Match Report -
Vikings raid the Celts
By Deborah Taylor

Celtic exited the FA Cup after losing by a single goal to Widnes.

Both teams largely cancelled each other out in the first half, with the visitors best chance coming with ten minutes left on the clock, and Jack McGowan lifting the ball over the defence, Charlie Monks taking the lofted ball at the second attempt, whilst Celtic came close twice. The first time, Jack Bannister sweeping in, putting Louis Isherwood under so much pressure, he sliced his clearance, requiring a great save from Mark Halstead to deny the own goal. Jack Tinning came a hair’s breadth away moments before the interval, with his header off a corner striking the underside of the bar, bouncing down and spinning off the line and clear.

Widnes shaded the second half, with Nathan Corness’s acute diagonal shot cleared off the line by Tinning, whilst both McGowan and Steve Irwin had tame efforts stopped by Monks. Moments after Connor Hughes headed over by scant inches, Sharif Deans took advantage of a reorganised Celtic back line by advancing on goal, looking for a pass. When he saw nobody between him and goal, he took the opportunity to score himself, putting a pacy shot beyond Monks’ fingertips. With ten minutes left on the clock, Hughes again got in a great position, and again headed over, with Max Leonard coming the closest for Celtic, latching onto a corner and – for a moment – looked like he’d scored, but the ball had hit the side netting. Despite seven added minutes, Widnes never looked like conceding, and Celtic bow out of the cup early on for another season.

1Halstead, Mark  
2Rydel, Ben  
3Rain, Matty  
4Battersby, Niall  
5Isherwood, Louis  
6Williams, Kingsley  > 81
7Kyffin, Paul  > 64
8Bott, AdamYellow Card 
9McGowan, Jack  
10Caine, Nathan  > 64
11Corness, Nathan  > 75
12Irwin, Steve  < 64
13Zabret, Gregor  
14Steele, James  
15Paton, Liam  < 75
16OBrien, Brendon  < 81
17Deans, Sharif  < 64
18Wall, Jack