The first came almost with Celtic's first attack, a great ball over a static back line from Jack Rea for the Conference North's player of the month, Phil Marsh. Ashley Carter came across, but Marsh outpaced him, rounded the keeper, and side footed home. Nantwich cam ebvack at Celtic, Carter firing a free kick well wide, and Whittaker forced Jab Budtz into action, the second of which was an excellent stop. Celtic, were giving as good as they got, and shaded the chances in the first period, with Ben Chapman making a last ditch save off a Joel Bembo-Lita effort that lifted his shot onto the bar. Hobson had a crackding shot that left Chris Flynn speaking an octave higher, whilst Nantwich failed to clear a corner forcing Chapman into a reaction stop at the back post to deny Marsh a second with an overhead kick, whilst Hobson's low shot lacked the power to beat Chapman, and Bembo-Lita's shot required sharp reactions from Chapman.

The second half saw Nantwich go looking for an equaliser, Michael Lennon forced Jan Budtz into a great stop pushing the ball over the bar. However, moments later, Budtz almost undid all of his hard work when Rodney Jack ran to thirty yard out and flashed off a speculative shot. It appeared to be a bread and butter save, but the ball wriggled under his body and squirmed into the net.

The goal woke Celtic up and Celtic produced a stunning move that involved most of the team, with Connor Jennings laying off to Marsh who back-heeled the ball into the path of Hobson, an attempt at defending saw Hobson put the ball back to Jennings who laid off Lloyd Ellams coming in with a powerful strike that left Chapman out of position with no chance.

Celtic continued to look for goals, with Hobson seeing Chapman well off his line, and trying to cut a shot back from an acute angle, hitting the side netting and Hobson again turning and firing a thunderbolt narrowly wide on the volley. Hobson tried from thirty yards with another shot struck hard enough to leave a dent in the crossbar, whilst Marsh rounded the game off with an attempt from distance after Chapman failed to get back in goal from taking a free kick, but his shot missed narrowly the target. At the end, Nantwich were chasing shadows, but the start of the second half had given them a sniff of a chance, it wasn't enough, and Celtic go through.