What happens when the second worst attack in the league comes up against the worst defence in the league? 3-1 happens. Celtic have now conceded three or more goals in eight of the last ten games, and it's resulting in losses which have seen Celtic fall into the bottom six.
There was none of the bite in the team as seen against Solihull, with the start of the game a slow burner, until a simple pass back to stand-in keeper, Dave Stevenson, resulted in Nick Rushton closing him down, stealing the ball and having a simple tap in. Adam Parkhouse and Sean McConville both saw decent efforts stopped by Tony McMillan without seriously testing him, either side of a harsh booking for diving on Sean McConville after Sam Sheridan did make contact in the box.
Celtic got a let off just before half time when Paul Edwards's free kick smacked the crossbar, but there had been precious little from either side, apart from the goal.
Stevenson redeemed himself at the start of the second half with a great reaction save one-on-one with Ted Cribley but from the resulting corner nobody picked up Richard Davies at the back post and he headed home a free header ? one of Celtic's weaknesses this season.
Two down and Celtic needed to start playing, but they looked lost. A Callum Warburton free kick and a trundling shot from Sean McWilliams were on target but not likely contenders for goals. Barrow weren't being all that adventurous but from a corner, Celtic once more conceded three when Kelvin Bleau blocked Tom Corner's shot, which came to Richard Davies, but Stevenson pulled off a great stop only for Dan Parkinson to connect with the rebound and smash it into the top corner.
Celtic got a consolation after what was a decent move, a flick from Adam Pepper sending Andy McWilliam on a run, a cross-field ball back to Pepper who pulled the ball back to Paul Ennis coming into the box and he thundered the ball into the top corner.
There was to be no Solihull style come back in the last ten minutes, an d Barrow went home with a well-deserved three points.
1 | Stevenson, Dave | ||
2 | Bleau, Kelvin | ||
3 | Mudimu, Alec | > 45 | |
4 | Bembo-Leta, Joel | ||
5 | Tunnicliffe, James | ||
6 | Platt, Kristian | ||
7 | Parkhouse, Adam | > 60 | |
8 | Briggs, Keith | ||
9 | Platt, Conal | ||
10 | McConville, Sean | ||
11 | Warburton, Callum | > 74 | |
12 | Haywood, Prince | ||
14 | Ennis, Paul | < 60 | |
15 | Pepper, Adam | < 74 | |
16 | McWilliams, Andy | < 45 | |
17 | Cookson, Jack |
1 | McMillan, Tony | ||
2 | Burns, Andy | ||
3 | Edwards, Paul | ||
4 | Sheridan, Sam | ||
5 | ODonnell, Danny | ||
6 | Reynolds, Duran | ||
7 | Harvey, Alex-Ray | ||
8 | Davies, Richard | ||
9 | Corner, Tom | ||
10 | Rushton, Nick | > 78 | |
11 | Cribley, Ted | ||
12 | Williams, Robbie | ||
14 | Parkinson, Dan | < 78 | |
15 | Arnison, Gareth |