Weekend football round-up: New Celtic boss off to a flyer

New Stalybridge Celtic boss Dave Jones got his tenure off to a flying start on Saturday, as his side came from behind to edge a seven-goal thriller with second-placed visitors Prescot Cables.   

A stunning second-half brace from skipper Liam Tongue saw the Celts wrestle back their advantage to claim their third straight league victory. 

Lewis Rawsthorn headed the hosts in front after just five minutes, before Cables forward Sharif Deans powered in a header of his own to restore parity soon after.  

The away side were then dealt a huge blow, with Matty Waters seeing red for a late challenge on Andy Scarisbrick, who turned in from close range to put the hosts back in control in an instant.  

Goals either side of half-time from John Murphy and the aforementioned Deans then turned the tide once more, before Tongue took matters into his own hands. 

The midfielder rifled home on the half volley to level the scoring in style, before another 30-yard thunderbolt flipped the match on its head once more. 

But there was to be no more late twists, as Celtic sealed a statement victory to move up to 10th in the NPL West table. 

“I’m delighted for the players,” the new Celtic boss told the Reporter following the win. 

“They gave absolutely everything. It’s not always easy when you go up against 10 men. 

“They’ve had a tough week as well in terms of management change, but they’ve shown that they’ve got the right mentality and got over the line, which is what it’s about.” 

Elsewhere, in the same division, Mossley fell to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at strugglers Congleton Town. 

Three first half strikes saw the home side through, as the Lilywhites failed to build on their impressive win at Lower Breck three days prior. 

Rob Stevenson slotted home the opener with just four minutes on the clock, before former Hyde United midfielder Shakeel Jones-Griffiths drove home a superb second soon after. 

Joe Woolley completed the scoring on the stroke of half-time, tapping in at the back post after a long throw in caused havoc inside the Mossley penalty area. 

There was to be no second-half fightback from Alex Craddock’s side, who now sit in eighth place. 

In the NPL Premier, Hyde United suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat at Gainsborough Trinity, which extended their winless run to four matches. 

Four different goalscorers chipped in at The Northolme, as the Tigers failed to score for the seventh time this season. 

The Holy Blues hit the front inside two minutes, with Jordan Helliwell capitalising on a slack pass from Kevin Joshua to sweep in off the post. 

All three second half goals conceded by the visitors were eerily similar, with Fraser Preston, Ronnie Kokkinos and Connor Brown all ghosting in to convert cutbacks, much to the frustration of Hyde boss Michael Clegg. 

“It’s a tough place to come, even tougher when you zip a ball into their striker 50 seconds in and give them a leg up like that,” he bemoaned following the drubbing. 

“I thought first half we were good, barring the goal we gave away, and then we go and chase the game and get sucker punched. 

“It’s one of those days. If there was ever a day to sum up our season so far, it’d be that.” 

Meanwhile, Curzon Ashton also suffered defeat on the road, with a single goal enough to see hosts Whitby Town through. 

The Seasiders were gifted the lead on the stroke of half time, and despite a late fightback, the Nash were unable to draw themselves level. 

In what was a moment to forget for Curzon stopper Aidan Dowling, he allowed Callum Hickman’s long-range strike to squirm through his grasp for a fortuitous opener. 

The visitors took control after the interval, and were inches away from levelling when Alex Curran saw his effort cannon off the upright, with substitute Harvey Roberts unable to convert from the follow up. 

Roberts came close again soon after, with Oliver Swan keeping out his lob before Timi Sobowale’s long-range effort was easily dealt with, in what was Curzon’s final roll of the dice. 

“It’s one that I’m not going to take lightly, it should never happen,” said a frustrated Adam Barton following the defeat. 

“The goal is what it is, there’s no point going on about that, but at any level, going 1-0 down is massive. 

“That’s when football becomes hard, when you’re trying to break a team down in their own half – that's why the first goal is important. 

“We got balls in the box, but you have to gamble, you have to find a way, and today, we didn’t.” 

Their Ashton counterparts, Ashton United were also on the losing side, with league leaders Redcar Athletic taking the spoils at Hurst Cross. 

Despite a spirited performance, the Robins came away empty handed and extended their winless league run to nine matches. 

Brad Fewster swept home Oscar Fletcher’s cross to break the deadlock on 16 minutes, before the league's top scorer Adam Boyes raced onto a long ball upfield and slid home a second. 

With just 10 to play, Pierre Nelson nodded home to halve the deficit, before James Hardy came agonisingly close to finding the leveller, seeing his superb half volley tipped behind. 

“There’s a bit of soul searching going on at the minute,” admitted Steve Cunningham at full-time. 

“It feels so flat, yet we’ve just given the team top of the league one of the toughest games they’ll probably have all season. 

“It’s frustrating. I know we’re so close, but we’re just not winning football matches. 

“If I thought we were playing poorly, I genuinely would hold my hands up and walk away, but at the minute, we’re just not getting the results that we deserve.” 

In the NWCFL Premier, Droylsden surrendered top spot after visitors Irlam held them to a 1-1 draw. 

A Caelan Kilheeney spot kick helped the Bloods rescue a point at The Butchers Arms, as they were brought back down to earth following their 6-1 thrashing of Longridge. 

Jordan Latham’s early error allowed Ethan Cartwright to carry the ball over the unoccupied goal line for the simplest of openers. 

Dave Pace’s side were then gifted a route back into the game just five minutes after the restart. 

After the referee pointed to the spot for a foul on Ivanilson Da Silva, Kilheeney made no mistake from 12-yards and drew his side level. 

Droylsden took control after the equaliser, with Jordan Barnett flashing an effort wide before Da Silva was once again brought down, this time by visiting stopper Elliot Wynne, who was given his marching orders as a result. 

But despite their late pressure, and rattling the crossbar late on, the Bloods were unable to find a winner. 

Pace’s men now find themselves in third place, one point behind new leaders Nelson. 

Finally, Glossop North End squandered a 3-1 lead to draw with strugglers AFC Liverpool. 

A late brace from Jordan Monthe saw the Merseysiders draw level, and double their points tally for the season in the process. 

The sides went into the break level after Shaun Smith cancelled out Owen Warburton’s early opener, before a quickfire double saw the Hillmen strengthen their grip on the tie. 

A couple of loanees helped GNE turn the tide, with Stalybridge Celtic’s Nathal Fontaine turning home from close range before Curzon Ashton’s Harry Barber-Olufowobi announced his return to Surrey Street in style with a long-range stunner. 

Less than two minutes after the restart, Monthe drove home to halve the deficit, before heading home his second to break Hillmen hearts five minutes from time. 

“Deflated,” said a downbeat Lee Wilshaw when asked on his feelings after the draw. 

“To be in such a good position, it’s disappointing to not come away with three points. 

“We just need to think about how naive we’re being when we’re in good positions in games, and what it looks like to be a team that manages things well.”