Having held Celtic to a draw at Bower Fold, Bury took us back to Gigg Lane for the replay, which saw a dominant first half performance, and an immense defensive display in the second.

Jack Byrne opened Celtic’s chances in the first minute, forcing Mitch Allen into his first save from a Mike Koral throw, and when Liam Tongue’s shot beat Allen, Bobby Carroll had to put his body in the way. Byrne got a better connection heading a free kick at close range, but Allen pulled off a stunning save. Jordan Butterworth’s cross very nearly became a shot, rebounding from the crossbar. Another free kick, another Butterworth delivery and another Byrne header, unfortunately another outstanding save from Allen. In the last ten minutes of the half, Bury got a foot in the game, and nearly nicked a goal, Koral clearing Cameron Fogerty’s looping effort off the line with a scissor kick, and DJ Pedro’s powerful shot required an excellent save from Charlie Monks. Monks was there again for a much tamer effort from Kai Evans.

Right at the end of the first half, a long throw from Koral came in, Jerome Ruben with his back to goal performed an overhead kick to give Celtic a slender lead somewhat against the current run of play, but deserved on the whole half performance.

Celtic started the second half well, building on the one goal, Charlie Doyle denied by Allen, and later Jack Tinning heading over. Then the home side ramped up the pressure. And kept ramping it up. The backline was immense, putting bodies on the line, at the expense of corner after corner, long throw after long throw. In twenty minutes, the closes the home side came was a near post shot with Monks stranded, but Byrne threw himself across the goal to put it out for a corner. Visitor spectator nerves were taught, and a home goal looked inevitable. Then Benni Smales-Brithwaite came on with five minutes to go.

Within moments, his twisting and turning meant Aidan Walker left a trailing leg behind and Smales-Braithwaite went over it. Penalty for Celtic! Dylan Scott stepped up to take it, but again Allen denied him with a cracking stop, and grasped the ball as Scott followed up. Braithwaite wasn’t going to be denied. He did it again, twisting into the box, making the space and forcing a point-blank save from Allen, but received the rebound and lifted it over the prone keeper to give Celtic a two goal lead to take into four minutes of stoppages.

Celtic’s total performance means an away trip to Workington. Playing like this, even though Workington are the league above, Celtic need not fear them.