With no recognised central defenders fit, the bat symbol went up, and Aaron Chalmers returned. Even Celtic’s own superhero couldn’t lift the team enough to take anything from the game.

Celtic worked more chances in the first half than the visitors, but didn’t capitalise. Jack Irlam headed a corner into Balke Wolsoncroft’s arms, while neither Irlam nor Lewis Rawsthorn could slide in on an excellent low cross from Rohan Butler. Irlam again got onto a corner, this time putting his header over the bar, whilst Lewis Rawsthorn forced a good stop from Wolsoncroft just before halftime. Rawsthorn got through one-on-one after Aidan’s Roxburgh header put the Celtic striker through, but the assistant flagged Rawsthorn offside, despite the defender playing him on. The paucity of chances for Celtic were still more than the lacklustre display from the visitors.

Ten minutes into the second half, and Nantwich scored with their first real chance, gifted but taken beautifully by Ethan Hartshorn. From a corner at one end, Nantwich broke, putting a ball into the box. Celtic had got back to defend, Declan McLoughlin’s clearance falling in the sweet spot for Hartshorn who volleyed in a curling top-corner shot from thirty yards. The deficit doubled when a corner sailed into the box and Liam Tongue met it with a full on header that smashed into the top corner of his own net. Still half an hour to go, and Celtic put together some rapid movement and good play, but nothing came of it. Ten minutes left and Irlam got two chances, both saved by Wolsoncroft, the second of which was a superb save, low down to his immediate left, from a close-range header. One last chance came in stoppage time, a free kick in Jack Irlam territory, and he didn’t disappoint, but Wolsoncroft’s save was top-notch and Celtic left the field pointless.