Shaw Thing for Promotion?

Saturday 14th November 2009Thirsk Falcons 1 Celtic 1 Newby, Thorburn, Buck, Southcott, Bollon, Ledgeway, El–Etriby, Glennon, Bebb, Shaw, ChambersSubs: Knaresborough Celtic claimed what could be a vital point come the end of the season in their quest for promotion with a spirited display against title rivals Thirsk Falcons at Flatts Field. The hoops were missing a whole host of players for the difficult trip to Thirsk. Skipper Paul Hood, Martin Butler, Nick Casiero, Jared Perry and Graham Davey were all unavailable making Ramsay Beatties job of picking the side quite simple for a change! Conditions underfoot could only be described as poor at best and coupled with a swirling wind Celtic found it hard to apply their attacking brand of football. They did however fashion the first chance of the match when Lee Shaw, played up front, released strike part John Chambers. Chambers cleverly engineered enough space to lash a vicious drive up and across the goal rattling the bar in the process. Thirsk, looking for a second victory over the visitors in three weeks, adopted a three pronged midfield which overloaded the middle of the park and began to stretch Celtic time and time again. With full backs bombing on, balls into the Celtic box were becoming all too frequent. Time for hoops back four to earn their corn. Looking relatively comfortable with anything the home side had to offer however, Thirsk took the lead. Springing the offside trap and breaking down the right, Thirsk′s pacey wingman drove the ball into the box. Evading Barry Newby, deployed in goal, a gleeful forward tapped in for the home side to give them the lead. 1–0. One should have been two after a glaring miss minutes later but you let the hoops off at your peril. With the half time whistle rapidly approaching a clever ball over the top from Ahmed El–etriby was instantly controlled on the edge of the box by Shaw. This left the striker with just the keeper to beat which he did by coolly sliding past the diving keeper. 1–1 Half time. The second half became a none event with Eddie Southcott and Matthew Buck mopping up at the back and controlling proceedings, however, but for Newby’s heroics with a string of sensational saves Celtic would have lost the battle. The visitors could have pinched all three points at the end when Shaw worked space for Chambers. Again the lethal frontman opened up enough space just indside the box to lash a shot goalward only for the keeper to palm the ball onto the bar once again! On reflection the home side dominance was probably enough to have won the game and the hoops were hanging on desperately in large portions of the game, however Celtics spirit and will to win is there for all to see. Could this be the year?