Southport v Stalybridge Celtic

..as in Conf North Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg - long-winded eh what ??

Don't know what you're expecting at this time of bloody night (as in 0045) - I can offer pictures - as in

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BridgePortPOAway2008/

and some "words of wisdom" (ho ho).

Celtic lost 1-0 - probably about right on the balance of play - but it leaves all to play for in the second leg on Sunday afternoon (and yes the "walking day" at Chez Smiffy HAS been brought forward 24 hours !!)

Tonight - Celtic definitely very subdued first half - midfield did not perform, and so it became a long ball game. Defence fairly comfy - Smart and Sykes well up to the job - Southport goal was well-taken though - but at 1-0 you thought ....hmmm...well I did....

Second half - Celtic playing downhill according to my theodilite anyway... looked a lot better although still kept missing out midfield too much for my (and many others) liking. Still Southport were put under some pressure - so to me it will only take a good "on song" performance on Sunday to turn this pressure into goals - they do look a touch shaky at times - with a tendency to "fall over" at will. Former Celt Neil Prince certainly did not enamour himself to his formers fans (viz paymasters) by falling over with monotonous regularity - so much so, that when the "real challenge" came in - and yes it was a good 50/50 challenge - and he left the field on a stretcher - his earlier cries of "wolf" meant he got little - OK no - sympathy from the Celtic faithful. I note the Southport report talks of "nasty Celtic challenging" - I'd certainly combat that one with some "dramatic Southport falling" - a late Chris Hall diving header - "oooooh" as they say (bugger as I say - didn't quite get the ball in the picture) - certainly Celtic finished the stronger.... just a question of keeping that momentum going come 1500 on Sunday.

Second half - the weather finally turned to sh*t - my gratefuls to Tony for the lift back to Stalybridge, because what with all that "falling over" stuff, I'd have never have made it back to Meols Cop for 2139 (5 minutes added on etc..).

It's ten past one - I really should .... as they say ...
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