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Stalybridge Celtic 4 - 1 Vauxhall Motors

16/ 4/2008

WITH only two home games left of the regular season, Celtic as good as booked their play-off berth with a hard-fought yet ultimately comfortable victory over lowly Motors on Saturday.

What only remains is to see just who they will face in the knockout phase with much jockeying still going on behind them.

A muddy pitch made football difficult but both teams can be proud of their efforts under the circumstances.

On seven minutes, Ashley Woolliscroft’s deep cross was met full on by Chris Hall, only for Lloyd Rigby to produce the first and arguably the best of several superb saves, flinging himself to tip Hall’s header away from its’ top corner destination.

Celtic were ahead within two minutes though when Alex Meechan skipped onto Ashley Winn’s precise through ball, rounded Rigby and slotted the ball home. The Celts then doubled their tally in the 20th minute when Paul Sykes headed home at the near post, moments after another wonder save from Rigby had thwarted Steve Torpey.

However, Motors refused to lie down and ex-Celt loanee Tom Field reduced the arrears two minutes later after Woolliscroft had been caught out of position. The visitors belied their relegation-bound status with some neat interplay, and for a spell, things looked a little hairy for the home side until Winn again proved provider, threading a great ball though for Hall to finish superbly.

The second half was something of a procession with Celtic reasserting their authority.

Hall missed when clean through, substitute Matty Barlow volleyed against the post, Rigby again saved miraculously from Meechan before, on 72 minutes, Keith Smith headed the ball past his own keeper to complete the scoring.

There should be a word for Rigby whose performance earned huge respect from the Celtic crowd who rose to acclaim another scintillating double save, firstly from Meechan and then, almost unbelievably, Barlow’s follow-up.

Attendance: 568