Stalybridge Celtic

Reporter: Stalybridge Celtic
Date online: 08 March 2010

There was just one game this week as Celtic prepare for a mammoth run in. It was away at Harrogate, normally not a happy hunting ground for us, but on a boggy, undulating pitch Celtic ran Harrogate ragged, though the game could have changed very easily.

Harrogate knew their pitch better than Celtic, and got off the early chances with Lee Gregory and Richard Dunning testing Dave Carnell, Gregory’s second effort requiring a good save. At the other end, Andy Smart blazed a free kick well over the bar, and Joe O’Neill was unlucky when his glancing header from a Dave Hankin cross was narrowly wide.

Celtic did go ahead, as Celtic stamped their authority on the match, a corner routine that Celtic passed around the home defence before Jody Banim ghosted into Joe O’Neill’s pull back and rifled it home.

Straight after the restart and Barrie Keeling fed Lee Dodgson who weaved his way into the box, played a one-two with Banim, dodged a few more tackles and slid the ball under a mesmerised Aaron Ratchford.

Celtic got a bit of luck in a game changing moment when Tom Cahill’s rocket of a shot smashed against the underside of the bar, but did not cross the line, and Celtic took the luck and put Harrogate out of the game completely. Warren Peyton went whisker wide with a free kick, and Peyton provided the cross from a free kick for Michael Carr to ghost onto and nod past an off balance Ratchford.

The game was marred when Craig Hobson came on, and seconds later was flattened by Ratchford challenging for a 50-50 ball, requiring hospital treatment for a broken arm. Matty Barlow was the sub for the sub, and his first touch was to chest a Dodgson ball down for Jody Banim to smash between Ratchford’s legs. Barlow could have added a gloss, but for the shoelace of Ratchford turning his shot wide.

Results for the last two games:

Saturday 6 March,, Harrogate Town Away 4 - 0 Banim(2), Dodgson, Carr
Saturday 27 February Gainsborough Trinity Home 3 - 2 O'Neill, Banim, Jennings