The home side started the game strongly, with Darren Edwards missing a pair of glorious opportunities, with time and space in the box, he fired wide, and nodded Mike Green's cross wide of the mark moments later. After this, Celtic looked the more likely to score, and it came courtesy of a Phil Marsh free kick screamer, low and hard past the wall and beyond the fingertips of Kevin Sawyer.
Celtic continued to look in control as they passed around Gloucester before a Jack Rea throw-in found Marsh with enough time and space to lash a half volley past the despairing Sawyer who must have seen it late.
Craig Hobson could have started the second period with a third, but the ball stuck in his feet as Adam Kay's cross came in, and he fired wide with only Sawyer to beat. Just after the hour, the home team registered a shot on target with a hopeful effort from Edwards making for an easy catch for Jan Budtz. This was followed by a decent spell from the home side, and when Budtz dropped Darren Mullens shot, it required scrappy defending from Celtic to deny Mike Green an easy chance, and Budtz was able to block.
Right at the death, Connor Jennings latched onto Phil Marsh's ball to race at Sawyer, his first shot beat the keeper, but came back off the woodwork, and the follow up was well saved by the home keeper.
Celtic now need just two more points from the last six games to mathematically ensure survival, so it is now time for Celtic to push on and take as many of the eighteen points available in six very winnable games.
1 | Sawyer, Kevin | ||
2 | Green, Mike | > 70 | |
3 | Parrinello, Tom | ||
4 | Coupe, Matt | ||
5 | Fawke, James | > 55 | |
6 | Rose, Matt | > 55 | |
7 | Mullings, Darren | ||
8 | Webb, Tom | ||
9 | Edwards, Darren | ||
10 | Symons, Mike | ||
11 | Weir, Tyler | ||
12 | Tambling, Mike | < 70 | |
14 | Evans, Tom | < 55 | |
15 | Mann, Adam | < 55 | |
16 | Mustoe, Neil |
1 | Budtz, Jan | ||
2 | Rea, Jack | ||
3 | McWilliams, Andy | ||
4 | Meynell, Rhys | ||
5 | Platt, Kristian | ||
6 | Wilkinson, Greg | ||
7 | Kay, Adam | ||
8 | Warburton, Callum | ||
9 | Marsh, Phil | ||
10 | Hobson, Craig | > 80 | |
11 | Ellams, Lloyd | > 85 | |
12 | Elam, Lee | ||
14 | Bembo-Leta, Joel | < 85 | |
15 | Jennings, Connor | < 80 | |
16 | Ryan, Tim |