The home side were quicker off the blocks, and Jan Budtz was called into early action with a good save from Robbie Dale's half volley. Celtic immediately got back into the game, and Jack Rea put the ball out to Connor Jennings, who cut inside and centred a super cross from Craig Hobson to power into the back of the net past Sam Grieveson.
The Spartans were back in the game minutes later when Budtz spilled Chris Swailes's effort, only to make amends and force Calvin Smith into a lob that cleared the bar. It was only a momentary reprieve however, when Budtz made a great point blank save from Michael Tait as he headed a free kick goalwards. Unluckily the ball fell back to Tait, who lifted it to the side for Robbie Dale to nod into an empty net.
The goal galvanised Blyth who came at Celtic strongly, but the defence held firm, resorting to testing Budtz from distance, with Stephen Turnbull's the best effort, and Paul Brayson got one-on-one, but Budtz saved well.
Celtic were giving as good as they took, with both fullbacks allowed to run forward. McWilliams freed Craig Hobson who put the ball through the defence for Phil Marsh to latch onto, sliding it past Grieveson to put Celtic ahead again with a cool finish. Just ahead half time, Celtic could have been further ahead when Jody Banim jinked into the box and forced Grieveson into an excellent save, whilst just after the break, Grieveson saved point-blank from Banim as he volleyed Greg Wilkinson's lifted ball.
The second half was a case of shutting up shop from Celtic, playing a possession game that left Blyth with little in the way of chances, and the occasional chance for Celtic, with Banim curling wide from the edge of the box, and Marsh heading a Glen Rule cross straight at Grieveson.
The best chance of the half fell to substitute Lee Elam (on for Hobson), when he flat footed Phil Cave to get the space, but fired narrowly wide.
1 | Grieveson, Sam | ||
2 | Harrison, Stephen | ||
3 | Cave, Phil | ||
4 | Tait, Michael | ||
5 | Swailes, Chris | ||
6 | Buchanan, Wayne | ||
7 | Hooks, Neil | > 25 | |
8 | Turnbull, Stephen | ||
9 | Brayson, Paul | ||
10 | Smith, Calvin | ||
11 | Dale, Robbie | > 75 | |
12 | Graham, Ian | ||
14 | Deverdics, Nicky | < 25 | |
15 | Morris, Callum | ||
16 | Alexander, John | < 75 | |
17 | Cunningham, Jake |
1 | Budtz, Jan | ||
2 | Rule, Glenn | ||
3 | McWilliams, Andy | ||
4 | Rea, Jack | ||
5 | Esdaille, Laquan | ||
6 | Platt, Kristian | ||
7 | Banim, Jody | > 89 | |
8 | Wilkinson, Greg | ||
9 | Marsh, Phil | ||
10 | Hobson, Craig | > 63 | |
11 | Jennings, Connor | ||
12 | Elam, Lee | < 63 | |
14 | Law, Graeme | ||
15 | Bembo-Leta, Joel | ||
16 | Ellams, Lloyd | < 89 | |
17 | Warburton, Callum | < 63 |