Browse Sections

• Local football
• Local cricket

Revenge is so sweet

7/12/2005

Workington Town 1
Stalybridge Celtic 2

A CONFIDENT first-half showing by the Blues provided the platform for Celtic to extract a measure of revenge for their FA Cup defeat earlier in the season.

Borough Park is neither an easy place to play at the best of times, but Celtic were snappily and impressively out of the traps and were all over their hosts like a rash before the Reds realised what was happening. Paul Sykes set the pace with a stunning 25-yard curler that was somehow tipped over the bar by an acrobatic Adam Collin in only the third minute, before impressive debutant Scott Maxfield forced the home custodian into another fine save down at his near post shortly afterwards.

It came as no surprise at all when Celtic surged ahead in the eighth minute. A swift, incisive and effortless break out of defence ending with Neil Prince feeding Chris Price who made no mistake from 15 yards.

Mark Barnard then struck the post from 25 yards, his daisy-cutter beating Collin all ends up as Celtic continued to call the shots.

The second period began in much the same vein and it came as no surprise at all when the Blues doubled their tally in the 54th minute when Garvey and Prince set up the excellent Sykes who hammered home a tremendous 20-yard blockbuster.

Barely had the cheers died down, however, when Celtic were caught with the sucker-punch. Ex-Celt and home substitute Ian Arnold crossing for Carl Heiniger to head past Pettinger. This seemed to galvanise the home side who suddenly seized control.

With Arnold pulling the strings from midfield, Pettinger made a miraculous double save to somehow deny Tony Hopper, before Johnston struck the bar when it seemed easier to score. Wayne Gordon then incredibly skied the ball over when a goal looked certain as the Blues lived dangerously.

Overall, Celtic had been much the better side and clung on for the three points to take them above Droylsden in the table ahead of this weekend's fixture.