Match Report -
Play offs gone?
By Debbie Taylor

Celtic's race for the play off spots were dented by a workman like performance from King's Lynn.

Celtic's pressure were keeping the home side quiet in the first half, but chances were few and far between, Ashley Wooliscroft's cracking shot was superbly tipped away by Scott Howie in the opening minutes after a fine overlapping ball from Steve Torpey sent Wooliscroft on his way. Lee Ellington was also thwarted when one-on-one with the Linnet's keeper, who showed great bravery. There was nothing Howie could do when Keith Briggs put his head on a corner, as it looped over him, and off the crossbar, before being hacked to safety by Mark Camm.

The second half was more of the same, though Kings Lynn started to create chances catching Celtic on the counter. Julian Joachim came off the bench and almost with his first touch had him scampering down the wing, cutting inside and chipping Paul Phillips with a delicate finish. Minutes later and the striker almost did it again, wrong footing John Hardiker, but Phillips was alert, and smothered the ball at his feet.

Celtic were not out of it, and it took a brilliant stop from Howie to deny Lee Ellington's curling edge of the box effort, and it took the woodwork for a second time to prevent Celtic from scoring when Torpey's wicked free kick cleared the Linnet's keeper only to hit the bar. There was still time for a late penalty for the home side, when Meynell was adjudged to have impeded Jack Defty, when there was little in it. Defty took the penalty himself, and in a moment of justice fired well over the bar.

Celtic did enough to win this one, or at least earn a draw and will feel frustrated with themselves more than anything.