Match Report -
Dour game
By Debbie Taylor

Blyth stifled the life out of an otherwise dull game on a windswept Croft Park.

Celtic's only real chance came in the opening couple of minutes when Lee Ellington latched onto Paul Phillips long clearance to race one-on-one with Paul Musslewhite, however the Celtic marksman could only poke the ball wide of the far post. Blyth were showing no adventure in their play, more content on stopping Celtic's play-off hopes, and neither side created anything else in the first half.

In the second half, it was more of the same. Blyth did get forward a couple of times, and Robbie Dale should have done better when one-on-one with Paul Phillips, but like Ellington in the first half, fired wide. Right at the death, Chris McCabe got his head on a corner, only for Paul Phillips to maintain Celtic's excellent away form with a good reaction stop, holding the ball under pressure from the Blyth man.

All told, with Celtic unable to break down a resolute Blyth defence, and Blyth unwilling to risk getting forward, a goalless draw was inevitable.