Celtic Games 1889 - Queen's Park
The Scotsman - Monday, 16th September
1889, page 4 Queen’s Park v Celtic – The undecided tie in the first round of the
Scottish Cup was replayed at Hampden Park, which was in fine condition. With the view of keeping the crowd within manageable limits, the price of admission was doubled, but despite this nearly 10,000 spectators witnessed the contest. The match was a very fast one and a splendid exhibition of the dribbling code was given, resulting in a win for the Queen’s Park by two goals to one. Both teams had a good reception when they entered the field of play, and a start was made fully a minute before time. The Queen’s right got away from a pass of Robertson’s, and Kelly kicked out just in front of goal. Then Arnott put in a long kick from Coleman, Sellar running the ball down the wing where Reynolds kicked into touch twice. Arnott kicked the ball away from Groves’ foot, and then M’Laughlan had to throw out. From a run of James Hamilton’s, M’Keown put in a long kick, but Arnott returned, and Hamilton sent the ball over the line. Allan, Hamilton, and Sellar got away, but Reynolds cleared with a rare overhead kick. This gave the Celts a grand chance, but Groves handled the ball. The Queen’s again got up by rare passing, but Hector made a very weak shot, and then Madden and Groves ran right to the other end. M’Ara got away the centre, and Berry was loudly cheered for some grand dodging along the touchline, fairly walking round Coleman and Maley. Sellar made a rare centre, but Maley got the ball away. Groves caused Gillespie to throw out, and then the Queen’s were away again, Berry shooting past. The Queen’s had now settled down and at this stage were having the best of it. Reynolds was loudly cheered for tackling Sellar. The Queen’s right and centre got away and Kelly saved just in time to prevent certain disaster. Some bungling by the Celts backs let in Hamilton, but M’Laughlan twice saved timely. Then Coleman put in a rare screw, which Gillespie threw out. The referee awarded the Queen’s a free kick for some shady work on the part of Dowds, a decision which was received with loud cheering. Some tricky passing by Hector, Berry and Hamilton gave the first-named a splendid chance, but he shot high and wide. The Celts got a foul in front of goal, and Groves sent in a hot one straight for goal. Smellie, however, headed out, and play was once more taken to the Celts goal. Kelly cleared, but the Queen’s got away again and again, although they could make no perceptible impression on the defence. Groves got a grand chance right in front from a centre of Madden’s, but the shot went high over the bar. Then Hamilton was tripped right in front, but although Allan Stewart made a rare shot, Kelly sent the ball out of danger. The play in the open was fairly good, but the backs were always too strong for the forwards on either side. In front of goal, from a shot of Arnott’s, Kelly showed the best piece of play of the day, clearing his goal, and dribbling the ball to the other end. A splendid bit of tackling by Arnott ended the first period, in which there was no scoring. The Queen’s Park early took the lead in the second half, and Hamilton sent in a hot shot, which M’Keown kicked out. Sellar again centred nicely, but Hamilton and the ball were bustled over the line by four of the “Greens”. Sellar came away with a rush, and banging the ball across, James Hamilton scored with a lightning shot, six minutes from the re-start. An exciting scrimmage took place in front of the Celtic goal a minute later, but M’Laughlan cleared luckily. The referee cautioned Reynolds for kicking Hamilton. Groves got away with one of his sensational runs, and although he kept ahead, Arnott and Smellie were in close pursuit, and his shot went wide. A corner to the Celts was watched amid great silence. A prolonged attack was kept up, but the backs kept Gillespie idle. Another corner fell to the Celtic, but Maley headed past after a most exciting scrimmage, amid loud cheering. Hector scored again for the Queen’s, Sellar charging through M’Laughlan, but, for some unapparent reason, the referee disallowed the point. The Queen’s were now playing grandly, completely beating their opponents. Reynolds was once more cautioned, and from the free kick a scrimmage occurred. The Queen’s almost scored again, Robertson striking the bar. The Queen’s were having it all their own way. Hamilton sent in a rare shot, which missed by inches. Sellar next made a rare screw kick from the touch line and Berry banged the ball in, but it rebounded off Maley. The Queen’s had very hard lines. Twenty-five minutes form the start the Celts got away, and the ball being centred from the right, Dowds headed through what looked like a simple goal. The point was received with simply deafening cheers, again and again renewed. The game was stopped for a couple of minutes through Groves being hurt, but he did not require to leave the field. Kelly sent in a long shot, which Gillespie fisted out, and then M’Laughlan had an anxious time at the other end. He got the ball away from a rare corner of Sellars, but Robertson replied with a grand one, which struck the bar. The Queen’s came again, and by some marvellous saving a lot of luck, the Celts still held their goal, after half a dozen grand shots had been showered in on it. This was very hard lines on the Queen’s, and was received with great cheering. After some very fast play the Queen’s got down to the Celtic territory, where Berry got the ball, and sent in a rare shot, which fairly beat M’Laughlan, amidst a tremendous outburst of cheering. Some three or four minutes still remained till time, and each goal in turn was besieged, but the whistle sounded without anything further being scored, and the game ended:- Queen’s Park, 2 goals; Celtic, 1 goal.
Mr Tom Maley, umpire, Mr J. L. Robertson (Queen of the South Wanderers) acted as referee with commendable decision and promptitude.
Celtic Team:-McLaughlinReynolds
McKeown
Gallacher
Kelly Jas
Maley W
Madden
Dowds
Groves
Coleman
Dunbar
Scorers:-Dowds
