Match Report -
Injury-hit Celtic succumb to fifth consecutive defeat
By Deborah Taylor

An injury-ravaged Celtic faced off against a team vying for a play-off spot in Warrington Town, and for much of the game looked like they may get something despite going down to an early goal.

An early effort from Sam McLintock earned a corner, but Kennan Quansah’s header merely warmed Daniel Atherton’s palms as he caught comfortably. A calamitous moment gave Warrington the edge that they needed, when Grant Shenton’s punch saw him land on Quansah, the ball falling to Matty Grivosti for a shot from twenty-yards. Stephen O’Halloran almost got back to clear off the line, but could not keep the shot out. Shenton kept Celtic in the hunt with a fine save moments later, palming the ball away from goal. For the rest of the half, Celtic kept Warrington at bay, and Quansah’s effort late on in the half required a last ditch leg from James Baillie to keep the visitor’s slender lead.

Celtic started the half looking for an opening. Shane Killock came close with a glancing header from a corner, whilst McLintock and O’Halloran both went close without troubling Atherton in the Town nets. With quarter of an hour to go, with Celtic looking the more likely scorers, two goals in four minutes gave the game a largely underserved gloss for Warrington. Grivosti turned provider to pull the ball back from the by-line for Luke Duffy arriving for a tap-in. Four minutes later, they made the game safe when Grivosti’s pace put him one-on-one with Shenton, steering the ball around the Celtic keeper and slotting home.

Celtic next travel to bottom club Grantham in what has become a must-win game.

1Atherton, Daniel  
2Baillie, James  
3Coulton, Lewis  
4Harris, James  
5Regan, Matty  
6Gumbs, Evan  
7Buckley-Ricketts, Isaac  > 69
8Williams, Sean  > 80
9Amis, JoshYellow Card 
10Hough, Ben  > 69
11Grivosti, Matty  
12Duggan, Mitch  < 80
14Mols, Stefan  
15Duffy, Luke  < 69
16Mackreth, Jack  
17Dixon, Bohan  < 69