Stalybridge Celtic - Sunday 28 February 2010

Reporter: Stalybridge Celtic
Date online: 01 March 2010

Only one game this week, though we should have been playing Fleetwood on Tuesday; due to snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures, this game has been put back to Thursday 25 of March, meaning we will now play Hyde at home, Telford and Hyde away, Fleetwood and Alfreton at home and finish it off with a trip to Droylsden within a two week period. Quite a calendar.

Additionally, Jim Harvey has made his first signing, a left winger called Lee Dodgson who has played for Jim at Morecambe and Forest Green. He was at Fleetwood, but with a surfeit of players, Fleetwood had loaned him to Vauxhall Motors. Jim Harvey believes he is an excellent player and will balance up the contributions from Dave Hankin that he has said are invaluable.

Saturday’s game against Gainsborough saw a comfortable Celtic in the first half, creating the majority of the chances, but a goal just before half time gave Gainsborough the confidence they needed to come out in the second half all guns blazing.

Jody Banim and Joe O’Neill both went close, O’Neill hitting the side netting, and new signing Lee Dodgson forced a stop at the second attempt from Phil Barnes. Barnes then tipped over a thunderous strike from Warren Peyton and a lovely ball from Dave Hankin set up Joe O’Neill who curled his shot between keeper and post.

Minutes later and it was two, when Banim outpaced Anthony Peters to go one-on-one before sliding the ball home past Barnes. Right before half time Lewis McMahon forced Dave Carnell into a good stop, but the rebound fell to Luke Beckett to tap in.

At the start of the second half, Sam Aiston was given the freedom of Bower Fold twenty-five yards out to power a good curling shot into the top corner and bring Trinity level. After that, it was Dave Carnell who kept Celtic in it, during a pounding from the visitors. First off a great stop from an acute angle from Darren Dunning, before an outstanding close range save off Luke Beckett. This performance allowed Celtic to still be on terms as Celtic regained a footing in the game, substitutes Craig Hobson and Greg Wilkinson both forced Phil Barnes into excellent stops, Hobson’s flicked header into the bottom corner scrambled away, and Wilkinson’s top corner effort clawed away by Barnes.

Trinity through themselves in front of the ball from the corner, first O’Neill denied from close range, and then Banim. There was no respite for Trinity as Connor Jennings was brought on to replace O’Neill.

As the final whistle approached, Hobson chased down a seamlessly hopeless ball, won it, beat his man and fired in a low cross that was destined for Jody Banim but Barnes palmed clear, right to Jennings’s feet. The young striker flicked the ball over Barnes and snatched a second consecutive win for Celtic in the dying seconds.

Results for the last two games:
Sat, 27 February Gainsborough Trinity Home 3 - 2 ONeill, Banim, Jennings
Sat, 20 February Gloucester City Away 2 - 1 ONeill, Peyton