Match Report -
No cohesion
By Debbie Taylor

After the magnificent display on Tuesday against Southport, Miller could not leave any of the team out of the starting 11. Gone, however, was the dedication and cohesion from Tuesday, and instead Celtic looked at a loss for what to do. The passing into the final thirds was woeful, and with only one striker on the pitch, it looked doubtful Celtic would find a way through the workman like Worksop defence.

Worksop's tactics were transparent. When Celtic had the ball, 11 Worksop players were in the Worksop half. And when Worksop had the ball, they surged forward. They had the pace and dedication to perform this for 90 minutes, whilst Celtic did not have the pace in the side to beat them into their own half when on a counterattack.

Celtic did start both halves brightly. In the opening minute Heald got a good chance with a quickly taken throw that Hooper put over the top, but his shot was into the floor and an easy catch.

Both Celtic and Worksop wasted a couple of early free kicks, Foster being the only one of four players to make a keeper do anything.

Celtic almost looked dangerous off set-pieces and Hooper came close from a corner when he blasted his volley over the bar from just inside the box, and they can thank Davis for the early stalemate when Keeling's header off a corner beat Bowling in the Visitors' nets, but the diminutive fullback somehow got across to head the ball off the line and clear.

Although not against the run of play, it was somewhat shocking when the 11 man defence suddenly broke up-field for the first time. Whitehead easily slipping past Bowker and German to go one-on-one with Dootson. Before the Celtic keeper could react, Whitehead had slotted the ball into the far corner. He could have doubled his lead within a minute, but under pressure from German, he put the ball wide.

Celtic tried to respond, but although Heald's ball somehow squeezed through the crowded box to Foster, there was nothing the striker could do with three yellow shirts crowding him out. Eventually he managed to turn and shoot, but it was wide.

A warning that Celtic ignored came when Caudwell raced down the flank, turned inside Bowman, turned German and slipped a ball past Bowker. Dootson reacted well, blocking Bambrook's jab home from close range with his knee, before plucking the loose ball out of the air. Celtic didn't take heed, and moments later, Caudwell again turned inside Bowman and beat German before sliding an identical ball across the six yard box.

There was some confusion, it looked like Hooper had got back, and accidentally turned the ball into his own net, although the announcement first credited it to Glasser, then to Whitehead, but the official result said Bowker. Take your pick. Whatever, a shambolic defensive error had let Worksop double their lead.

Celtic responded this time with a bit of urgency. Foster was fouled just outside the box by Haran. Wharton squared the ball to Heald, who's shot clipped the wall and went for a corner. Worksop frantically scrambled it clear.

A triple substitution saw Hooper and central defensive pairing of Woods and Bowker removed, and three midfielders brought on to replace them. A welcome return to Fitzgerald after his sojourn in Korea, and a welcome to the new face of Ged Kielty, a loan signing from Leigh RMI. Also back, from suspension, was Parr.

Worksop must have thought it was Christmas though. Both German and Keeling stood off Bambrook as he danced with the ball outside the box allowing him to curl a shot around them and Dootson, and the post, fortunately.

Parr got his first touch, and gave it away, allowing Davies to have a shot from just outside the box, which he tucked into the bottom corner.

There was no doubting heads went down after that goal went in, and half time was blessed relief.

After a roasting Celtic were sent out early onto the pitch. And again they started the brighter of the two teams. Foster found Keeling on the spot with an excellent ball, but Keeling got the ball stuck in his feet and Haran knocked it away for a corner. This time Keeling connected well, forcing a good save from Bowling.

Celtic finally started getting some decent crosses into the box, and with Parr on the field, there was a chance one might get converted, however the best chance fell early in the half, and Parr squeezed it wide.

Kielty got in the way of a good Caldecott opportunity, but himself had a goal denied by a Worksop bottom with a great strike from outside the area. But such chances were rare as Worksop closed every door that Celtic could find towards goal. Bowman tried his luck twice from outside the area, and on both occasions was wide.

To top it off, Worksop were still getting up field on occasion, and looking threatening. Bambrook tried a distance shot that was comfortable catch fro Dootson, and Whitehead missed a sitter with a free header at the back post that he put wide.

And to make matters worse, the heavens opened. A torrential downpour soaked everybody on the pitch, and anybody not quick enough to take cover.

As the game ran down Heald, Foster and Parr all missed the target when they got the opportunity to shoot, and it summed Celtic's afternoon up. They were not convincing in front of goal.

Celtic need a striker. They need Eastwood back, or somebody on loan to partner Foster until Eastwood can get back in a Celtic shirt and causing some worry to opposition defences. The good news is He's restarted training and may play before the end of September.