Match Report -
Lack of attacking intent costs Celtic the points
By Deborah Taylor

Celtic left their attacking ambitions until too late, and Whitby snatched a goal at the end leaving Celtic with nothing to show.

Such was the lack of ambition by both sides in the first half, the first shot on goal came after half an hour, when Bradly Fewster's effort rose just over the bar. For the next fifteen minutes, Celtic worked half chances, with DJ Pedro heading narrowly wide from close range and both Ben Richardson and Pedro off target with their efforts. The first shot on target came one minute before the interval duringh a spell of sustained pressure, and Dagnall looped a volley straight back through a packed penalty box after it was half cleared.

Celtic started the second half with intent, with both Raul Correia and Harry Benns getting into decent positions, but missing the target. Moments later, a corner came out to Tom Miller who struck a sweet volley for the top corner only for Bland to fly across goal and palm the ball over the crossbar. After Harry Green's shot struck Kyle Harrison for a Whitby corner, Celtic moved the ball quickly up field and forced Shane Bland into a fine double save. First close range from Correia who'd showed tenacity to get into the box and from point blank forced the parry from Bland, Benns stooped in and tried to lift his header over Bland, but the Whitby keeper responded well. Celtic picked up the punt from Bland and came straight back, but Correia steered his shot into the side netting.

And then Celtic ran out of ideas, with half an hour remaining. Very little happened, until in stoppage time a clumsy foul in the middle of the park gave Whitby one last chance. Floated into the box, Celtic couldn't clear and in the scramble, Harrison Beeden got the telling touch to divert the ball into the back of the net.

1Bland, Shane  
2Cunningham, AaronYellow Card > 45
3Shepherd, Coleby  
4Gell, Adam  
5Rowe, Danny  
6Beeden, Harrison  
7Hawkins, Lewis  
8Keithley, Priestley  
9Fewster, Bradley  
10Wheatley, Josef  > 80
11Braithwaite, Aaron  > 58
12Store, Jos  
14Day, Jacob  < 80
15Simpson, Connor  
16Green, Harry  < 45
17Haswell, Aaron  < 58