But for a superb goalkeeping from Nick Townsend, Celtic would have won this much more comfortably, against Lincoln City's first team squad.

The first half was even, with end to end football, Harvey Wiggly on hand to deny Hazam Bencheriff's shot along the by-line and at the other end, Charlie Ennis's low cross for Liam Dickinson just inches away from Dickinson's slid in foot. Arnaud Mendy did find space for a shot, but lacked the power, giving Lewis King a simple first save, though Townsend's first save had to be top quality, at full stretch to tip Matty Mainwaring's power strike from the edge of the box around for a corner, and from the corner, Jordan Burrow almost produced the own goal of the season with a powerful header and had his keeper to thank for sparing his blushes with another outstanding reaction save to keep the scores level at half time.

Second half, and it was Celtic that dominated, with Ben McKenna turning his marker only to be brought down by Bencheriff in the box. Dickinson struck a thunderous penalty that gave Townsend absolutely no chance, and Celtic the lead.

Ben Tomlinson could have equalised with a curling effort through the crowd, but King tracked the flight well and not only saved, but held the ball, while Conner Robinson's rising shot was always going over in Lincoln's best spell of the half.

Ennis's shot on the run curled narrowly wide and the corner routine he started finished with Ennis blazing narrowly over the bar with Lincoln's defence unable to track his movement. Ennis found the trialist at full back with a defence splitting pass, and the resulting shot flashed across the face with Townsend stretching for it, but it went the wrong side of the far post. Matt Regan took on half of the Lincoln team on his own, jinking through to the edge of the box, and firing narrowly wide of the mark with a finish a striker would have been proud of. Ennis got even closer with a shot on the outside of his boot blocked on route to goal for a corner as Celtic were threatening to run riot, but Lincoln still had something in the tank, and it took a good stop from King to deny Tomlinson's low strike.

It was the last five minutes when Celtic could have made it comfortable,and Townsend kept his team in the game with a string of fine saves, first denying George Lomax when one-on-one with a great stop, and then using his foot after being sent the wrong way with Ennis's effort from the corner.

They say the result doesn't matter in a pre-season game, and it doesn't, but the work-rate and composure of this year's Celtic team give a great hope for the season, which kicks off next weekend in Kidderminster for the Worcester opener.