Match Report -
Pedestrian paced game ends goalless
By Iain Benson

When neither side looks like scoring, a goalless draw is the inevitable result, as was the case when the two SCFCs clashed for the first time in the league.

After two high speed, adrenalin packed games for the Celts, perhaps a slower game was the result, but with Stockport content to play a pedestrian pace, and Celtic likewise cruising through the match, the game had more of the feel of a pre-season friendly, than a league clash.

There were chances, and Stockport probably shaded them, with Kristian Dennis seeing his header superbly saved by Matty Urwin as the Celtic defence napped, and with the goal at his mercy Phil Jevons missed the target by a country mile when he latched onto the loose ball. At the other end, Celtic can probably claim to have come closest to scoring when Tom Buckley's curling effort left Ian Ormson stranded on his goal line, and grateful to see the ball smash against the upright and bounce harmlessly away. Sean McConville was probably guilty of trying too hard against his former club, with a couple of efforts not really powerful enough to trouble Ormson, whilst Kyle Jacobs so narrowly wide with his edge of the box shot that it snicked the upright on the way out. Obi Anorou went close with Ormson pouncing on the low struck shot, whilst Joel Bembo-Leta will be kicking himself as a lofted ball from Andy McWilliams caused no end of problems for the County defence, but Bembo-Leta was unable to steer it into the net, Scott Duxbury heading it away from under the bar instead.

Dennis twice went close before the half played itself out, his first effort a mishit that lacked power or precision, his second equally mishit, but from close range that had Urwin pulling off a top-notch reaction save to deny Stockport an opener.

Given Celtic's much reduced pace from Tuesday, perhaps going behind would have woken them up, as it was the second half played out at much the same pace as the first. Bembo-Leta and Buckley both hoped Ormson was soporific, alas he was not, nor was he when Callum Warburton's free kick evaded everybody in the box, and nearly snuck into the near post, Celtic had obviously been given instructions to shoot more, as several times the ball was blasted into the crowd, but the deflections were unkind, though McConville three times forced Ormson into stops, with each effort looking increasingly more desperate. Greg Wilkinson's free kick, after Bembo-Leta was fouled on the edge of the box, was a good one but again Ormson made the catch look comfortable.

Stockport's chances fell in the last quarter of an hour, with Mark Lees forced to head clear Dennis's effort with Urwin beaten, and Jevons almost casually tapping an effort into Urwin's midriff. Kyle Jacobs was left unmarked at the edge of the box, swooping in from the right back position, but a flying stop from Urwin denied him, whilst Jevons really should have sealed it for the visitors when left unmarked and with acres of space he completely mishit his volley high over the bar.

Despite four added minutes, neither side looked adventurous enough to snatch a late-late winner, so the game ran out goalless. The game wasn't without chance or incident, but it felt like the Celtic team were flat after the excellent play from the preceding two matches, meaning it was definitely two points dropped than a point gained.

1Ormson, Ian  
2Jacobs, Kyle  
3Duxbury, Scott  
4Tunnicliffe, James  
5Fagbola, Jordan  
6Charnock, Kieran  
7Moses, TunjiYellow Card 
8Gossett, Danny  
9Dennis, Kristian  
10Jevons, Phil  
11Turner, Rhys  > 62
12Moke, Adriano  < 62
14craney, Ian  
15Howard, Iain  
16Lofthouse, Bobby  
17Jones, Ryan  
Match Sponsor
Brother UK/Neil Wolstenholme
Ball Sponsor
Stanley Square Conservative Club
Man of the Match Sponsor
Dee Hughes