Attendance 10,613
Rangers went into tonight’s fixture three points clear
of their great rivals with both clubs having three
games left after this crucial meeting.
Rangers had of course recently eliminated Celtic from
the Scottish Youth Cup, and will now face Kilmarnock
in the final at Rugby Park on 10 May.
Celtic set out their stall early, committing two fouls
in as many minutes – Brian Gilmour almost punished
them with a twenty-yard shot that was inches wide.
Rangers had the early pressure, yet it was Celtic who
struck first in twenty minutes when Charlie Grant
forced the ball home following a Charles Mulgrew
free-kick.
Celtic were clearly boosted by their success, and
might have added a second in 34 minutes when Michael
McGlinchey was inches wide from a Gary Irvine cross,
but it was Rangers who finished the half on top.
Warren Jacmot was in impressive form down the right,
and it was from his cross in 39 minutes that Bob
Davidson saw his header held by Celtic goalkeeper
Sandy Wood.
Two minutes later Ross McCormack, the goal-scoring
hero in the recent Youth Cup semi-final between the
two teams, was inches wide with a 22-yard free-kick.
If Celtic had had slightly the better of the
first-half then the second belonged to Rangers.
Graeme Watson came close with a twenty-yard shot from
a McCormack free-kick, the ball whistling just over
the bar in 51 minutes.
Five minutes later Andy Dick’s header from another
McCormack free-kick was again just over.
Celtic remained dangerous on the break however –
Michael Gardyne’s solo run on the hour ending when his
low shot was held by home goalkeeper Lee Robinson.
The balance of play was very much in the home side’s
favour however – sixty seconds later Andy Dick’s
powerful drive was inches wide.
The equaliser was coming – and it duly arrived in 72
minutes when Ross McCormack found the net with a quite
superb 25-yard free-kick.
Rangers went all out for the winner – Bob Davidson
heading inches over from a McCormack corner with eight
minutes left on the clock.
Celtic almost stole it however – Dairmid O’Carroll
heading onto the roof of the net from a Scott Friel
cross in 86 minutes.
The last word belonged to McCormack however – another
free-kick being parried by Wood in the final minute.
RANGERS Robinson; Jacmot, Coyle; Watson, McKenzie,
Dick; Gilmour, McCormack, Davidson, Adam, Fetai
(Johnston 83)
UNUSED SUBS Agnew, Lennon, Reidford, Fraser
CELTIC Wood; Cuthbert, Mulgrew; Grant, Low (Friel 69),
O’Dea; Irvine, McGlinchey (O’Brien 83), O’Carroll,
Gardyne, Conroy (Hudson 83)
UNUSED SUBS Cassidy, Fox