A dominant performance from Celtic narrowed the gap on both Chasetown and Hednesford, keeping a play-off dream alive.

A dream start for Celtic. A corner and Lewis Rawsthorn unmarked in the box to bullet his header into the back of the net just six minutes in. Jack Irlam kept Celtic in front, charging down Danny O’Callaghan’s header from a corner, with Charlie Monks unable to get through the crowd. Rawsthorn nearly added to his tally right before the interval, playing off Joe Duckworth, but Curtis Pond was well placed.

It took Celtic slightly longer to grab a goal in the second half, with eight minutes gone before Irlam’s through ball unlocked the Chasetown defence and allowed Rawsthorn to go one-on-one with Pond, snapping off a shot past the keeper and doubling Celtic’s lead. Irlam came close to grabbing one himself, with a volley from the corner of the box flashing across the face of goal and past the far post. Chasetown reorganised, but still couldn’t break down the Celtic backline, and with gaps opening at the back, needed Pond to keep them in the hunt. Moments after Irlam forced him to smother a shot, Charlie Doyle angled into the box, forcing Pond to palm the ball away as far as Irlam, who headed it back, only for Pond to get across and palm the ball, Kieran Fenton getting back to the line to head out from under the bar.

Five added minutes didn’t look like it would be a problem for Celtic, but a momentary lapse of concentration from a corner, and Chasetown were only one behind with still four minutes remaining, and Benjamin Lund nearly equalised with seconds left on the clock, but shepherded wide by Jack Tinning, he could only fire into the side netting.