Match Report -
Unbeaten run ends in Cumbria
By Iain Benson
Celtic's unbeaten run came to an end at Workington who extracted a measure of revenge by reversing last season's scoreline.

Celtic started well, dominating the early period, and in this period a Parr nod back off a free kick was towards Hume, and only alert keeping from Collin in the Workington nets denied him the opener. Maxfield put the ball into the path of Brodie who forced another good save out of Collin, the drilled ball tipped away at full stretch for a corner. Parr brought the corner down, and Hume blasted it over the bar.

Just before half time, Workington were getting more joy coming down their right, and Hume was forced to concede a corner. Pettinger was on hand to tip the ball away for a second corner.

That joy continued into the second half, and Kay dropped a clanger with a soft back pass to Pettinger. Pettinger had to come a long way from his area to reach the ball, and he was always going to be second favourite as Wright latched onto the ball and nicked it around the Celtic keeper; Keeling did extraordinarily well to get back and put in a telling tackle, though Wright's little shove on Keeling as the Celtic man got the ball forced Keeling into the goalpost, and he had to leave the field for treatment.

Whilst he was receiving treatment, the corner was taken, May got onto it prodding it goalwards, but a combination of Pettinger and Black kept the ball out of the net only for Edmondson to get a lucky rebound and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Celtic tried for the instant reply when Edmondson conceded a needless corner, and Hume got a good contact on Maxfield's corner, but Collin was on hand again to block, the ball fell to Ellington, who reacted too slowly, and Workington cleared. Ellington got another chance a few minutes later, receiving Brodie's pinpoint pass with his back to goal, his turn and shot was narrowly wide. Brodie then received the ball off Black and smacked it towards goal, Collin was beaten, Inglis had come back and blocked on the line for a corner, Sykes received the corner but couldn't bumble it across the line as Gray hacked it clear.

Celtic were made to rue the missed chances as Nicholson used his fresh legs to outpace the defence into the box, and fired off a good drive that Pettinger just couldn't get to and double Workington's lead.

Hume conceded a free kick and earned a yellow card (though there was a case for it being a red card) as Workington continued to press, but there was to be a glimmer of hope as time ran down, when Gray conceded a needless corner. Maxfield found one last good corner and Ellington found one last good leap to plant his header into the back of the net. But there would be no time for a come back as the whistle went as Workington kicked off.

Celtic played better than in previous games, but ironically didn't get anything from the match, other than a caution for Hume. It was a contentious opening goal for Workington, but those are the breaks.