Celtic 2
Dundee 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier.

The Premier League title race will be decided at thrill-filled Dens Park on Saturday before a huge crowd.

Will visitors Hearts keep their long-held lead, or will a Dundee win enable Celtic to nose in front on goal difference?

Celtic manager Davie Hay had it all worked out before he faced the press after his side stayed in contention with a 2-0 win over Dundee.

"If we win both our games, score five goals, and Hearts are beaten at Dens, we can still do it," he said.

Then he announced he was off to Copenhagen to watch two players in two games.

Certainly, Celts did not have the class of champs against the Dark Blues.

After Ray Stephen was sent off in the 22nd minute, after impetuous retaliation for a Danny McGrain foul, a side with a real thirst for success should have overcome the re-cast Dens side. Bobby Geddes defied them, and the margin that denied Dundee was narrow.

When John Brown raced clear on a Bobby Connor pass, the reason he did not blast a left foot shot into the net was not clear. The explanation was that at the vital moment a bead of sweat rolled into Brown's eye and blurred his vision.

Apart from that, Brown was close with three headers, and he sent Stewart Forsyth off on a run which could have produced a goal. Why the shot was not on target, Stewart could have some difficulty explaining.

Forsyth was unlucky when Brian McClair's shot struck him and spun over Geddes into the net. Then, he hit a free kick from the right far too hard, so that it fell well beyond the far post and was easily cleared to Paul McStay, on to Owen Archdeacon and square to Mo Johnston to score the clinching goal.

Dundee had little luck in a game which saw "Tosh" McKinlay limping off, and now they have to beat Hearts to give them any chance of playing in Europe next season. Archie Knox agreed the sending off was the key to the whole game.