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PERSISTENCE finally pays off: Stalybridge Celtic required penalties to beat Southport.
PERSISTENCE finally pays off: Stalybridge Celtic required penalties to beat Southport.
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One more battle


7/ 5/2008

STALYBRIDGE Celtic manager Steve Burr believes his side face arguably their biggest game in recent history.

Sunday’s penalty shootout victory over Southport at Bower Fold put Celtic into Friday’s Blue Square North play-off final where they face Barrow at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium.

While the Cumbrians were seeing off AFC Telford United, Celtic had looked set to overturn Southport’s 1-0 first leg victory when they led 2-0 late on, only for Paul Sykes to score a late own goal.

However, Martin Pearson proved to be Celtic’s hero as the substitute keeper – who replaced the injured Paddy Gamble – made the decisive save in the shootout.

Gamble is a doubt for Friday after bruising his ankle when celebrating Celtic’s first goal.

Burr said: "It’s a big prize at stake, we aren’t far away from getting into a division where we could playing Wrexham, Mansfield Town and Torquay United.

"It’ll be a tough game, one where we have to give everything we have but the players are determined to do so.Barrow have been on a tremendous run, but there’s always somebody who comes from the pack. I said to the players at the start of extra time that they had won the game once and now had to go out and win it again. Shootouts are very much part and parcel of the game, so we’d been practicing for the last month in case they were required.I was very pleased for Martin because, as a 19-year-old kid, he came into a difficult situation and didn’t put a foot wrong."

  • CELTIC’S Travel Club are running executive coaches to Friday’s final, leaving Stalybridge’s main bus station at 4.15pm.

    Seats are £12 for adults and £10 concessions. Bookings can be made on 07940 825957.


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