Match Report -
Twice in the lead...
By Debbie Taylor

Celtic twice took the lead, and twice lost it in a hard fought battle against Boston.

Lewis Hatch went close, after interchanging with Corey Gregory, but Hatch's shot lacked the power to trouble Dan Haystead, whilst at the other end, Marc Newsham squared a ball back for Spencer Weir-Daly who lifted the ball over Alex Cairns and over the crossbar from six yards out.

Celtic took the lead just after the quarter hour when Callum Warburton's inch perfect corner was met by a powerful header from Chris Hall, with Hsystead stranded. With chances flying in at either end, it was never going to be the only goal.

Newsham came close to equalising as he tried to loop a header over Cairns, but the acrobatic Cairns got a touch, putting the ball onto the bar. Celtic were looking to the linesman five minutes before the interval when Ben Milnes's free kick was flicked over the defence by Paul Lister, and in yards of space was Weir-Daly who got a touch with his head to put the ball past Cairns. The flag stayed down, and Boston were level.

A wonder strike from Corey Gregory just after the restart put Celtic back in front, curling in a sublime shot from thirty yards beyond the reach of Haystead, but the lead was to last less than ten minutes, when Haystead punted the ball downfield, past both teams for Newsham to race onto. Cairns was off his line quickly, but Newsham poked the ball under the advancing Celtic keeper and the ball rolled agonisingly across the line.

In the last ten minutes, Boston threw everything at Celtic to try and get the winner, but Celtic held firm. Cairns with a reaction block at his near post from Weir-Daly, and Newsham headed wide when it looked easier to score. Deep into stoppage time, Newsham thought he'd won it with the same scoreline and scorers as last season, when he poked the ball past Cairns and fired in from an acute angle, but Joel Bembo-Leta had got back to clear off the line and earning a point for Celtic at a very difficult ground to visit.