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Our look at five unheralded victories over our greatest rivals continues with this bizarre victory in 1995.
Season 1994-95 was one of ups and downs for Celtic. We had the relief of the Scottish Cup final victory - our first trophy for five years - coupled with the disaster of the League Cup final defeat to Raith. A triumphant 2-0 win at Ibrox and a dispiriting 3-1 loss at Hampden.
Yes, Celtic played at Hampden Park for the entirety of this season, as Celtic Park was being renovated. Unsurprisingly this had a detrimental effect on our home results and by the time this game was played we were languishing in fifth place in the league, twenty-four points behind Rangers, who were already confirmed as champions.
The game had a bizarre end of season feeling about it, as Celtic were preoccupied with the upcoming Scottish Cup Final against Airdrie whilst Rangers were so nonplussed about the match that Walter Smith went off to Italy to scout Paul Gascoigne. However, there was still a match to be win, and a marker of sorts to be laid down for next season.
The first half of this game was really rather dull in all honesty, but exploded into action early in the second half, when after a mazy run by Brian McLaughlin the ball broke to Pierre Van Hooijdonk, who made space for himself on the edge of the box and drove home an unstoppable shot. The second goal arrived in the 61st minute, and was quite hilarious. A pass from Paul McStay sent Simon Donnelly free on the wing and his cross was diverted into his own net by notorious Australian clogger Craig Moore.
The third goal arrived in the last ten minutes and was once again highly amusing, as Rangers goalkeeper Billy Thomson completely misjudged a Rudi Vata free-kick and let it squirm under him into the next. To compound a miserable day for Thomson he was sent-off shortly after for a last man foul on Brian McLaughlin as he burst through on goal.
The confidence the team took from this result perhaps helped lead to our vitally important Scottish Cup Final win a few weeks later, the game which finally put Celtic back on the trophy hunt.
Celtic 3 (Van Hooijdonk 50', Moore (og) 61', Vata 83') Rangers 0