Celtic slump to fourth consecutive defeat

BetVictor Premier Division: Stalybridge Celtic 1-3 Radcliffe

It took until late in both halves for either team to show any attacking mentality.

A well worked free kick from Celtic kick-started the frenetic last five of the first period, Declan Walker taking the free kick short to Scott Bakkor to whip a cross to the back post for Ross Dent to turn the ball across Ollie Martin for the opener. That looked to be it for the first half until Prince Haywood forced a reaction stop from Alex Fojticek. From the corner the ball was floated to the back post, where unmarked Harry Winter headed home the equaliser.

Second half chances largely fell to the visitors: Winter forcing a great stop from Fojticek one-on-one and and when Stephen O’Halloran tripped over the ball, Liam Ellis was free to race straight at Fojticek, who again pulled off a sharp save. Fifteen minutes from time, Ben Wharton found Matthew Crothers just onside, who curled his effort around Fojticek.

Celtic substitute Harry Freedman forced Ollie Martin into his first real save of the half with only minutes left on the clock, but it was Radcliffe who made the game safe when a very long throw from Javid Swaby-Neavin undid the Celtic back line and Matty Wolfenden got the telling touch against his former club despite the best efforts of Kallum Mantack, putting the game beyond the host’s reach.

By Deborah Taylor