Match Report -
Crossbar rattled several times
By Iain Benson
All the real chances for both sides were in the first half and FC United player, Mike Norton should have put his new club one up in the opening minute when he got onto a lifted cross and nodded it straight into the arms of new trialist keeper Kieran Gonzalez. Seconds later and Norton blazed over from just inside the box, before striking the post before the second minute had ended.

There was still time left in the second minute for Jerome Wright to rattle the crossbar, only to see the ball thump down the wrong side of the line and get cleared.

FC United weren't the only team to be hitting the new woodwork at Bower Fold, as Lloyd Ellams half hour strike was hit with venom and flew past Sam Ashton's left hand to hit the post and come back to Craig Hobson, it was a little too high for Hobson, and his header looped wide.

Glen Rule could have given Celtic the edge four minutes later after an excellent move fed him the ball to strike sweetly, only for Ashton to pull off a great save, and Scott McManis getting just enough of a touch on the loose ball to knock it beyond a stretching Hobson.

With minutes on the clock remaining in the first half, Jerome Wright tried a forty yard strike that was powerful and almost on target striking the crossbar, and the Celtic defence were able to clear it eventually.

The second half was largely uneventful until Norton was brought down in the box by Gonzalez. It was the best chance of the match, and Norton put it wide.

Gonzalez was one of several players substituted, with Ben Sayor coming on, and he did well moments after coming on parrying away Norton's low shot, whilost at the other end, Callum Warburton's powerful drive from the corner of the box was well saved by Ashton, and both teams played out the last ten minutes without further chances created.

All in all, it was a competitive, combative ninety minutes.

Celtic lined up from:Kieran Gonzalez, Glen Rule, Andy McWilliams, Kristian Platt, Lequinn Esdaille, Jack Rae, Jody Banim, Greg Wilkinson, Craig Hobson, Lloyd Ellams, Lee Elam, Ben Sayor, Phil Marsh, Joel Bembo-Lita, Connor Jennings, Ryan Williams, Steve Woods, Callum Warburton, Paul Ennis