Match Report -
Away Loss At Worcester
By Debbie Taylor

Things are getting desperate for Celtic, and that showed, when a goal down to Worcester, a 3-3-4 formation was employed, throwing caution to the wind, and Worcester deftly exploited the gaps at the back to record an impressive scoreline.

But it didn't start out Worcester's way. Celtic looked calm, confident and bossed the first forty-five minutes. Even so, chances were thin on the ground, the best of them coming from Liam Dickinson who whipped in an early free kick, but Ryan Boot had a good view of the low curling shot, and smothered at his near post. Later, Dickinson got on a good Aidan Chippendale cross, but nodded the wrong side of the post.

Celtic were coping comfortably with Worcester's attack force, until Kail O?Brien limped off after an innocuous challenge just outside his own box. Nick Ryan slotted neatly into place, but right before half time, against the run of play, Worcester got a chance, their only chance of the half, and they took it, Lee Hughes racing in on a loose ball, Tony McMillan blocked the initial shot, but the loose ball spilled across to Ebby Nelson-Addy, and though Danny Wisdom tried to get back to cover the line, Nelson-Addy's shot went in.

The second half saw Celtic continue their dominance, and came very close to equalising. First Adam Mather cut inside and forced a decent stop from Boot, before a half clearance came to Liam Dickinson who struck a sweet shot from the edge of the box that flew past Boot and crashed back off the post. Worcester were scrambling, and that allowed Chippendale to loft the un-cleared ball to Dickinson, but his flicked header was wide, giving Worcester some respite.

Then came a double sub ? taking off Chippendale and the impressive Danny Morton, and bringing on Sam Madeley and Andy Owens, loading Celtic's team predominantly in attack.

This left huge holes at the back and through the middle. Lee Hughes was the first to capitalise, bringing a good stop from McMillan, but moments later, and Nelson-Addy put Hughes through again, one-on-one with McMillan, he made no mistake, doubling Worcester's lead.

With a two goal cushion, it became the Worcester show. Hughes saw an acute angled shot hit the frame of the goal, and both he and Nelson-Addy blazed over the bar when in good positions, McMillan got across well to deny Hughes his second, and then Hughes headed the corner over the bar.

Celtic were creating some chances with four strikers, but not converting them. Sam Madeley's twenty-yard strike was tipped over the bar was the closest they came.

Worcester finished the match the stronger of the two teams, scoring twice in the last few minutes. Joe Fitzpatrick's simple lifted cross found Colby Bishop unmarked, and he finished easily, and deep into stoppage time, Nelson-Addy picked the unmarked Ciaran Keene out with an inch perfect ball, and he slotted home.

Something needs to change for Celtic, or this will be the year we go down.

1Boot, Ryan  
2Gallanagh, Andy  
3Weir, Tyler  
4Oji, Sam  
5Hutchinson, Graham Yellow Card 
6Keane, Cirtan  
7Steele, Cheekaine  
8Firzpatrick, JoeYellow Card 
9Hughes, Lee  > 88
10Nelson-Addy, Ebby  
11Evans, Micah  > 52
12Jackman, Danny  
14Bishop, Colby  < 52
15Murphy, Jordan  < 88
16Craig, steven  
17Ross, Ethan