Match Report - Vanarama National League North - Tuesday August 24th, 2010 Tue Aug 24th 2010

They say goals change games, own goals doubly so. In a disrupted first half there was only one team in the match, with Celtic having the possession, the chances and the goal. At the start of the second half, it all changed with an own goal.

It could have been different, Celtic looked sublime in the first half, Connor Jenning's heading wide shot off a corner knocked narrowly wide by Laquan Esdaille, before Jennings shot wide himself with a powerful volley after some good one-touch football. Greg Wilkinson had a stunning thirty yard effort sail just over the bar as Celtic looked to convert chances into goals. Phil Marsh bustled through a defender sandwich onto Hobson's through ball, only for his flick to hit the keeper more than Scott Tynan saving it. Hobson had a go himself, from a free kick, but the ball scooted beyond the post. It looked to be heading for a frustrating first half full of niggly fouls that most refs would have let go, so it was inevitable that one would be committed in the box. So it was, Rob Marsh-Evans clumsily bringing down Jody Banim.

Banim took the spot kick and it was a great effort, matched by an even better save from Tynan. Tynan had to do it all again a moment later when Marsh-Evans clearly handled the ball on route to the waiting strikers, and Banim had a choice, go the same way, or different. He chose different, with Tynan thinking he'd repeat his kick. However, with players encroaching Banim and Tynan faced off a third time in as many minutes. Again Banim fooled him with the direction and put Celtic into a half time lead.

Seconds into the half, and Jennings nearly put Celtic two up with a curling shot that smacked against the woodwork and was collected by a greatful Tynan. A minute into the second half and a low cross from Neil Prince evaded Josh Wilson, but not the stretching boot of Laquan Esdaille, who steered the ball past Jan Budtz.

The goal caused Celtic's heads to drop for a while, and Vauxhall enjoyed a great spell. Josh Wilson went one-on-one with Budtz only to see the Celtic number one pull off a great save, while Prince's one-on-one attempt was equally well saved. At the other end, Hobson had a chance off a free kick, and though it took a deflection, it served to steer it closer and slower towards Tynan.

Vauxhall put themselves into the lead after the ball was lost outwide, Kristian Platt slipped and Obi Anouro slid the ball in to the near post.

Celtic finally got their passing game back together and went hunting for an equaliser. Marsh forced Tynan into a great save whilst beautiful football between Marsh and Elam (on for Hobson) culminated with a back heel from Marsh right into Elam's stride, but the low shot was narrowly the wrong side of the post. A corner for Celtic was poorly cleared as far as Elam who scuffed his shot wide.

While hunting for an equaliser, Celtic were left wide open at the back, and Josh Wilson made use of that running into acres of space, and curling a shot from the edge of the area past Budtz who did have time to move, and Vauxhall rubbed salt in the wound when Obi Anouro ran past Graeme Law, drew Budtz, and passed to the back post where Neil Prince waited. To Budtz credit, he nearly got there.

With seconds left on the clock, Vauxhall could have been the second team to put five past Celtic as he tried to chip Budtz while one-on-one, but the big Dane clawed the ball out of the air.