One defensive error in the first half cost Celtic valuable points, despite the majority of the chances falling Celtic’s way.

Mickleover set up to soak up Celtic’s pressure in the opening period, with the closest Celtic able to come from a set-piece, Shane Killock seeing a fumbled block at the near post deny him the opening goal. Despite continued pressure, from Celtic, a defensive lapse allowed Rhys Dolan chance to get off his cross, compounded by Stuart Beavon left unmarked to nod in the game’s only goal.

Raul Correia glanced a header from a corner, but Jonathan Hedge caught, before Hedge made the save of the match from the resulting corner, as Charley Doyle snuck in unmarked, only for a flying one handed save from the Mickleover keeper to tip the header over the bar. The chance of the half, that never was, fell to Josh Edwards as he latched onto Justin Johnson’s through ball. One on one with the keeper, about to pull the trigger and the match official stopped the game for an injury to George Milner, who’d been down throughout the entire move. Celtic finished the half with a header from Doyle, nodding Johnson’s cross into Hedge’s hands.

The second half continued in the same vein. Hedge denied Johnson with a fantastic save, Sam McLinktock twice went close, whilst Correia’s curling shot cleared the bar. Stephen Brogan got forward, cut inside and again found Hedge on sparkling form, and Doyle’s drive to the near post saw Hedge get down to push around the post. At the other end, Shaquille McDonald’s rocket required a strong palm from Grant Shenton in a rare foray into Celtic’s box from Mickleover. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Derek Ubah used his towering presence to head Stephen Brogan’s free kick goalward. The effort finally beat Hedge, only for Andrew Wright to get back and clear from under his own bar, denying Celtic anything from the match.