For half an hour, Celtic were third, ahead of Runcorn on goals scored, but a last second goal by the hosts spoiled the party and the scoreline.

Celtic controlled the first half, scoring on the first attack. Liam Tongue’s sixty-yard pass into the path of Ellis Horan. Ellis owned his fullback, rounded him, and sped along the byline, blasting in from an acute angle. It could have been two, but Tony Thompson saved from Aaron Chalmers’s header at close range. As the half ran towards the interval, Bootle had a break, Celtic light at the back, Jack Tinning got across, forcing Mathew Fenton to curl his shot from outside the box, hitting the crossbar. Celtic cleared, and with Bootle now committed, Charlie Doyle found Tongue by the wing. Tongue had a sight of goal and took it, Thompson able to get a hand to it, but not keep it out.

The second half continued in the same vein with Celtic pressing, knowing a three-goal margin would put Celtic above Runcorn. Horan twice went agonisingly close, and Tongue also pulled his effort wide, the elusive goal out of reach, worse, Charlie Monks was called into action to deny Jay Roberts and keep the two goal cushion as Bootle pressed harder and harder themselves. With half an hour left to go, Ellis Horan lifted a deep cross to the back post where man of the moment, Jack Irlam powered in and thumped his header past Thompson. It looked like Irlam grabbed another a few moments later, but Thomas Hannigan blocked on the line, and the assistant ref agreed, and Thompson denied Irlam a minute later. Rube Jerome also looked to have scored, but was offside, and Thompson blocked his second attempt. Although the game was won going into stoppage time, a clean sheet meant third, conceding meant fourth.

Five added minutes came and went, but the game continued. Past the added time, with Bootle still pressing, Celtic were clearing and seeing it return immediately. The last two kicks of the match came from Ben Hodkinson to get the ball to Xavier Smith still with the energy to run into the box and smash in a consolation.

Celtic next face fifth placed Lower Breck, with another chance to move up the table.