Match Report -
Date With Doncaster
By Michael Beech

Celtic booked a date with Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium after winning through to the first round proper of the FA Cup at the expense of North Ferriby.

The game started at double quick pace, Bohan Dixon released a trademark shot after a minute, this one found Adam Nicklin in the Ferriby goal. Ferriby then registered their first attempt minutes later, with the terrier Danny Clarke's shot saved well by the feet of McMillan.

After a few early testing blows, both sides settled and the half ebbed away with little action. There was time for Chris Simm to pick up a flick on from a Farrell throw, releasing a shot on the turn which Nicklin scooped up with ease.

The 2nd half began and Celtic had a guilt edged chance to take the lead. Simm broke down the Ferriby left and knocked the ball past the on rushing Nicklin, squaring to Dixon at the back post. Running at pace, dixon dragged his shot just wide of the post.

For the following 15 minutes, Ferriby had perhaps their best spell of the 2 matches, with a whole range of chances, the most notable of which came from an in swinging corner played back across goal and cleared off the line by Wylie.

Corners kept coming, as did Ferriby chances. Tom Denton missed a sitter from 8 yards, miscuing a volley wide of the post. Celtic looked good value on the break and after weathering a bit of a storm, began to come back into the game. Ben McKenna, on for Simm, used his pace to get down the Ferriby right, cutting inside edge of the D, before shooting wide of the post.

The seconds ticked on, each minute feeling longer than the last. Ferriby had a penalty claim for tackle from Higgins on Bateson waved away by Mr Edwards, which incensed Ferriby manager Billy Heath. Chippendale and Wright came on for Johnson and Wisdom respectively. Within minutes Chippendale had a chance, beating his man but failing to lob the advancing keeper from just inside the area.

The final and perhaps most important moment of the 90' was the superb save in last minute from McMillan from a Clarke shot that seemed destined for the net.

Extra time arrived, the first half of which passed without much incident.

In the second, Ferriby had another spate of corners, which came to nothing, save a few drop goals into the allotments behind the goal.

After 210 minutes of football the sides couldn't be separated so the tie went to penalties.

Wright, Farrell and McMillan all scored for Celtic with good kicks. King, Kendall and Bateson did likewise for Ferriby. Palmer and Denton followed for ferriby, intertwined with great ones from Chalmers, and Dixon. Aidan Chippendale stepped up next for Celtic, his penalty clipping the bar and bouncing in. Topliss and Emerton scored ferriby's final 2, with McKenna and Hughes scoring Celtic's 7th and 8th. Russ Fry stepped up to make it 8-8, something had to give. It did, Fry blazed over the bar and with it uprooted a cabbage next door. It was cruel, but it was cup football.

North Ferriby undoubtedly have to look at the first game and their failure to put the tie to bed. Their confidence in the build up to the return game came back haunt them when a much improved and resolute Celtic side rocked up at Grange Lane. Next stop Doncaster, which we go into with the no pressure on our backs.

1Nicklin, Adam  
2Middleton, Ben  > 92
3Wilde, Josh  
4King, Liam  
5Palmer, Ashley  
6Gray, MarkYellow Card 
7Clarke, Danny  > 120
8Fry, RussYellow Card 
9Emerton, Danny  
10Bolder, Adam  > 45
11Bateson, Curtis  
12Topliss, Sam  < 92
14Bruce, Louis   
15Kendall, Ryan  < 120
16Armstrong, Ross  
17Denton, Tom  < 45
18Nicholson, Tom