Pre-season is about progression. Getting better with each match, and this new look Celtic side has progressed since Friday.

Twenty seconds into the match, a rapid move saw Michael Brewster power forward, slide the ball out to Aaron Dwyer who put his cross through the six-yard box. Matty Bryan couldn’t connect, but Alex Kiwomya had followed in to sweep in the opening goal. With a two-week head start on Celtic, Irlam looked comfortable with each other, and came back strongly, having a decent spell for twenty minutes. Jono Hunt, Jake Kenny, and Omar Ibrahim protected Elliot Wynne’s goal for long periods, and when Irlam broke through, they hardly troubled Wynne. Irlam’s best chance of the half came during this spell, when a winger swept in and lobbed Wynne, but Kenny was on the line to hook clear. As the half progressed, Celtic re-established control. A mystified Aaron Dwyer watched an acrobatic save deny his scorcher. Matty Bryan got his head on the corner, forcing the save of the half, point-blank, down low.

The second half continued in a similar vein. Irlam’s keeper, the busier of the two. First denying a rocket from Max Harrop before Jacques Etia’s powerful mazy run opened up Irlam’s defence. Again, Irlam’s keeper pulled off a wonder save to deny Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, but then ruined it when he flapped at the corner, knocking it off his own defender’s leg to put Celtic two ahead.

Celtic continued to hold Irlam at bay, reduced to shooting from distance, though they hit the post. With five minutes left on the clock, a back pass from Greg Wilkinson to Celtic's second half trialist keeper saw the keeper quickly closed down, smothering the ball at the feet of the attacker. No question about being a handled back pass, giving Irlam a lifeline. They took full advantage. Despite nine Celtic players on the line, Irlam pulled a goal back, forcing the free kick over the line.

Celtic from: Elliot Wynne, Jake Kenny, Omar Ibrahim, Michael Brewster, Jono Hunt, James Dwyer, Alex Kiwomya, Charlie Doyle, Matty Bryan, Aaron Dwyer, John Pritchard, Jacques Etia, Greg Wilkinson, Darius Smith, Jordan Burton, Jamal Crawford, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Ethan Padden.