Match Report -
Celtic Win At Home To Matlock
By Deborah Taylor

Celtic kept struggling Matlock at bay for nearly ninety minutes, almost keeping a clean sheet to add a gloss to the result.

After Scott Bakkor's early shot was scooped up, the pace of the game looked slow with Chances for Celtic few and far between. Chris Sharp and new signing Josh Solomon-Davies went close with their initial efforts, and Bakkor forced Richard Walton into a full stretch save, but it was more than Matlock were creating. Eventually, pressure told, with loanee, George Hughes, showing good awareness to open up acres of space for Matty Wolfenden to exploit with an inch-perfect pass for Wolfenden to rifle into the top corner from just outside the box. Wolfenden and Celtic's third new face, James Caton, were both were on target as the half came to a close, but neither could muster the power to add to Celtic's slender lead.

After Caton and Sharp had both fluffed their chances, Celtic had a massive let off, when Adam Smith's cross through the six-yard box was met by an off-balance and unmarked Jamie Jackson, who fortunately couldn't keep his bumbling shot on target.

Celtic kept on with their game-plan, Caton putting in a great cross that Neil Kengni couldn't quite reach, but moments later, he did it again, and this time, Bakkor came curling in and put his head firmly on the cross to smash it past the despairing Walton.

Moments later, and Celtic made the end of the game comfortable when Sharp's cross sent Kengni on a surging run. Despite the numerous rough challenges, Kengni kept his feet, kept going and produced a stunning finish that left Walton no chance.

Glenn Rule, normally the creator, tried himself with a fabulous strike from twenty-five yards, but for the stuck-out leg of Brad Beatson, it would have been in the top corner.

The visitors grabbed a consolation goal right at the death when fullback Tom Davie got Matlock's first shot on target, forcing James Aspinall into his only real save of the game up until that point. From the resulting corner, Celtic couldn't get the ball clear enough, Jordan Pierrepoint lifting the ball back into the mix for Craig Westcarr to twist and nod over Aspinall into the far bottom corner and spoil the clean sheet Celtic's defence deserved.

1Walton, Richard  
2Green, Jake  
3Davie, TomYellow Card 
4Hare, Taron  
5Beevers, Lee  
6Beatson, Brad  
7Lemon, Jordan  > 59
8Taylor, Cleveland  
9Westcarr, Craig  
10Vince, Harry  > 59
11Jackson, Jamie  > 72
12Marshall, Marcus  < 59
14Cribley, Ted  
15Smith, Adam  < 59
16Pierrepoint, Jordan  < 72