Celtic knocked all game, but it took ninety minutes to find a way past Cam Belford, though he did provide an equaliser.

Though the first half was end to end, the best chances fell to Celtic, with the difference being Belford. He pulled off a great save on a late seen shot from Lewis Rawsthorn. From the corner, the ball came to Liam Tongue who blasted it goalward, but Mike McGrath slid in to put the shot around the post, whilst Bamford flew though the air to pluck Elliot Rokka’s curling shot out of the air. Abdulra Alamu-Tajundeen had Stafford’s first shot on goa with seven minutes to go, but Charlie Monks didn’t have to move.

That changed with Stafford’s second on target shot in the opening minute after the restart, when Alamu-Tajundeen sent a simple low ball into the box for James O’Neill to lash in with his left foot and give Rangers a slender lead. Celtic kept coming, redoubling their efforts. First Joe Duckworth and then Rokka forced Belford into superb stops. Duckworth’s effort looked destined to put Celtic ahead, whereas, from Rokka the stop was close range with Rokker twisting into the box. Celtic’s equaliser came from an unexpected place. Brandon Newell’s in swinging corner palmed by Belford down to his own feet. Before Jack Irlam could pounce, Belford backheeled the ball into his own net as Stafford hit the self-destruct button, shortly followed before former Celt, Scott Wara was dismissed.

McGrath kept the scores level, sliding into block a sure goal from Rokka, who then beat everybody and found the post there to deny him. Stafford couldn’t hold out forever, and Lewis Rawsthorn unlocked the goal in the box, lifting the ball to Jack Irlam who turned with the ball, before flicking his shot past Belford in stoppage time. Was 2-1 enough? No. As the heavens opened, drenching the dancing spectators behind the goal, a mistake from McGrath allowed Duckworth to pick up the loose ball, race in on goal. A one-two with Rawsthorn put two attackers in on Belford. Duckworth unselfishly returned ball to Rawsthorn to apply the coup-de-grace and finish on a high.