Match Report -
Bobbly pitch
By Debbie Taylor

Celtic played out to a draw on a bobbly pitch, and the home side were used to it. This was obvious from the when Sykes passed a poor ball back to Robinson, who misjudged the bobble, and his kick fell straight to Walshaw, who curled his shot into an empty net.

Celtic didn't play particularly well, with starts for players who have not had many starts recently. However, Parton won a corner, but the home keeper caught Wharton's corner comfortably. Shepherd was then fouled thirty yards out, but the free kick was wasted. Denham and Parton interchanged nicely in the box, but Denham ended up shooting over the bar.

Steve Smith got a run out, after a hefty challenge on Wharton resulted him limping from the pitch.

Walshaw again took advantage of a poor defensive error, to shoot from distance, but Robinson watched the bobbling ball all the way, and caught comfortably.

Denham put Parton through with a nice ball. Parton stuck a sweet shot that was well saved, the rebound coming to Denham, but his curling effort was over. Denham tried to get to the touchline but was brought down. Bowker got his head on the free kick, but straight at the keeper.

Again, the Celtic defence parted and Callery latched onto a long ball, took it past Bowker and past Robinson and slotted the ball into the back of the net to give the home side a two goal cushion - something of a tradition with Celtic these days. Bowker conceded a corner as Ossett looked to increase the lead, and Robinson had to be on hand to palm away the curling corner. Wally got another chance as a whipped in ball from the wing was put right on his head, but he put it over the bar from close range.

As the half drew to a close, a good cross from Steve Smith for Wilford saw the big man get a good contact with his head, but the keeper was well positioned and caught comfortably.

There were a couple of changes for Celtic at half time, with Dootson and Hayward on, and Robinson and Black off, with Wilford dropping into the centre of the defence to partner Sykes.

Ossett started the half with a corner as Bowker cleared Callery's cross. The corner was volleyed onto the underside of his own crossbar by Caldecott, and Wilford hacked it clear off the line.

Celtic were handed a lifeline when Parton's run was halted in the box, and Wilford converted the resulting penalty. Celtic were on the up, and Hayward tried his luck from outside the box, curling the ball over the bar.

Celtic pulled level as Parton reached a ball their keeper thought he would reach first and didn't. He lobbed it into the box, where Hayward came steaming in for a simple side foot tap in.

Parton could have given Celtic the lead, when he raced onto Hayward's through ball, and forced a good save with his feet from the keeper. Steve Smith was then also handed a glorious chance. Ben Smith's cross was chested into the path of Steve Smith by Hayward, Smith struck it first time, and it went narrowly wide.

Hayward fed a great ball in for Caldecott who had started the move, one on one with the keeper, seconds left on the clock, and Caldecott put the ball well over the bar.

It was a friendly, and generally, both sets of players played like it was a friendly. The linesmen were an Ossett player and Kev Parr, who ironically called Andy Parton off side when he was through one-on-one with the keeper. Obviously Parton was, but come on Kevin!