Scottish Lowland League
Christie Gilles Park
Tuesday, August 17, 2021

CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS… 1
(Duffy 91)

CELTIC B… 1
(Murray 86)

There was late drama at the Christie Gilles Park this evening (Tuesday) as the Celtic B Team scored and conceded late against Civil Service Strollers. A fine Dane Murray header looked to have secured maximum points for the Hoops on the road with four minutes of normal time remaining, before a 91^st-minute Lewis Duffy header snatched a point for the hosts at the death.

Celtic entered tonight’s match having hammered Vale of Leithen 10-0 on Saturday but, against a side second on goal difference ahead of the game, this encounter was always going to pose a different challenge.

Tommy McIntyre’s men started well, pressing the game high and created problems for the home side in wide areas. Bruno Davidson was especially tricky on the left flank, while Owen Moffat, Joe Murphy and MacKenzie Carse weathered a series of fouls in the centre of the pitch in the opening quarter hour.

Civil Service Strollers were well-organised in defence and dealt with a string of half-chances from Hoops frontman Joey Dawson, before the visitors rattled the post via a well-struck Bosun Lawal effort – the centre-half having recycled a loose ball from a corner.

Just over the half-hour mark and Dawson did well to get in behind the Strollers’ backline, but was denied one-on-one by the goalkeeper. At the opposite end, Celtic’s centre-back pairing of Lawal and Murray were required to be switched on to the home side’s offensive who sought to break on the counter-attack.

Goalless at the break, Civil Service Strollers returned with an aggressive high press of their own to match Celtic’s, which called for cool heads in the defensive third. The Hoops were patient in possession and, just over the hour, a fine counter saw Rocco Vata burst down the right flank, beat his man and fire a ball across the box for Dawson, however the striker struggled to get the ball out from under his feet. Moments later, the same move saw the forward flash an effort just inches wide of the post.

As the home side begun to tire, Celtic exercised patience in possession as they sought to unpick an increasingly deep-lying backline. A few more half-chances fell to Moffat, Carse and Vata, before Mullen was called to action at the opposite end with a fine fingertip save to keep the scoreline level.

With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Dane Murray fired the Hoops in front when he headed home an in-swinging free-kick from the left at the back post. Just five minutes after that, however, and Duffy pulled the hosts level with a similar move that left Mullen with no chance between the sticks.

Given the timings of the goals, the Hoops left Edinburgh disappointed however must now turn their attention to their next league encounter – Dalbeattie Star at the Penny Cars stadium this Saturday.

CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS: Whyte; Irving, Valentine, Shaw, Moffat, Duffy, McConnell, Young, Cole, Faye, Balde
Subs: Johnston, Clapperton, Gibson, Fee

CELTIC B: Mullen; Jackson, Lawal (captain), Murray, Paterson (Robertson 13); Murphy, Vata, Carse, Moffat, Davidson (Letsosa 89); Dawson
Subs: Olumwayemi, Deane

Late drama as Celtic B held to a point in Edinburgh