Ten-man Celtic see off Wythenshawe Town

Stalybridge Celtic moved up to fourth in the Northern Premier League West table on Tuesday, with a 2-1 win at home to Wythenshawe Town. 

The match saw Celtic manager James Kinsey face off against his former side, and a match that promised to be a feisty affair did not disappoint. 

Visitors Wythenshawe Town took the lead after a free kick from the edge of the area was laid off to former Burnley winger George Boyd who rolled back the years and rifled the ball into the bottom right corner to put his side ahead. 

Celtic responded just before half time, finding an equaliser through Jack Irlam who rose the highest to head home Ash Leather’s pinpoint delivery from the right wing. 

Just before the hour mark, Celtic forward Matty Bryan completed the turnaround, with his glancing header looping over the goalkeeper and into the net following great work down the left from Aaron Chalmers, who beat his man and clipped a perfectly weighted ball into the box. 

Bryan then went from hero to villain just moments later, as he was shown a second yellow card for allegedly kicking the ball away after a foul was given against him, a decision which Celtic manager James Kinsey dubbed ‘scandalous’. 

Despite a barrage of attacks from the visitors in the closing stages, Celtic managed to hold on and take all three points, but not without help from their goalkeeper Charlie Monks. 

With just one minute of normal time to play, the shot stopper sprawled to his right to deny Rodney Ajayi, whose half volley seemed destined for the top left corner. 

Following the win, Stalybridge Celtic manager James Kinsey was full of praise for his side’s performance: 

“The lads got their reward tonight,” Kinsey told the Reporter. 

“They had to really put their bodies on the line after, for me, the referee put them against the wall (with his decision). 

“But they didn’t mope or moan about it, they just made sure that ball didn’t go in the back of the net, and I’m proud of them for that.” 

Next up for Celtic is an away trip to Newcastle Town on Saturday.