Dunfermline 1 Celtic 2
Saturday, 8th May 1999SPL:
Tommy Johnson (2) 0-1:
Tommy Johnson (44) 0-2:
Owen Coyle (83) 1-2:
DA ARE IN DIVISION ONE
Although still an arithmetic possibility to avoid relegation, reality is that Dunfermline are back in Division One. Six points behind Dundee United but Pars with an inferior goal difference in comparison to the Arabs.
Celtic came to East End Park without Tommy Boyd, Vidar Riseth and Stephane Mahe but failure to pick up a point from a ten man Celtic side sent the Pars crashing out of the top flight. Andy Tod yet again led the team out but Dunfermline were without Jamie Dolan (suspended) and mysteriously David Graham who one can only assume was injured.
Celtic scored with their first move up the field as Englishman Tommy JOHNSON was left unmarked inside the penalty box and left with a simple conversion. Owen Coyle managed to miss two sitters and Marc Miller tested Stewart Kerr with a fierce shot after Stewart Petrie lined him up for a drive from the edge of the box. Henrik Larsson and Phil O’Donnell burst through and the Swede should have scored but decided to draw the keeper and slip a pass for his offside team mate to net.
Viduka reacted badly to a 43rd minute foul and was red carded for spitting on Marc Millar. Celtic however scored from the set piece, JOHNSON again - 44th minute.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Celtic 1
Second half started with Harald Brattback replacing O’Donnell. Marc Millar was deemed to handle inside the box and Lee Butler saved Henrik Larsson’s 53rd minute penalty. Luck might have turned but the Fifers did not seem to realise that they were poised for the drop until the last 15 minutes. There followed a spirited final push from the homesters and despite Owen COYLE scoring in the 83rd minute the Celtic defence held out to see Dunfermline down
Manager Dick Campbell said after the match that “we were a credit to the Premier League. If it’s us this year it will be somebody else next year”.
SUBS NOT USED: Derek Ferguson, Chris McGroarty, David Hay (GK)
SCORERS: Coyle (83)
YELLOW CARD: Shields (77)
CELTIC: Stewart Kerr: Alan Stubbs, Enrico Annoni, Paul Lambert Phil O`Donnell (Harald Brattbakk HT), Morten Wieghorst, Simon Donnelly, Chris Healy, Henrik Larsson, Tommy Johnson, Mark Viduka
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Marshall, Mark Burchill, Liam Keogh, Barry John Corr (GK)
SCORERS: Johnson (2, 44)
YELLOW CARD: Donnelly, Larsson
RED CARD: Viduka (43)
REFEREE: W Young (Clarkston)
WEATHER:
ATTENDANCE 8809
NEXT MATCH: v Dundee (away) Saturday 15th May 1999
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