Match Report -
Hard Done By
By Keith Trudgeon

Injuries and suspensions can be blamed for this very disappointing defeat, but Celtic should still have done better against second-from-bottom Spennymoor.

It was a typical game of late for Celtic - they enjoyed 80% of possession but squandered countless chances to put the game out of reach of their inept opponents.

Spennymoor's performance more than justified their lowly position and the fact they came away with all three points was down to a dubious penalty decision by the referee.

Celtic's day had already started badly when some of the team were held up in roadworks on their way to the ground, necessitating a delayed kick-off. Then, 11 minutes into the match, a Martin Bowes shot hit Dave Higgins on the knee and bounced up to hit his arm. Referee Brumwell immediately awarded the penalty. Celtic's players surrounded the ref and Higgins' protesting earned him a yellow card. Howarth obliged from the spot and Celtic were left facing another uphill battle.

That was the first and last time Ingham was to be troubled as Celtic dominated the rest of the match. But they did their best not to score, in particular Kevin Parr, who missed two absolute sitters.

Winfield Steele did have the ball in the back of the net in the 36th minute but what looked like a perfectly good strike was in fact adjudged to be offside by the linesman, who was at least ten yards behind the play.

Celtic have been on the downward slide now since Christmas but the ironic thing is that they have actually been playing some good football - they are just severely lacking any striking power. A prolific forward should be high on Phil Wilson's summer shopping list.