Stillie keeps Celtic at bay to spoil title celebrations
Celtic 1 Dunfermline Athletic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Dunfermline gatecrashed Celtic's championship celebrations with a confidence-boosting victory at Parkhead yesterday before their Scottish Cup final meeting with the champions at Hampden Park on 22 May.
Dunfermline gatecrashed Celtic's championship celebrations with a confidence-boosting victory at Parkhead yesterday before their Scottish Cup final meeting with the champions at Hampden Park on 22 May.
Celticwere presented with the Premier League trophy, but the atmosphere soon fell flat as Barry Nicholson and Gary Dempsey scored either side of Henrik Larsson's 37th goal of the season.
But Jimmy Calderwood, the Dunfermline manager, picked out his goalkeeper, Derek Stillie, for a stunning performance that earned the victory for the cash-strapped club. "He has been magnificent all season and he is going to be a big loss for us," said Calderwood who cannot afford to keep Stillie next season. "I would love to find a few quid to keep him but that's just the situation the club is in at the moment. They are a great bunch of lads but I'm afraid finances decide what happens now. This game was on live television and I hope a lot of managers were watching him."
Nicholson put Dunfermline ahead in the 28th minute following Lee Bullen's break. The left-sided defender picked out Derek Young, and David Marshall in the Celtic goal did well to save his initial effort, but the ball broke back to Bullen who this time found Nicholson at the far post and he calmly turned the ball into the net.
Celtic drew level two minutes after the break when Larsson, unmarked at the near post, headed home Aiden McGeady's corner from close range. But Dunfermline went ahead for the second time in the 59th minute when Marshall, showing a rare lapse in concentration, was slow to get down to Dempsey's 30-yard drive and the ball squeezed inside the post.
Dunfermline held on to win at Parkhead for the first time since 1997, boosting their hopes of another party in Glasgow later this month.
"To come here and win doesn't happen too often so we're delighted," Stillie said. "The guys did brilliant. We need a miracle to beat them twice - but I believe in miracles."
Goals: Nicholson (28) 0-1; Larsson (47) 1-1; Dempsey (59) 1-2.
Celtic (3-5-2): Marshall; Varga, Mjallby, McManus (Pearson, h-t); Smith (Miller, 55), Lennon, Lambert, Thompson, McGeady (Beattie, 75); Larsson, Sutton. Substitutes not used: Douglas (gk), Wallace.
Dunfermline (3-5-2): Stillie; Skerla, Shields, Byrne; Bullen, Nicholson, Mason, Dempsey (Kilgannon, 88), Darren Young; Derek Young (Labonte, 85), Mehmet (Hunt, 54). Substitutes not used: Scott Y Thomson (gk), Grondin.
Referee: D McDonald (Scotland).
Bookings: Celtic: Thompson. Dunfermline: Stillie.
Man of the match: Stillie.
Attendance: 59,739.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments