- OUR PARTNERS
Phoenix steal points with valiant display
While recent results have been good for Celtic they are still searching for consistency of performance. Too often they have got themselves into winning positions only to allow poor concentration and defensive errors cost them dearly. Saturday’s opposition was Phoenix FC who made the short trip to Porterstown and while Celtic enjoyed a win against their local rivals only a month earlier, there could be no complacency – with this being a local derby, Celtic struggle for consistency and a Phoenix team up for revenge, then this was anybody’s game.
Celtic, playing into a strong breeze, started well but after 5 mins were dealt a severe body blow. A free kick was awarded just inside the Phoenix half. A long ball was played into the box but, with a strong wind, it cleared everyone and bounced onto the cross bar before their ever alert striker followed up to head in from a yard out. 0-1.
Celtic were rocked but slowly but surely began to dominate. Mark Hughes saw a wonderfully struck free kick from the left crash against the crossbar. Minutes later Castleknock in the guise of Ciaran Collins won the ball before running straight into trouble……...or so we thought before the “Magician” went one way then the other before unleashing a drive into the roof of the net. Unbelievable. 1-1.
Phoenix were rocking. Celtic were on top and then the inexplicable happened. A clearance was made by Phoenix and a complete defensive mixup saw the ball break back towards the Celtic goal. Tommy Bowe raced out but the No 10 always had the advantage as he nudged the ball home into an empty net. 1-2. Minutes later it was 1-3 when from a throw in on the right the Phoenix midfielder hit a speculative shot that with a following wind found its way into the back of the net. HT: 1-3
At half time the Coaches said that all the goals were against the run of play and with a following wind the game was still in Celtic’s grasp. From the off, Celtic were on the attack. Hughes and Antonio Neto dominating the midfield with Dylan Mc Donagh causing trouble down the left. However Phoenix were galvanised and fought for every ball. Kiano Ryan, who was proving a nuisance up front, battled hard but every time he beat his marker there was always two more around him. Pressure was constant. Hughes’ corners rained in and eventually with 15 minutes left a goal was clawed back. From a Hughes corner Franc Ajunomah skilfully shielded the ball before laying it back to Antonio Neto who swivelled before hitting a glorious strike into the top corner. 2-3 .
Celtic continued to attack but were hampered by a mixture of poor passing and poor decision making. And when they did get it right they could not penetrate a well organised and hardworking Phoenix defence. Kiano came close as he forced a smart save from the keeper and Hughes nearly had a “Roy of the Rovers” moment as he waltzed from the half way line past 5 players before seeing his well struck left foot shot deflected just wide for a corner. There would be no more chances as Phoenix saw out the game. FT: 2-3
First of all, congratulations to Phoenix. They have been having a tough season to date but today they took their chances and worked for each other from start to finish. They possibly only had 25% possession but they deserved their win and they will look to build on it as the season progresses.
As for Celtic, inconsistent once again and as we have seen so many times this season they have dropped points by making basic errors. Today, again, too many errors and too many missed passes have cost them dear. You can’t expect to make so many errors and get away with it in the DDSL Major league. On the positive side there were some very good individual performances and if, as a team, they can cut out the basic errors they still have a role to play in what is proving to be a tight division. Celtic are a good team and good teams learn from their mistakes. Hope remains and nothing is impossible. As Nelson Mandela once said “Everything is impossible until it’s achieved” Com’n the Celts.
