Celtic just about shaded the first half with two very good chances that would have given Celtic an unassailable lead, but in the end, had to come back from a well-taken goal with only seconds on the clock.
After an opening couple of minutes, in which Finlay Sinclair-Smith registered Bamber Bridge's only shot on target in the half, Celtic looked the more likely to open the scoring. A cracker from Domaine Rouse hit Macaulay Wilson to zip just the wrong side of the post and DJ Pedro really should have scored when put through one-on-one with Luke Hutchinson. Hutchinson stayed on his feet, with Pedro trying to lift it past the advancing keeper. Hutchinson's one handed save excellent. He showed great bravery when Pedro went one-on-one with him again moments later, Pedro knocking the ball six inches too far, allowing Hutchinson to rush out and smother the ball. Tom Miller's cheeky free kick from an acute angle almost caught everybody out, but didn't curl far enough to creep in at the far post.
The second half started with a stuttering performance from both teams. Bamber Bridge's fortunes turned by introducing Connor Stanley. His direct approach almost paid dividends forcing Greg Hall into his first stop at nearly seventy minutes. Pedro headed a corner narrowly wide at the other end.
There second shot on target came with a minute remaining on the clock. A free kick dropped into the box caused problems in the Celtic back line, unable to clear it convincingly, the ball bounced nicely over the Celtic back line, teeing up Stanley. He connected superbly with the ball, sending it flying into the back of the net.
With no time left in the match, Bamber Bridge though they had another three points in the bag, putting them in contention for second spot in the table.
They celebrated too soon, as Celtic didn't give up.
It took all the four minutes of stoppage, extended by thirty seconds because of the gamesmanship of Hutchinson. Tom Miller's long throw, Greg Hall in the mix for confusion, and there, at the near post, Kyle Harrison won the ball as it floated through the box, flicking his header off the post and into the back of the net.
Cue bedlam, and the extension of Celtic's unbeaten away form.
1 | Hutchinson, Luke | ||
2 | Green, Sheldon | ||
3 | Skinner, Aaron | ||
4 | Thomson, Matthew | ||
5 | Pond, Nathan | ||
6 | Wilson, Macaulay | > 71 | |
7 | Sinclair, Isaac | > 67 | |
8 | Churchman, Chris | ||
9 | Scarborough, Harry | ||
10 | Robbins, Joe | > 60 | |
11 | Sinclair-Smith, Finley | ||
12 | Turner, Rhys | < 71 | |
14 | Lescott, Donovan | ||
15 | Mariette, Luke | < 67 | |
16 | Sinclair, Sky | ||
17 | Stanley, Connor | < 60 |