In blustery, rainy Witton, Celtic put on an imperious first half display and never looked like losing.

The league’s hottest striker, Jack Irlam made it seven consecutive games of finding the net in almost the first attack. Kyle Brownhill’s looping cross came in, and Irlam got his head on it, to head past Cameron Terry. Minutes later, and the cross came in from Jordan Butterworth this time, high and not tracked by the home defence, coming down onto Ruben Jerome’s swinging boot, turning the cross into a rifled shot. A flurry of chances fell the home side’s way, Jacob Hamman flashing narrowly wide the best chance they got, before Irlam made it ten in seven matches when Ellis Horan’s cross was headed on by Geffry Ebhote, into the path of Irlam who made no mistake.

Charlie Monks was needed with six minutes left in the half, Joel Bembo-Leta’s shot tipped over the bar by Monks, and then Monks had to be alert as Hamman’s shot from the half-cleared corner came through a crowd, getting down to his right to smother and hold onto the shot under pressure.

The second half saw Witton desperate to get something from the game. Harry Brazel and Freddy Garbutt both missed by mere inches, and Garbutt got one on target, but Monks was well placed. Aaron Chalmers and Jack Byrne were authoritative in defence, keeping most attacks at bay, but Ben Dufton-Kelly did get behind them, but his shot careered off the post, before the home side’s consistent pressure told when Brazel got his ball over the top, and Garbutt headed past Monks. Celtic got a couple of chances, with Liam Tongue and Max Leonard missing the target in open play, and Benni Smales-Braithwaite’s free kick wayward. However, it was enough, and for 24 hours, Celtic are second, watching Avro’s game on Saturday to see if we can stay there going into Monday’s clash with Mossley.