Celtic went from awesome to awful in the space of a half time interval, gifting Runcorn two goals in the second half to see their first half lead vanish.

The first half started with Celtic harrying, passing crisply and creatively, and moving at speed keeping Runcorn on the back foot. Liam Tongue came close with a flicked header from a corner, but moments later pulled out a screamer of a wonder goal. His shot flew at pace, curling into the top corner from thirty yards out. Celtic should have been out of sight within the next ten minutes, Joe Duckworth not getting the power on his shot and Jack Irlam lifting his header over the bar. A sensational cross from Brandon Newall found Tongue arriving, but Bayleigh Passant kept Runcorn in the hunt with a point blank save from Tongue’s volley. Another goal looked likely as Celtic rampaged through Runcorn’s back lines time and again, and came after great build up play, Duckworth lifting the ball to Newell who flicked his header over a defender, Irlam arrived, swivelled and placed the ball beyond Passant.

Somewhat against the run of play, a long ball down the line sent Will Saxon racing at pace towards Celtic’s goal. He danced around James McClenaghan to half the deficit at a crucial point in the game. Though Celtic continued to dominate, with Newell trying his luck from distance, Duckworth seeing his shot deflected and Irlam off target, there was no cause for alarm.

Straight from the second half kick-off, Celtic sparkled less. And within six minutes, the visitors were level. Again, the long ball down the wing, again Saxon involved, this time provider, cutting in and taking a shot across the face, McClenaghan looked to have it covered, but substitute Adam Moseley popped up to turn in at the near post, leaving McClenaghan fuming at his defence. The two Runcorn players switched roles three minutes later, Moseley’s ball down the line, Saxon cut in and tried the exact same shot again, once more beating McClenaghan. Three shots, three goals in the space of twenty minutes.

Noses in front, Runcorn invited Celtic to take the initiative, but Celtic had nothing. Now and again, the Celtic backline opened up, and Runcorn presses. Saxon went for a hat-trick, but this time, Kyle Brownhill anticipated the identical shot and cleared off the line, while Jack Tinning dallied on the ball, got robbed by Moseley, chased after him and tripped him just outside the box. Instant red to join with the yellow he’d earned in similar fashion earlier. Jaden Jones almost made Celtic pay further than losing a man, but McClenaghan palmed Jaden Jones’s free kick over the bar and Runcorn were happy to run the last fifteen on the clock down through any means available.