SPL Sunday May 2nd 2004

Celtic 1

Dunfermline 2

0:1 Nicholson 28
1:1 Larsson 47
1:2 Dempsey 59

Att: 59,739

MIB: Dougie McDonald

Celtic: Marshall Varga Mjallby McManus Smith Lambert Lennon Thompson McGeady Sutton Larsson

subs Pearson for McManus 45
Miller for Smith 55
Beattie for McGeady 75

I thought the new pitch was meant to help us? So far we've managed to draw and lose twice since the tattie field was replaced.

This was hopefully an exercise in drawing the Pars into a sense of false security, although if we play like this at Hampden it will be a sense of justified security. Aiden McGeady made his home debut and the only crumb of comfort to find is that Henrik's home league debut was a 2:1 defeat by Dunfermline. Nothing quite like piling on the pressure is there? He was fairly good, although he could do with learning a bit from Maloney who always demands the ball from his team mates. Young Aiden still seemed to be a bit in awe of his first team colleagues.

Both Pars goals were debacles from start to finish. Firstly Varga half heartedly challenged for a through ball that would have been his in any other game, Marshall saved and the whole team switched off, oblivious to the fact that the ball was not only still in play but in the process of being crossed into our box. One ex-hun volley later we're a goal down.

We equalised two minutes into the second half - Larsson heading in McGeady's perfect corner - but then we switched off again, Marshall committing the sort of error that Rab would never get away with, somehow letting a 25 yard shot bobble past him.

The Hoops tried their best to rally toward the end but Dunfermline held out.

No matter really, we still lifted the league trophy etc, although what we were doing letting Miller get his hands on it I do not know. Ach well, championees. Again.