If anything, Celtic were too lax in their approach to bottom of the Northwest Counties team, Winsford and this allowed Winsford to give Celtic a scare.

Somewhat justified in the opening half hour, as Celtic comfortably held the visitors at bay. At the other end, Celtic worked half chances, with Obua Mugalula twice went close. Max Harrop’s scissor kick cleared the bar, before he had to leave as a precaution. Joe Edwards put a free kick over the bar, before Jerry Legrand-Akpo well off his line from an offside kick allowed Max Leonard to try for goal from fifty yards, but he missed. What Leonard couldn’t do, Jordan Burton could. With Legrand-Akpo off his line, Burton lobbed him from an acute angle, lifting the ball into the back of the net.

Winsford leapt from the blocks after the interval. Two minutes in, Jai Curran-Nichols slid in and missed the ball, bringing down Ross Aikenhead in the box. Jeanny Leblanc-Akpo converted from the spot, giving Winsford self-belief. They went on a five-minute rampage. Ezeikel Eme twice fired from the edge of the box into opposite corners, giving United a two goal cushion.

Burton halved the cushion with a wonderful goal, Curran-Nichols at the edge of the opposition’s box feeding Burton to curl up and over Legrand-Akpo into the top corner. Jack Irlam equalised four minutes later, when Burton turned provider, nodding back Mugalula’s cross to Irlam, who’s overhead kick wrong footed Legrand-Akpo.

Celtic were looking much more confident, even so, Winsford nearly restored their lead when Connor Leach saw Leblanc-Akpo’s shot through a crowd late, but made the save. Byrne and Irlam both missed the target, Irlam with the better of the two chances. Mugalula did find the breakthrough with six minutes left on the clock. Leonard pulled the ball back from the edge of the box into his path. Two touches to pass a defender, and placed perfectly into the bottom corner.

It could have been a hat-trick for Burton deep into stoppage time. Jerry Lagrand-Akpo brought Mugalula down when one-on-one, however, the Winsford keeper made the save, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Celtic going through to face Altrincham.