Scottish Cup Final
Saturday May 22nd 2004

Dunfermline 1

Celtic 3

1:0 Skerla 40
1:1 Larsson 58
1:2 Larsson 71
1:3 Petrov 84 Douglas Mjallby Balde Valgaeren Agathe Lambert Lennon Petrov Thompson Larsson Hartson subs Laursen for Valgaeren 65

Att: 50,804

MIB: Stuart Dougal

Celtic: Marshall Mjallby Balde Valgaeren Agathe Lambert Lennon Petrov Thompson Larsson Hartson

subs Laursen for Valgaeren 65

A truly heroic last bow from Larsson; one nil down in the Cup Final and he pulls it out of the fire for us one last time.

The Pars were well up for this and so were their fans (cheerfully singing 'No Huns at Hampden' as they walked through Mount Florida, they even changed it when Calderwood and Nicholl were pointed out to them; 'Two Huns at Hampden' was the song thereafter), and going in at half time a goal down it didn't look too good.

We were in a situation similar to the last previous league meeting between the two sides, with Celtic not playing badly, but certainly not playing very well. Added to this was the fact that the officials had allowed a Dunfermline goal to stand when it certainly appeared that the keeper had been fouled (he had) and disallowing a Celtic goal after it appeared Petrov had fouled his opponent (he hadn't). Two vital decisions that had gone Dunfermline's way.

But any thoughts of ref bias didn't last long into the second half. You would have thought that having cost us progress in the Champions League Bobo might have worked hard at keeping his arms down when he jumps in the box. Not a bit of it; Pars corner Bobo goes up and clears it with his arm. Luckily it was missed by nearly everyone in the ground. Even luckier, the ball fell to Sutton who proceeded to drive a remarkable 60 yard pass to Larsson. His marker lost the ball in flight and fell over his own feet, leaving Henrik one on one, albeit at a tight angle. Cue a sweet curling shot straight out of the top drawer. Of all the elements in the goal the one that was completely overlooked was Sutton's pass. Unbelievable given that it helped turn the game.

Of course the press were keen to focus on the hand ball but of all people Jimmy Calderwood dealt with that by saying that their goal could have gone either way and he no complaints.

Having equalised Celtic finally took control of the game, Lennon and Thompson in particular pulling the strings.

The second was another striking master class from Henrik, this time it was how to turn a defender and fire a surprise shot. The goalie barely moved as the ball went into the net low at the corner.

Stan Petrov wrapped things up with a snap shot in the last few minutes, the Bulgarian finally getting his hands on the old pot after missing out in 2001 with a broken ankle.

The double for the first time since McStay, McAvennie and Aitken in 1988. Here's hoping we aren't in for rerun of what happened after that.

Cup final postscript Martin O'Neill has still to win a cup final with Celtic wearing the hoops, although he has won three cup final all have been won wearing the away kit. In the two we've lost (both to the huns) we've had the hoops on. Odd.

Prior to the Cup Final Gordon Smith was asking whether Paul Lambert was about to set a record if he collected a winners badge given that he'd collected one in 1987, a gap of 17 years. No it doesn't, Celtic legend Jimmy 'Napolean' McMenemy collected his first Scottish Cup medal with Celtic in 1904 after a 3-2 win over Rangers (Jimmy Quinn hattrick) and his last with Partick Thistle in 1921 after a 1-0 win also over Rangers, in the only Scottish Cup final ever to be played at Celtic Park (he also collected six other Scottish Cup winner's badges). Obviously if Lambert plays when we retain the cup next season that will be a record. Bob Crampsey eat yer heart out.