andCelticwere moving towards victory.
Earlier, they might have lost a goal when Colin Cameron had sent Steve Crawford clear. The under-21 internationalist outpaced John Hughes and cracked a shot against the base of a post in only 10 minutes.
But, nowadays, these things do not seem to disturbCelticas they used to. There is an air of confidence about their play, and a steely determination when it is required.
Raith might have been encouraged before the match by the SFA decision that allowed Mark Humphries to play despite the fact that he had been sent off in Saturday’s match against Kilmarnock.
Humphries remains at the centre of a “mistaken identity” controversy but yesterday he was handed a reprieve by the SFA who will now rule on the affair at the next meeting of the disciplinary committee on January 26.
But any lift in confidence they might have felt disappeared quickly in the face of the footballCelticplayed. Raith rarely were allowed off the back foot as theCelticmidfield, with Paul McStay and O’Donnell outstanding, ran things.
Just after half-time, Simon Donnelly struck the bar with a raging shot and Raith manager Jimmy Nicholl seemed to decide that changes had to be made.
Neil McKilligan took over from Coyle in 57 minutes and nine minutes later Alex Taylor replaced Danny Lennon. However, nothing changed for his side.
Van Hooydonk celebrated his first anniversary at the Parkhead club with a spectacular headed goal from a Tosh McKinlay corner 14 minutes from time. It was a superb goal, one which the Dutchman celebrated and which theCelticfans acclaimed.
Burns must have believed that everything was over, and who could blame him. He hauled off McStay and Thom and sent on Morten Wieghorst and Andy Walker.
Yet, Raith still had the capacity to surprise their opponents. With eight minutes left, Cameron found space at the edge of the box and snapped a shot past Gordon Marshall for a goal which gave his team some consolation.
After the match Nicholl seemed to tip a title decider at Ibrox on St Patrick’s Day, when the Old Firm next meet. Said Nicholl: “We go to Ibrox on Saturday and will do our best but, honestly, the way bothCelticand Rangers are playing I cannot see them slipping up against anyone else in the league.
“I don’t see any of us being able to stop them. The title race is definitely between these two.”
Burns said: ”I thought our midfield was magnificent. There is just so much quality there. I thought we played very well and there are no nerves at all in the dressing-room.”

Daily Record
January11, 1996, Thursday
CELTS KEEP UP THE PRESSURE;
SlickCelticturned up the heat on pacesetters Rangers with a sparkling 3-1 win overRaith Roverson Tuesday night

BYLINE:Keith Jackson

SlickCelticturned up the heat on pacesetters Rangers with a sparkling 3-1 win overRaithRoverson Tuesday night.Goals from Phil O’Donnell, John Collins and Pierre van Hooydonk slashed the gap at the top of the table to just five points as Celts turned on the style again.
Tommy Burns’ side now face THREE vital away days at Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Rugby Park that will make or break their flag challenge.

Former Motherwell kid O’Donnell set them on their way at Stark’s Park after just 16 minutes with a drilled 20-yarder which flew past Scott Thomson.And John Collins rammed in the second seven minutes from the break with a strike that Rovers stopper Ronnie Coyle will want to forget.
Coyle had bags of time to clear his lines on the edge of the box, but instead fed the ball to van Hooydonk.
The big Dutchman passed to Andy Thom, who played a slide-rule pass inside to Collins and he almost burst the net.
Van Hooydonk provided a proper reflection ofCeltic’ssuperiority 14 minutes from time with a bulleted header before Raith’s best player, Colin Cam- eron, scampered through to score a late consolation goal.
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Tuesday, Falkirk hauled themselves off bottom spot with a gritty 3-0 win away to fellow strugglers Partick Thistle.
Former Jags star Albert Craig grabbed his first goal for the Bairns to set them on their way, Jamie McGowan’s first of the season killed off Thistle before half-time and Davie Weir added the third right on the final whistle.
In the First Division, Dundee United went top after a STORMY Tayside derby at Dens Park.
Dundee new boy Chic Charnley was red-carded for the 14th time in his career as United beat their city rivals 2-0.
Referee John Rowbotham sent off Charnley in 67 minutes when the pounds 25,000 signing from Dumbarton appeared to elbow Robbie Winters.
United’s Steven Pressley was also sent off for a second-half bust-up with Jim Hamilton, but THAT didn’t stop Billy Kirkwood’s side.
Winters grabbed a goal in each half to push the Tannadice side clear at the head of the promotion-chasing pack.
Also in Division One, George O’Boyle grabbed a hat-trick as St Johnstone stuffed Morton 6-1 at McDiarmid Park.
Tuesday night’s Scottish Cup second round replay between Brechin and Clyde ended in chaos at Glebe Park.
The floodlights failed five minutes into extra time with the sides deadlocked at 0-0 and they will replay on Monday.