A gut punch ending to the match stole any points on a day when results largely went Celtic’s way.

Chasetown had a lot of possession in the first half, but the better chances fell to Celtic, including the opening chance ten minutes into the game when Celtic won a corner. In a crowded box, the home side could not get it clear and Celtic couldn’t get it over the line until Andy Scarisbrick made it four goals in three games prodding a loose ball over the line. Celtic were containing the Scholars, breaking with pace through Ruben Jerome and Ellis Horan. This won Celtic another corner, which came to Scarisbrick, Curtis Pond denying him at the near post. From the next corner, another melee in the box saw Jerome’s prodded effort knocked past Pond, only for Kieron Fenton to slide back and some how lift the ball over the bar to save the home side going in at the interval two down.

Jack Irlam started the second half with a powerful header that had Pond stretching, and Max Leonard’s half volley from the box’s edge saw Pond fly to put it past the post with a fingertip. At the hour mark, Celtic were looking in control, but the best defence in the league got that stat by being excellent, and Pond was imperious, denying Aaron Chalmer’s point-blank header with an improbable save. With ten minutes left, Celtic switched to a more defensive formation to try and hold it, using Jerome and Benni Smales-Braithwaite as outlets. This started out as successful, with Smales-Braithwaite cutting in from the wing and taking the acute shot, but Pond was well placed and nobody was near the rebound.

That wasn’t the case when a Smales-Braithwaite special forced Pond into a superb save, diving to his right, the rebound coming to Jerome who had followed in. His shot lfifted over Pond smacked the crossbar and was hoofed clear. It was a turning point with only five minutes left in the game. Joey Butlin found Charlie Monks in top form to deny him with a close range header everybody thought was in, until Monks clawed it away. However, Charlie could do nothing when George Cater found a yard of space outside the box halfway to the corner flag, and pulled out a contender for goal of the season, power, curl, dip and precision into the top corner.

Cue a right royal battle to get the winner.

First Smales-Braithwaite was denied by an excellent stop, his barely rising shot from twenty-yards pushed around the post. From the corner, Pond again denied Celtic, this time Jack Tinning’s skip into the box and low drive from six yards. At the other end, stoppage time just beginning, Cater’s angled drive was denied by Monks and cleared by Tinning, but then deep into six minutes of stoppage time, Butlin burst through, one-on-one with Monks. Charlie raced out, reaching the ball a fraction of a second ahead of Butlin, placing his hands on the ball and Butlin flew over Monks.

Penalty, which Langston converted and left Celtic feeling robbed.