St Helens Town 1-3 Cleator Moor Celtic

Town’s promising start to the season has gone away with the lack of goals from many chances being punished and Saturday’s game at the Arcoframe Stadium was a classic example.

Meeting the Cumbrian side Cleator Moor Celtic for the first ever time, Town made a decent start with McHugh and Weaver having efforts scrambled away before the visitors with their overall height advantage, began to cause problems.

Two good chances fell to Ward and but he failed to test Williams in the homes goals with two headed efforts.

The opening goal arrived on 37 minutes after Celtic worked a throw-in from the right and good work from Charlton saw the ball reach Birdsall after a poor defensive header from Richards and the striker drilled home an angled shot.

Tow had the ball in the net on the stroke of half time but Grimshaw was adjudged to have retreated from an offside position.

Within five minutes of the restart Town were level with man of the match Presho superb on the right creating an opportunity for Grimshaw whose shot took a deflection past Rule in the Celtic goal.

The game now entered its best phase with Town surviving a mad scramble with crossbar and post coming to their aid as Cleator Moor caused aerial problems from set pieces.

The game was now anybody’s as Town’s double substitution almost saw Diggle go clear with his first touch but Rule made a good block. Controversy closed a game which Town looked to be worthy of a point when two goals in three minutes won it for the Cumbrians courtesy of a disputed hand ball decision which saw eventually saw Charlton tap in.

Town were further upset when a theatrical dive led to a free kick to the visitors with Ward wrapping up the points with an excellent near post finish.

Town are back at Ruskin Sports Village on Saturday 22 September with the pressure on to collect maximum points against basement outfit Holker Old Boys, kick off 3pm.