Match Report -
Friendly At Droylsden
By Debbie Taylor

It was a mix and match team for Celtic that faced Droylsden, and they waxed and waned, sometimes well on top, sometimes sitting back on a goal lead.

Chalmers almost scored in the opening exchange, when Steve Tames was brought down right on the line of the box, but his powerful free kick was well saved. Moments later and trialist Kurt Sherlock was put through by Dale Wright to go one-on-one with James Coates, but slid the ball the wrong side of the post. Shelock more than made up for the miss with one of the most sublime goals ever scored by a Celtic player, the turn, the control and the final inch perfect, beautifully arced over Coates into the back of the net.

Moments later and it was two. Tames again brought down by Domaine Rouse just outside the box. Danny Burns curled his free kick up and over the wall and doubled Celtic's lead.

Liam Caddick almost pulled one back for Droylsden when he beat the offside trap, but Tony McMillan pulled off an excellent save, as did Coates at the other end, when Steve Tames fired in a low diagonal shot.

Droylsden did get a goal back when Eddie Tonge had enough space to pick his spot and curla powerful effort just beyond McMillan's fingertips. Moments later and they were on level terms. Steve Lewis put all his weight behind a powerful drive when he too was given too much space.

Sherlock almost restored Celtic's lead right at the end of the half, again showing a sublime touch to turn and fire in from close range, but Coates got to it to keep it out.

At the start of the second half, Coates was again tested, following a flowing move that culminated with a side foot from Andy Owens. An inch anywhere else and Coates would have been unable to do anything about it, as it was, it was still a superb save.

The pressure eventually told when Dan Travas brought down Owens in the box. Chalmers took the penalty, cool and calm and Coates didn't even move.

Adam Foy almost caught Coates out on the hour, with an excellent lob on the run, but the Droylsden keeper made amends for his poor position by crossing his box quickly.

That proved essential, with twenty minutes left, Droylsden had a spell of pressure around the box that Celtic could only clear as far as Caddick, who fired back in through a crowd, the ball taking a wicked deflection to put it past McMillan and equalise for the second time.

Neither side had a clear cut chance, and didn't seem overly ambitious in looking for one as the game ran down. It was by no means the team that will face Boston in ten days, but it was a good run out.

Celtic from: Tony McMillan, Aaron Chalmers, Aaron Walters, Andy Owens, John Shaw, Dale Wright, Danny Burns, Adam Thorpe, Kurt Sherlock, Steve Tames, Henoc Mukendi
Subs: Kevin Lettany, Callum Bradshaw, Paul Foy, Matty Hughes, Liam Heynes, Nick Ryan

Droylsden from: James Coates, Shaquelle Antoine Clarke, Carlos Rouse Edmundson, Domaine Rouse, Josh Heaton, Mike Roddy, Liam Caddick, Luke Daly, Steve Lewis, Eddie Tonge, Paul McManus
Subs: Russ Courtney, Dan Travas, Ben Hampson, Dan Grimshaw, Rob Jones