Dundee 0
Celtic 3
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier .

Because football managers are naturally inclined to concentrate on the performance of their own team, their after-match comments can be a bit one-sided.

There are times, however, when they get the balance just right, as Dundee's Jocky Scott and Celtic's Davie Hay proved after Saturday's 3-0 win at Dens Park put Celtic the champions back on top of the Premier League.

Said Celtic boss Hay, "Dundee were the better side in the first half, but couldn't score. We were the better side in the second half, did score and deserved to win.

"Roy Aitken and Pat Bonner were great when Dundee were on top. Mo Johnston didn't do much first half but deserved his two second half goals.

Over to Jocky Scott: "Just the usual. To be perfectly honest, you could have written the script before the game.

"Against Celtic first game of the season we were the better team second half and couldn't score. Here we were the better team first half and couldn't score.

"Possibly the most galling thing, though, is that, of their three goals, we had possession of the ball near their penalty box on each occasion, lost it, and ended up having a goal scored against us. It keeps happening."

Then, turning to the Dundee strikers, "You are either a good striker or you aren't. Mo Johnston proved that. Never in the game first half, a goal with his first real kick of the ball in the second half, then another one.

"When we play like we did first half, we should score and did against Clydebank and Hamilton. But against the top sides we play well and don't score.

"Coming out of a game like this with nothing proves how vital it is for us to beat Clydebank, Hamilton and the like.

"The players can't be faulted for effort. They didn't 'bottle it'

because it was Celtic. They simply couldn't put the ball in the net." Spurred on first half by a brilliant Tosh McKinlay, who was allowed an amazing amount of room down the left, Dundee's Harvey, Stephen, Brown, Jack and even central defender Jim Smith had chances, but failed to take them.

The huge Celtic support gave their team "stick" in this period, but their anger changed to non-stop backing from the time Johnston got goal No. 1 just after the interval.

McClair swept the ball home for No. 2 in 67 minutes and Johnston proved what good strikers are all about when, just on time, Geddes couldn't hold a McLeod free kick and the Scotland man pounced to guide the ball in for No. 3.

Dundee were creating chances up to the 88th minute, but still couldn't score.

Brown and McGeachie went off for Rafferty and Hendry for Dundee and Willie McStay and Shepherd gave way to Grant and McGhee for Celtic, with Grant, going in at right back, having a lot to do with the lessening of

McKinlay's effect second half- and laying on the opening goal. McInally had his name taken for a foul on Duffy, Smith was yellow-carded for a foul on Johnston.