Match Report -
From Ecstasy to Agony
By Iain Benson

Three set-piece second half goals undid all the work Celtic did in the first half, getting in front, and deservedly so.

Guiseley were pressed all over the field from the off, and Liam Dickinson was causing no end of problems for the Guiseley back line. From a corner resulting from Dickinson's persistence, Guiseley struggled to clear, the ball falling to Josh Green, he lifted it back into the mix, where Joel Bembo-Leta found the ball at his feet; it was at an awkward height but he wrapped his foot around it, and lashed home. Danny Ellis on the line got his hand to it, but couldn't keep it out. Had he done so, he?d have been sent off, and Celtic would have had a penalty, which would have resulted in a very different game.

Celtic weren't complaining, but were struggling to turn their advantage into goals. Andy Holdsworth was booked for diving in the box, and Gavin Rothery for a foul that was waved on, resulting in two bookings with no fouls. Josh Green came close, but his shot was straight down the middle, and Drench saved easily, whilst Drench turned from goal-stopper to striker when he saw Danny East organising his defence, and took a fifty yard free kick towards the top corner. East saw the danger and caught easily, but Guiseley's only shot on target in the whole half was from the keeper.

Credit has to be given to Gusieley in the second half, who looked a different team. Wayne Brooksby fired in a wicked free kick that East athletically tipped over his bar. From the resulting corner, Danny Ellis was left completely unmarked in the six yard box, and Brooksby's corner was pinpoint, right onto his head, which he turned into the goal to equalise for Gusieley.

Brooksby's set pieces were causing no end of problems for Celtic, as they struggled to get into any kind of rhythm that had seen them boss the first half. His rocket could only be parried by East, and Kevin Holsgrove following in fired embarrassingly wide with the goal at his mercy. With the defence under so much pressure from the home side, mistakes were frequent, a cushioned back header from Andy McWilliams turned into a bullet header into the ground from close range that somehow East reached with a diving save.

It was no surprise when Guiseley scored again, from another corner. This time the ball landing at the feet of Danny Hall, again completely unmarked and left with the simple job of sweeping home.

Whether Guiseley heaved a sigh of relief of getting their noses in front, or whether Celtic finally got their act together, the result was Celtic were finally looking more fluid again. Dickinson went close but lacked the power to beat Drench, but all the work was undone when Andy McWilliams brought Alex Johnson crashing down as he ran to the box. McWilliams was booked, and another pin-point perfect free kick from Brooksby found Danny Ellis, who was again unmarked, allowing him to turn his header into the goal.

Two down, Celtic were looking more like the team in the first half, but chances were limited as Guiseley defended in numbers and depth. Paul Ennis tricked his way through, and took on the shot, but it failed to overly test Drench. Drench finally showed his worth deep into stoppage time when a Kristian Platt rocket of a free kick warped time as it flew towards goal. It was at a good height for Drench and he was able to punch it away, leaving Celtic at the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat.

1Drench, Steve  
2Holdsworth, AndyYellow Card 
3Parker, Ben  
4Hall, Danny  
5Ellis , Danny  
6Lawlor, Jake  
7Brooksby, Wayne  
8Boshell, Danny  
9Boyes, Adam  > 64
10Holsgrove, Kevin  > 83
11Rothery, GavinYellow Card 
12Harrison, Kyle  
14Forrest, Danny  < 83
15Potts, Michael  
16Johnson, Alex  < 64
17Dickinson, Stephen