Playing into the teeth of a gale in the second half, two game changing moments ensured that the visitors overturned a half time deficit.
The game started badly for Celtic when Matty Hughes swung at and missed a lofted ball to the back post, and there was Greg Mills, ghosting in and firing home low past Tony McMillan.
Celtic had to get back into the game quickly, and did so, Jack Higgins's cheeky back heel volley athletically tipped over the bar by Harry Burgoyne. Celtic looked the better of the two teams, zipping the ball about. Bohan Dixon instigated a great one-touch move that left Corby twisted inside themselves. Adam Farrell was sent scampering away by a clever Dixon ball, and he fired low and across the box. Chris Simm was sliding in, but missed the ball, however Alex Mudimu arriving at the back post did not, slotting home.
Celtic terrorised the visitors for the rest of the half, going close with efforts from Dixon and Chalmers, and Simm's shot required a stuck out leg to put it out for a corner with Burgoyne beaten. A wicked grass skimming shot from Oliver Crowley required Burgoyne to get down low to his left and then the breakthrough came, seconds before the interval. A back pass from Duane Courtney left Burgoyne in a world of trouble, and all the loan keeper could do was palm the ball away from goal, only for Alex Johnson to race in and slot home.
Had Celtic gone three up, Corby may have capitulated, and the chances were there. Johnsons inch perfect header into the path of Simm left Simm one-on-one with Burgoyne, but agonisingly, he missed. Jack Higgins also went close when his drive was deflected wide and Adam Farrell fired the wrong side of the post. Aidan Chippendale had a wicked curling shot stopped by the Corby keeper, with all the action at the Corby end. Simm was incensed when he was blatantly upended in the box, and the whole team were mystified when a throw in was given as a goal kick. That could have been worse for Celtic when Andre Johnson got on the goal kick, but he fired across the face, the ball skidding in puddles.
When Adam Farrell misjudged his tackle on Kurtis Revan, Greg Mills took the free kick, and the wind whipped it away from everyone. Tony McMillan had been well off his line, and has to take some responsibility as the ball swirled down, McMillan getting both hands on it, and falling backwards into the goal. It was somewhat against the run of play, and gave Corby a second wind.
Celtic carried on going at Corby, looking for the winner, substitute Steve Tames was denied by the Corby keeper, whilst Bohan Dixon and Darius Osei were off target.
It seemed inevitable. Andre Johnson found Greg Mills, and with time running out, and Mills on a hat-trick he went for it, firing just past the fingertips of McMillan and earned Mills the match ball and his team the three points.
Celtic will play worse and win.
1 | McMillan, Tony | ||
2 | Crowley, Oliver | ||
3 | Chippendale, Aidan | ||
4 | Hughes, Matty | ||
5 | Higgins, Jack | ||
6 | Chalmers, Aaron | ||
7 | Dixon, Bohan | ||
8 | Farrell, Adam | ||
9 | Simm, Chris | > 72 | |
10 | Johnson, Alex | > 72 | |
11 | Mudimu, Alec | > 85 | |
12 | Wylie, Peter | ||
14 | Wright, Dale | < 85 | |
15 | Shaw, John | ||
16 | Tames, Steve | < 72 | |
17 | Osei, Darius | < 72 |
1 | Burgoyne, Harry | ||
2 | Kennedy, Connor | ||
3 | Thomas, Kalern | ||
4 | Courtney, Duane | ||
5 | McDonald, Clayton | > 30 | |
6 | Draper, Danny | ||
7 | Mills, Greg | ||
8 | Taylor, Cleveland | ||
9 | Ball, Callum | > 62 | |
10 | Johnson, Andre | ||
11 | Revan, Kurtis | ||
12 | Aridegbe, Luke | < 30 | |
14 | Kromah, Sekou | ||
15 | Bell, Ryan | ||
16 | Wright, Tommy | < 62 | |
17 | Donkin, Sam |