Stalybridge Celtic Draw In The FA Cup

Celtic failed to capitalise on the huge league gulf between the two teams, unable to break down the resolute West Didsbury and Chorlton defence. 

At the other end, West failed to have a single on target shot for the entire game, meaning Alex Fojtíček’s biggest concern was maintaining concentration. Celtic, for their part had a few good chances in the first half. Craig Hobson should have done better after West keeper, Andy Jones, was left stranded by miscommunication, but the ball wouldn’t come under control and Jones eventually got across to block the shot. Neil Kengni thought he’d put Celtic ahead when he burst through onto Nathan Valentine’s through ball, slotting past Jones, but the flag was up, Ross Dent headed a corner wide and Valentine lifted his shot back in after West’s failure to clear their lines, only for the ball to clip the crossbar. 

With the heat a major factor, the mercury approaching thirty degrees, the pace of the game was never going to be high and chances in the second half were mainly focused in the last few minutes, apart from a couple of chances midway through the half that saw Craig Hobson clear the bar and James Coltice have a rare shot for the visitors, also clearing the bar from West’s first corner after seventy minutes. 

In the last five minutes, after Matt Boland had gone for glory, blazing over the bar from twenty yards, Kengni twice tested Jones. The initial shot saw the West keeper well positioned but it required a full-stretch save from Jones to deny his twenty-yard drive with only a minute of normal time remaining. Stoppage saw Ross Dent twice get onto crosses, but neither time kept his header on target forcing the game into a replay in Didsbury.

Article by Stalybridge Celtic FC