Match Report -
Celtic's Pre Season Kicks off with a draw
By Iain Benson
Celtic's opening pre-season friendly was a good run out for Jim Harvey's boys to shake off the season break cobwebs and start to get back the match sharpness that saw them end last season so well.

Connor Jennings was denied off a corner with a near post powerful header that Sam Colbear blocked on the line, whilst at the other end, Adam Lee went close with a scissor kick that flew the wrong side of the post. Celtic were putting together some good moves, slicing the ball through the Armthorpe defence, with one such move seeing Phil Marsh play a great ball into the path of Adam Kay running in on the diagonal, unmarked and one-on-one with Jamie Green in the Welfare goals, who pulled off a great save.

A goal was coming, and it came from Phil Marsh, who latched onto Jamie Kay's lofted diagonal ball taking it in his stride, bursting past the defender, and pulling the ball back well to wrong foot Green and open the scoring.

Celtic had a sleepy period for five minutes just before the end of the half, and this allowed Darren Mansaram to draw Langford and put the ball out to Henry Sibenge, who raced in on goal and lifted the ball past Ashley Woodhouse to put the home side on terms. They were in the lead moments later after a good spell won them a corner that they put to the back post and Craig Morley met it well, thumping his header into the top corner.

Half time saw the usual friendly litany of substitutions, with Craig Hobson, Callum Warburton, Mitchell Austin, Dennis Sherriff and Tom Buckley all come on, with Tim Ryan, an unnamed trialist, coming on midway through the half.

Celtic started the half well, with Mithell Austin scythed down on the edge of the box by Sam Colbear, and Kristian Platt curled a low ball around the wall and into the back of the net to draw Celtic level.

It was all about practicing the training ground moves after this, playing little triangles, with the Armthorpe defence cut apart, and Green called into action a few times without ever looking overly troubled. Welfare's best chance was midway through the half, as Adam Lee burst onto a lax ball from Rhys Meynell the box to go one-on-one with Woodhouse, only for the Celtic keeper to pull off a good save.

Celtic from:
1. Ashey Woodhouse
2. Andy Langford
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Rhys Meynell
5. Kristian Platt
6. Jack Rae
7. Greg Wilkinson
8. Adam Kay
9. Phil Marsh
10.Lloyd Ellams
11.Connor Jennings
12. Tom Buckley
14. Callum Warburton
15. Craig Hobson
16. Mitchell Austin
17. Tim Ryan
18. Trialist
19. Dennis Sheriff

Armthorpe Welfare from:
1. Jamie Green
2. Ben Muirhead
3. David Buck
4. Chris Davies
5. Sam Colbear
6. Richard Smith
7. James Walker
8. Craig Morley
9. Adam Lee
10. Darren Mansaram
11. Henry Sibenge
12. Laim Gaughan
14. Craig Wilkinson
15. Craig Feltcher