Match Report -
Derby Finishes Equal
By Debbie Taylor

Celtic came close to snatching the game after losing Matty Hughes to a sending off.

Bohan Dixon kicked off proceedings with a fine individual goal. After receiving the ball in the middle of the park, he twisted and turned, rode challenges, evaded lunges and got to the edge of the box, before picking his spot with precision to fire past Hakan Burton into the bottom corner.

Celtic lost Dale Wright, bringing Chippendale on, which necessitated a reorganisation that allowed Curzon to get through; Celtic had to rely on goalkeeper, Tony McMillan. Ryan Brookes was one-on-one with the Celtic keeper, McMillan expertly pushing the ball off his feet, then getting back up to cut out the cross. Curzon were also excellent at set pieces, with Brookes ghosting in on a corner forcing McMillan into a cracking point blank save. Matt Warburton's effort from the resulting second corner was a more simple catch for McMillan.

Matty Hughes was adjudged to have deliberately handled Warburton's shot, and was booked, with Brookes seeing his free kick caught at the second attempt by McMillan.

Celtic regained the upper hand as the half came to a close, with Dixon again avoiding the challenges, but Burton got to this effort, putting the shot out for a corner. From the corner, Matty Hughes nodded the ball narrowly wide.

The second half was much the same as the first. Celtic got an early chance with a free kick from Chippendale. Chris Simm also forced Burton into a decent stop, before Curzon scored a peach of a goal of their own. Chris Rowney's lay off to Ryan Brooke, twenty-five yards out, he turned and curled a left-footed shot up and over curling into the top corner.

Ten minutes later, and Celtic had to go into damage limitation mode as Matty Hughes was dismissed for a second yellow, as harsh as the handball was, the foul was a foul, but hardly booking material. But, he was dismissed, and Celtic went to two banks for four with Simm on his own up front, Chalmers filling in at the back, and doing a good job.

Such a good job that Danny Burns was able to finally get the ball and run at the back line, only to be stopped right in the corner of the box by former Celt, Jack Truelove. Penalty. Bohan Dixon stepped up to take it, sending Burton the wrong way, but his shot hit the crossbar and was over. It wouldn't be Celtic's last chance, but it was the best.

Being a player down meant gaps were going to open up, and Joe Guest outpaced Peter Wylie, hitting Celtic on the break, his low shot beating Tony McMillan, who?d rushed out to narrow the angle. Fortunately, Oliver Crowley got back to put the ball out for a corner almost from the line. McMillan again was called into action to push Warburton's effort over the bar and stop Liam Tonsett's effort, whilst Crowley's long legs denied Guest, putting the ball over the bar with McMillan looking beaten.

The last chance of the match fell to Celtic, with Burton earning the point for Curzon with a superb double save. Bohan Dixon cut inside and fired low, Burton getting across to block, the ball coming out to Danny Wisdom. Burton got back to his feet and adjusted mid-air to get a good strong fist on Wisdom's driven in shot.

There was still just enough time for a final, last ditch corner for Curzon, but Michael Norton headed well wide, and the two teams finished level.

1Burton, Hakan  
2Wright, Jordan  
3Truelove, Jack  
4Hunt, Jonathon  
5Shaw, Danny  
6Rowney, Chris  
7Guest, JoeYellow Card 
8Brown, Alex  
9Warburton, Matt  
10Tomsett, Liam  
11Brooke, Ryan  > 82
12Norton, Michael  < 82
14Eckersley, Tom  
15Woodford, Simon  
16Hampson, Connor  
17Mason, Cameron  
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