Celtic pick up vital three points

NPL Premier Division: Witton Albion 0-2 Stalybridge Celtic

Celtic picked up a vital three points away at Witton Albion after comfortably beating the Cheshire side by two goals to nil although it could have been more.

A stunning free-kick from Stephen Brogan combined with a low driven finish from Justin Johnson in the second half saw Celtic extend their unbeaten run to four games.

Celtic were looking to improve performance wise on their 1-1 mid-week draw vs Gainsborough and they immediately came out of the traps flying, Johnson saw an early effort put behind for a corner inside two minutes.

Raul Correia then saw a header saved by Greg Hall after a free-flowing move resulted in a cross from Brogan that Celtic’s centre forward met but he couldn’t get as much power on it as he would have liked and Hall claimed.

Connor O’Grady saw a header saved from a set-piece before Celtic’s best chance came on 27 minutes. Scott Baker robbed Ben Pleavin on half-way and Celtic countered towards goal and were three vs one, Bakkor rolled the ball to his left to Correia, he took a touch and fired a shot across goal that tricked just wide of the post and Witton survived.

O’Grady remained a threat from set-pieces and he must have thought he had put Celtic ahead on 32 minutes. A corner from Callum Harris was met by O’Grady and he powered a header which cannoned off the crossbar and Witton were able to clear.

Celtic did take the lead on the stroke of half-time. Bakkor and Correia combined well with a headed one-two, the latter drove towards goal and was bundled over by James Lawrie just outside of the penalty area. Brogan stepped up and he curled a stunning free-kick into the top right hand corner to record his second goal of the week and give Celtic a deserved lead.

It took Celtic just nine minutes of the second half to scored a second goal. Keenan Quansah headed the ball over the top of the Witton defence, Johnson was too strong and too quick for the defenders, he latched onto the ball and fired a low driven shot past Hall and into the back of the net to give Celtic a two goal cushion.

Just moments later Celtic should have scored a third. Bakkor found himself up against a lone last defender, he took the ball around him and found Johnson to the right of the penalty area, he cut onto his left foot but saw his shot saved by Hall.

15 minutes from time and Correia nearly got his name on the scoresheet. He had been put through on goal but his shot was saved well by the feet of Hall when one on one.

Rob Hopley had Witton’s only shot on target of the game on 77 minutes but debutant keeper Robbie Hemfrey had no issues in saving his headed effort, capping off a rather comfortable and quiet afternoon for the Stoke City loanee.

Celtic saw the remainder of the game out well and ensured the three points were returning to Tameside.