Match Report -
Hyde take the Festive Fixture
By Iain Benson
Hyde took their chances when they were given to snatch two goals that Celtic were unable to pull back.

A goalless first half was about right, as Hyde's chances were few and far between, and Celtic seemed unable to turn a half chance into a full one. Dale Johnson had a half chance for Hyde, but it was a bread and butter collection for the Celtic keeper as Jan Budtz scooped it up. Whilst at the other end, Connor Jennings made a nuisance of himself turning former Celt Andy Smart inside out, but fired off a defender into the side netting for a corner that Phil Marsh sent inches past the woodwork.

Glenn Rule and Lee Elam both had good chances that Russell Saunders was happy to watch whistle past the posts, with Elam having a second bite at the cherry that he fired towards the top far corner, and just wide, and Elam almost turned provider when he pulled the ball back for Lloyd Ellams, but Ellams put the ball low past the near post. At the other end, Scott Mooney had a decent effort that saw Budtz at full stretch to tip around the post, and Celtic broke quickly from the corner in, with Greg Wilkinson seeing Steve Halford getting enough of a head on the ball to divert his shot over the bar.

Right at the start of the second half, Dale Johnson's shot smacked against the post, and with the goal gaping, Tom Manship just had to get the rebound on target, which he did to open the scoring. Celtic looked annoyed by the goal, and it gave them some fire, with Ellams stretchibng out a leg off a low Jennings cross, but unable to steer home, and Jennings getting closer too, but still wide, before Jennings worked himself the space with a neat one-two off Glenn Rule, but his shot was a comfortable catch for Saunders.

Not so his save from Phil Marsh midway through the half. Marsh was through, and looked a dead cert to equalise with his poked shot, but Saunders pulled off the save of the match to keep his side in the lead.

That save was to prove even more important moments later when Joel Bembo-Lita's half clearance fell to Shaun Whalley who stroked the ball home from fifteen yards.

Again Celtic came back at Hyde, and this time managed to force the ball across the line after Saunders had blocked from Craig Davies and the ball gave Phil Marsh half a chance, which he took. It could have been two for Marsh in as many minutes until Scott McNiven got in the way. As time ran out, Hyde defended deeper and deeper, and though Jennings and Davies both came close, Hobson's failure to hit the target from 3 yards possibly cost Celtic a point.

1Saunders, Russell  
2Stott, Dean  
3Smart, Andy  
4Halford, SteveYellow Card 
5McNiven, Scott  
6Lynch, Chris  
7Lees, Mark  
8Mooney, Scott  > 57
9Johnson, Dale  > 79
10Whalley, Shaun  > 89
11Manship, Tom  
12Rick, Lee  < 57
14Turner, Rob  < 79
15Morris, Ben  < 89
16Rimmer, Chris  
17Calvert, Marcus  
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