Match Report - Northern Premier - West - Saturday December 9th, 2023 Sat Dec 9th 2023

In atrocious weather, under-strength Celtic faced off against a committed Vauxhall side who’d only scored four all season away from home. Losing Darius Osei and Greg Wilkinson only added to Celtic’s woes already without Aaron Dwyer, Michael Brewster, Joe Robbins and Connor O’Grady. Celtic started the brighter, with Osei going close before Cole Lonsdale’s curling free kick nipped in at the far post, with Max Leonard possibly getting a touch. Wilkinson’s trademark forty-yard rocket cleared the bar before Osei limped off. While Celtic rejigged their back line, with Leonard going forward, Vauxhall took advantage of nobody at the back post and Joe Brandon nodded down George Nugent’s cross to equalise. Leonard went close to regaining the lead up front and Lonsdale almost repeated the free kick, but Alexander Hughes made a cracking stop. Right before the interval, a corner came in, half cleared and Bobbie Beaumont met Jordan Deer’s pass again at an unmarked back post, giving the visitors the lead. Only one team had attacking ambitions in the second half, but breaking through the Motormen’s back line proved difficult for Celtic. Obua Mugalula came on and almost had an instant impact, but Hughes made the save of the game, flying to his left to punch the ball out for a corner. Both Mugalula and Tinning came close, but the visitors really should have extended their lead. On a breakaway, one-on-one with a scrambling Luke Hewitson, Nugent fired wide when he should have hit the target. After fortuitous results, Celtic are still in touch with the top spot, but it’s getting quite congested up there.