The game was never going to be entertaining, with both teams struggling to cope with a rutted, pitted pitch that saw footing uneven, and even the shortest pass bobble and change direction. Celtic were thankful to Jan Budtz in the opening few minutes when he produced a wonder save to deny a fantastic shot from Tom Thorley, before the game settled down into a mistake ridden case of overhit passes and misplaced balls. Connor Jennings and Craig Hobson blazed over the bar before Callum Warburton forced Dean Coleman into a stop, though his curling effort from the edge of the box was straight at Coleman.
Right before the interval, Mark Danks again tested Budtz and found him on sparkling form, as he was superbly positioned from a set piece to catch Danks's header simply.
Phil Marsh took a ball down well at the start of the second half and looked to go round the keeper, but after both the keepers hands pushed Marsh in the chest to knock him off his feet, his shot bobbled wide, and Marsh's penalty appeal went unheeded. Celtic's best chance of the match fell to Craig Hobson when he was picked out by Connor Jennings; he brought the ball down well but made the mistake of letting it bounce before he struck it, meaning that a bobble knocked it to his left and his shot was horribly sliced.
Celtic were given a warning as they conceded a late corner, with Budtz saving well from Danks, until Worcester got an even later corner, in stoppage time when Budtz attempt at a clearance saw him swing at air, and the ball bumble over his standing foot. Budtz knocked the clear of danger, and Ryan headed out for a second corner, this time Celtic couldn't get it clear and when Simon Richman nodded it back for Danny Glover, he made no mistake smashing the ball home to give Worcester the three points that neither team really deserved.
1 | Coleman, Dean | ||
2 | Evans, Tom | > 74 | |
3 | Ward, Graham | ||
4 | Thorley, Tom | > 63 | |
5 | Elvins, Rob | ||
6 | Clarke, Ryan | ||
7 | Hurren, Gavin | ||
8 | OConnor, Kevin | ||
9 | Glover, Danny | ||
10 | Danks, Mark | ||
11 | Birley, Matt | > 63 | |
12 | McGregor, Marc | < 63 | |
14 | Walker, Gary | < 63 | |
15 | Richman, Simon | < 74 | |
16 | Emery, Josh | ||
17 | Mace, Richard |