RUSHALL OLYMPIC 1-0 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC: FULL MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Dell Penalty Rebound Computes Narrow Rushall Victory

Rushall Olympic 1-0 Stalybridge Celtic

This encounter quickened somewhat and livened up considerably following the penalty awarded to the Pics which Dom Dell scored at the second attempt, following a decent initial save by Celtic ‘keeper Joe Slinn. Rushall hurried and harried to prevent their guests from regaining parity, whilst Stalybridge raised their pace in a vain attempt to snatch a goal they probably deserved on the overall balance of play. Both ‘keepers made a few saves in this match but despite the real effort produced by both teams, excitement was at a premium in truth and it was something of a surprise that a goal was scored at all. Celtic often moved the ball about with more slickness, yet Olympic’s left-flanker Stan Mugisha was a dangerous and rapid runner, while home skipper and ex-pro’ Liam Lawrence was the controller in midfield for the hosts and Oli Roberts displayed some smart passing for the visitors and delivered a number of impressive set-piece feeds. 

STEVE BURR IS AWAY, THEN...

THE YELLOW-FLAGGED LINESMAN LOOKS LIKE HE'S ABOUT TO PRACTISE HIS SEMAPHORE CODE... 

The game produced a keen contest between Celtic wingback Greg Wilkinson and the spirited Mugisha, whereas ‘Bridge’s left wingback Joe Garvin was in direct opposition to home right-winger Will Hancox, leaving the home full-backs Charlie Duke and Ciaran Best more space to rush forth and cause some consternation for the Celtic defence. Visiting strikers Aaron Burns and Jake Charles will have better days though; the latter was too often crowded out and saw a couple of shots blocked, whereas Burns’ afternoon was split between being hauled to the ground by foul means and shooting four efforts either high or wide. Try as they did, Celtic were unable to grab that late equaliser and bottom of the table Rushall were plainly relieved when the referee’s whistle blew a finish to seven added minutes. 

EARLY SECONDS & MUGISHA IS FLOORED...

Visiting skipper Luke Ashworth was cautioned in the opening moments for a yank on the sprightly Mugisha but goalmouth action at the Celtic end was limited to a blocked Mugisha shot, a clipped Dell effort wide and an angled drive by Hancox who had been freed on the right and which Slinn parried well at his near post. Dave Moli, starting as ‘centre-forward’ for the Pics was cautioned for diving but did see an angled effort deflected over the goal-frame by a Celtic defender too. Stalybridge, although often tidy in their approach play, were let down by their finishing in truth and apart from two skied efforts by Burns, right-side attacker Theo Bailey-Jones might have done better on a break than shoot weakly at home goalie Dan Crane, for Rushall were shorthanded in defence and both Burns and Charles were to Bailey-Jones’ left.

ASHWORTH NOW HAS 89 + 7 MINUTES OF ADDED-TIME TO AVOID ANOTHER BOOKABLE CHALLENGE...

Home defender Lewis Probert was warned for a foul on Burns but committed another similar offence during the second period and was again only warned, once again bringing into question the consistency of some refereeing. From this challenge, Roberts struck a 20 yard free-kick against what looked like Lawrence’s arms, raised in front of his face in the defensive wall but Roberts cleverly shot the rebound at goal, forcing the unsighted Crane into a good swooping save down by his left upright. Hancox blocked a Garvin drive from the ensuing corner and when poor home ball retention allowed Garvin to clip a 40 yard effort over the stranded Crane, the ‘keeper was relieved to see the shot drop onto the outside of his goal-net.

MOLI IS PUNISHED FOR DIVING...

A 'CELTPIC' IS A MYTHICAL CREATURE WITH THE FRONT END OF A CELT & THE REAR END OF A PIC, AS DEMONSTRATED ON THE LEFT.
ANOTHER CELT AWAITS A PIC REAR...

As the half ended, Charles was crowded out close to the Pics’ goal and after Kristian Scott appeared to be shoved from behind by Celt Andy Langford, Moli went close from 7 yards out, his blocked shot ricocheting from his own leg for a goal-kick. Neither Moli, nor Celt Bailey-Jones re-emerged after the break, interestingly… The blustery wind blustered colder, the pattern of play rarely broke from its previous mould but suddenly, at around the 77th minute mark, a spot-kick would change the script completely…  

WILKINSON & MUGISHA: A GOOD TUSSLE...

HOME SKIPPER LAWRENCE PRACTISES FOR LATER IN THE GAME...

Two opportunities were fashioned by Celtic at the start of the second period but Burns miscued a decent pass by Charles wide of the near post from 12 yards then after replacement Matt Wolfenden had seen a shot blocked, the ball fizzed out for Wilkinson to drive goalwards from 24 yards but Crane flew left to beat the ball away well. In response, Picman Hancox was unable to convert beyond the far post following Best’s deep centre and home substitute Zak Lilly made a strong run but Slinn fell right to save the eventual shot comfortably. After Wilkinson and Wolfenden, that well known firm of estate agents, had set up Burns for another shot which ballooned too high, Slinn scrambled an untidy Lilly shot behind for a corner, before Celtic’s offensive play saw a Roberts corner bounce wide of the near upright off a defender and the subsequent flag-kick headed much too high by Alex Honeyball. 

STEVE BURR'S FACE SAYS IT ALL, REALLY...

Another Charles effort was blocked and Adam Jones’ stretching header flew wide of the far stick from a Roberts free-kick delivery but suddenly the game changed dramatically. A Celtic challenge near the edge of their 18 yard box was punished by the referee with a penalty decision and although Slinn did really well to save Dell’s first shot, the forward converted the rebound from a few yards out. 

1-0: DELL...

DELL IS CONGRATULATED...

HONEYBALL IS COMMISERATED WITH...

Celtic’s attacking play became more rushed, obviously but they only managed to find the home defence digging in like World War 1 infantry in Belgian trenches and although Lassana Mendes replaced Langford, the best chance the visitors actually created was from a rare loss of possession by Duke but Charles’ powerful strike was deflected over the target. The hosts were being forced to use the pace of Mugisha on the break as time ebbed away and one fine run ended with a low shot which Slinn fell to save comfortably and after Mugisha was cautioned for fouling Burns (no surprise there), the industrious Kristian Scott clipped a decent shot over the Celtic crossbar, following a good run on the right by replacement Danny Waldron, who had earlier replaced Hancox. 

SUFFERING BURNS...

MUGISHA IS CAUTIONED FOR BEING THE LATEST PIC TO FLATTEN BURNS...

Lawrence had apparently taken several knocks during the match and went down twice to receive lengthy attention as the game waned, causing some real frustration for the visiting Celts (against the Pics? You couldn’t make that up…) and naturally the breaks in play disrupted the visitors’ late rally and any flow they had mustered. Eventually Lawrence limped slowly from the field and was replaced by Jayden McCalla… And the game blundered, stop-start to an untidy finish.

"TAKE YOUR TIME OVER THE THROW & I'LL GO DOWN HURT A COUPLE OF TIMES AS THE GAME GETS CLOSE TO THE END..."
JUST JOKING, LIAM, HONESTLY...

Celts Jones, Ashworth and Honeyball were solid enough in defence and ‘keeper Slinn did his job well, as did Wilkinson but with only Roberts really looking creative and the two strikers being unable to take any of their opportunities, Rushall kept it tight at the back with Sam Whittall and Lewis Probert immense, along with gloveman Crane. 

Me? Having spotted this…    

#NextGame

@ROFCOfficial vs @StalyCelticFC 

⚽️Evo Stik Premier

📆 19| 08| 17

📍Dales Lane| WS3 3QH

⏱3pm 

#TheCelticWay 👊

🔵⚪️🔵⚪️🔵⚪️

…on Stalybridge’s Twitter feed, I typed the postcode into my satnav, ending up in, er, Bloxwich and what should have been a 40 minute journey from Solihull became one of 65 minutes, involving asking four locals where the ground was; one of them knew. My fault; I should have checked the club’s address more carefully, for the actual postcode is WS4 1LJ…

Helpful…

I got home in 35 minutes though…  

TEAMS:

ABOVE: RUSHALL OLYMPIC & BELOW: STALYBRIDGE CELTIC...