Nantwich Town 0
Stalybridge Celtic 3
FA Trophy (1st Round)

Match Report

Celtic eased through into the second round past Nantwich, with a score line that reflected the game.

The first half was largely uneventful, Jake Sedgemore twice forcing Dave Carnell into stops from free kicks, but neither overly stretched the Celtic keeper, whilst at the other end, Joe O'Neill fired into Lee Jones's midriff after a lay off from Keith Briggs. Just when it looked like neither side would be able to score, Celtic slipped up three or four gears, Warren Petyon's ball into the path of Dave Hankin, a first time cross to the near post, and Matty Barlow was on hand to flick his header past Jones.

The second half started as slowly as the first half. Andrew Kinsey twice tried his luck from distance, and twice found Carnell in the right place, whilst Barlow and O'Neill both went close for Celtic before Hankin waltzed past his marker and put in a low cross for Joe O'Neill arriving at the right moment to bullet a volley past Jones. Five minutes later and the game was made safe when Keith Briggs was given the freedom of the stadium to bring down Andy Smart's ball just outside the six yard box, take the touches he needed while the defence watched on, and then curl the ball with power past Jones who must have wondered what his defence were doing. After that, it was Celtic keeping the ball, Peyton curled a free kick that Jones parried as far as Briggs, before Briggs blazed narrowly over, and Osebi Abadaki came on for a few minutes at the end, immediately set about the opposition, beating several before firing low, and forcing Jones into a save.

Stalybridge:
1 Carnell, David
2 Law, Graeme
3 Smart, Andrew
4 Woods, Steve Yellow Card
5 Peyton, Warren
6 Hardiker, John
7 Hankin, Dave > 83
8 Briggs, Keith Yellow Card
9 O’Neill, Joe > 78
10 Barlow, Matty
11 Carr, Michael > 89
12 Battersby, Richard
14 Jennings, Connor < 89
15 Hobson, Craig < 78
16 Abadaki, Osebi < 83
17 Moss, Ryan

Match report written by Iain Benson (www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk)