Killie Exact Their Revenge Over Celtic!

Kilmarnock 4 Celtic 0
(Scot Division 1, Match 30, Rugby Park, Mar 21st 1964)

“Revenge is sweet” murmured an enthusiastic Kilmarnock, Supporter as he passed the pressbox on his way out of the Rugby Park stand on Saturday, delighted that his team, by a crush­ing 4-0 win over Celtic, had wiped out the memory of their 5-0 defeat at Parkhead earlier in the season.  But this back-to-form display did more than square the issue - it boosted Killie's Scottish Cup chances and doubtless the morale of the players following two successive league reverses at Tannadice and Ibrox which possibly wrecked their title hopes.  What a different outcome the game with Rangers might have produced had Kilmarnock played like this the previous week.

The inspiration behind their great win over Celtic was Campbell Forsyth (right)  who, with magnificent goalkeeping which must surely earn him a full Scotland cap against England next month, defied the. Parkhead sharp-shooters during a first-halt fight back to wipe out an early goal for Kilmarnock, First when Chalmers outpaced McGrory and came racing in on the Killie goal, Forsyth dashed out to prevent a score with a do-or-die save which succeeded. Next to throw himself at the foot of Hughes when the big winger broke clear of all opposition and in the process of stopping him injured his hand but, fortunately, not seriously.

Save of the Match

But the save of the match to set the seal on an outstanding goalkeeping performance came shortly after the turn when he pushed a fierce 10-yards shot from Chalmers I round the post. The big 'keeper had several other saves of note and by keeping Celtic out at a time when, against a less capable custodian, they might have got the necessary goals to swing the game their way, he sparked of the Killie revival which reached its height in the second-half.   Without, however, trying to pun on the name of the winner of the Grand National it was team spirit that won the day.   Every Killie player contributed his quota and the result was a display of skilful team­work, which Celtic couldn't match.  Early problems presented to King and Watson by Hughes and Johnstone were soon solved and in the end the backs had complete mastery over the Celtic wingers.

But the strongest outfield Killie division was unquestionably the half-back line.  Beattie, McGrory and Murray were immense b o t h defensively and constructively, and together removed most of the threats conjured up by the opposing inside forward formation of Murdoch, Chalmers and Divers.

Eric Murray’s Best

Full of running, the home forwards responded to excellent service from behind and their interchanging approaches and quick thrusts had a suspect Celtic defence sorely harassed and outmanoeuvred in the final stages.  Sneddon’s craft was always in evidence and as schemer of the line he got splendid support from his colleagues.   Black, after a slow start, emerged as an effective winger, but the winners greatest strength in attack came from inside trio of McInally, Murray and Sneddon.  Eric Murray, the team's much criticised centre dropped against Rangers the previous week, but restored on Saturday to let Black take over from the injured Hugh Brown, had his best game to date as attack leader.  On this showing he played himself into Killie’s semi-final side.  Murray had say in all four goals, scoring the first two and giving the passes, which enabled McInally also to get a double.

MURRAY struck first in them 16^th minute when he smashed the ball past Fallon after a King free kick had been helped on its way by McIlroy.  Celts fought courageously to get on level terms and this made for quickly alternating exchanges, which kept the crowd entertained. Quick goals in the 64th and 66th minute by Kilmarnock, however, ended Celtic’s hopes of saving the game and from then onwards Kilmarnock were the masters, MURRAY made it 2-0 when he first-timed a McFadzean cross into the net to complete a move started from a quick throw-in by Black. Hardly had the cheering died down than Murray sent Jackie McINALLY (right) through the middle and, while the Celtic defence stopped to claim offside he beat Fallon with a low shot.  It was, McINALLY, too, who out jumped several Celtic defenders to head a glorious fourth goal, again from service by Murray in the 72^nd minute.

Andy King Booked

Fought at a tremendous pace on a surface, made heavy and greasy by rain, this was a highly entertain­ing match.  Waged at a. cracking pace it lacked nothing in whole­hearted effort, sometimes a little too wholehearted as evidenced by the booking of Andy King (right) after an incident with Hughes, and in skilful soccer with Kilmarnock providing the bulk of it.  Inferior in defence and attack, Celtic lacked the method and precision shown by their slick-moving opponents. Best Celts were Fallon McNeil and Kennedy in defence with Chalmers the most menacing forward.

The fact that the crowd was smaller than usual for a Kilmarnock v. Celtic game at Rugby Park – it was on the was on the 12,000 mark – could perhaps be accounted for mainly by the heavy rain which came on around lunch-time and continued for the greater part of the afternoon.

Kilmarnock: Forsyth; King and Watson; McFadzean, McGrory and Beattie; Black, McInally, Murray, Sneddon and McIlroy.