Mowbray the main man as Celtic march on: Wdowczyk seals semi-final place direct from corner

Ian Paul

27 Aug 1992

Hearts 1, Celtic 2

DESPITE an impressive, aggressive first half from Hearts, Celtic were able to collect their second victory of the season at Tynecastle and move into today's Skol Cup semi-final draw.

Hearts had far more of the play than they might have anticipated during that first period but they did not take full advantage, although they did come back from a deficit to keep themselves level at half-time.

Celtic had gone ahead through Andy Payton, scoring his second goal for the club, but Hearts were well worth the equaliser hit from some distance by Gary Mackay.

It was after the interval that Celtic produced their best football, even if they were given a lift by a strange winning goal, scored direct from a corner by Dariusz Wdowczyk.

Overall, the Parkhead team probably just deserved to get through and much of the credit for that should go to a sound defence, well organised by man-of-the-match Tony Mowbray.

Maybe the chairman's frank appraisal of their financial status had got through to the Hearts players but, whatever the cause, they seemed quite determined to demonstrate their own worth.

For all of the first half they held the initiative and forced Celtic, perhaps to the Glasgow team's surprise, into serious defence.

The Parkhead keeper, Marshall, might not have expected to be brought into action immediately but it was not very long before he had to prove himself on the alert when he got down to a Crabbe shot after a Mowbray clearance had landed at the Hearts man's feet.

Celtic withstood the early barrage and in their first genuine raid Creaney hit a shot which Smith was happy to collect without much bother.

Hearts had to make a change in 19 minutes when Mauchlen went off injured to be replaced by Neil Berry, who was making his first appearance in the top team for 18 months.

The alteration made no difference to Hearts' positive attitude and that was exemplified by a sweeping Mackay cross in front of goal which needed the slightest of deflections to open the scoring.

However, none of his colleagues could manage the final touch.

For all their territorial superiority, Hearts were not making many clear-cut chances, and they were always liable to suffer from a sharp counter-attack.

In 37 minutes that is what happened.

Grant sent a superb ball through to Creaney who was in one of those "marginal" offside positions, when the linesman had to make an instant decision, but the player was allowed to carry on and when his shot was blocked by Smith, Levein tried to complete the clearance.

Unfortunately for him, the ball went to Payton who smacked it over the line.

But justice was done five minutes later when Hearts equalised with a marvellous goal.

Robertson and Ferguson set up the chance for Mackay 22 yards out, and the midfield man hit a tremendous right-foot shot into the corner of the net.

If that was a splendid example of attacking football, Celtic's second goal has to go in the bizarre category.

When Wdowczyk hit a corner from the right eight minutes after the break, a couple of players made strenuous attempts to make contact, Creaney and Levein particularly, but the ball appeared to bounce between them and carry on its way into the net.

Celtic put Slater on for Payton who had suffered a knock, five minutes later.

And shortly afterwards came the first booking of the evening, when Galloway was shown the yellow card after a foul on Robertson.

The bookings then followed rapidly.

O'Neil had his name taken for holding on to Crabbe's shirt, and then Levein, for fouling Creaney, was followed into Mr Hope's notebook by Hogg who had fouled Slater.

Glyn Snodin then came on for McKinlay as Hearts made their final push to save the tie.

Foster came close to doing just that two minutes from the end with a fine effort from 20 yards, but Marshall saw it just in time to knock the ball over.

HEARTS -- Smith, Hogg, McKinlay, Levein, Mackay, van de Ven, Robertson, Ferguson, Crabbe, Mauchlen, Foster.

Substitutes -- Snodin and Berry.

CELTIC -- Marshall, Boyd, Wdowczyk, Grant, Mowbray, Galloway, O'Neil, McStay, Payton, Creaney, Collins.

Substitutes -- Slater and McNally.

Referee -- D Hope (Erskine).

Taken from the Herald