Match Report -
Thanks Macc!
By Iain Benson
After the Worksop game got cancelled, hats must be taken off to the people at Celtic for getting any kind of game on at all, and a big thanks to Macclesfield for sending their reserve team. Despite the scoreline, Macclesfield were not a bad side by any stretch, but they were undone several times. Matty Barlow had an outstanding first half doing everything bar scoring, going very close four times before Keith Briggs put the ball over the top for Joe O'Neil to latch onto and finish past a despairing keeper.

Michael Carr suffered a bad knock and was replaced by Michael Bowler, and Paul Phillips had a slight jar, and was replaced by Ryan Moss. Moss was under immediate pressure, couldn't quite reach a corner, and a bouncing shot in the area struck Scott last before going into the Celtic goal. Celtic went back in front, from an Andy Smart free kick, admittedly taking a wicked deflection off a diving defender's head, but Smart made sure of the credit for his second and Celtic's third moments later when he carried the ball from half way into his own half all the way to the Macc keeper, and curled the ball round him for a beautiful goal. Celtic made the usual raft of subs in the second half, with a corner knocked into his own net by an unfortunate Macclesfield defender, before trialist Usabio fired a 60 yard pin point pass into Greg Wilkinson's path and he chipped a curling shot over the Macclesfield keeper and into the back of the net. Michael Fish had a charging run which took him all the way into the box riding the challenges before rounding the keeper and slotting home, before Connor Jennings released a fine ball into his path for Fish to lift over the advancing keeper and bring Celtic's tally up to seven.

More encouraging than the scoreline were the performances by the Celtic players, Warren Peyton was industrious and outstanding, whilst Dave Hankin showed vision and pace, Richard Battersby was tenacious and Michael Bowler strong and powerful. It is looking like an exciting line up for Redditch next Saturday.

Celtic's team from: Paul Phillips, Richard Battersby, Andy Smart, Barrie Keeling, Michael Carr, John Hardiker, Dave Hankin, Keith Briggs, Joe O'Neill, Matty Barlow, Warren Peyton, Michael Bowler, Ryan Moss, Conner Jennings, Greg Wilkinson, Usabio, Graham Law, Michael Fish.