Cleator Moor Celtic produced a fine team performance to earn a North West Counties League draw at FC St Helens.
It finished 2-2 but the youngest side that Celtic had ever put out in the Division One North deserve a lot of credit for their display against one of the in-form sides.
Saints are on the fringes of the play-off places and have reached the semi-0finals of the League’s Macron Cup which also involves Premier Division sides.
Goalkeeper Luke McKnight and his back four were all teenagers with centre-back Zach Martin only 16; the front three were all aged 20 while the midfield trio included a 20-year-old and an 18-year-old. Only Luke Close, at 26, increased the average age of the side to 19.
Manager Brian Dawson said: “The only disappointment for us was that all the teams above us won which gives us a real up-hill battle now.
“We’re obviously a work in progress but just hope we can do enough to stay up and have another crack at this League next season.
“As well as travelling with such a young side we only had one substitute due to a couple of late cry-offs.
“But the boys put in a realm shift for me. They were organised and disciplined beyond their years and had several good opportunities to have won the game.
“We conceded early but stuck to the game plan and got back into it with a quick fire double after half-time through the impressive Ellis Trotter and a Luke Close penalty.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t hold on for the three points but in the grand scheme of things it was a great point against a high flying team.”
Saints had gone in front on 11 minutes through Joe Barker but those two goals immediately after the break gave the young Celtic side the advantage. Trotter (46) and Close (48 penalty) gave them something to fight for.
Unfortunately the hosts got level on 69 minuts through Jack Graham and that’s the way it stayed until the end.
Celtic have a welcome home mid-week game on Tuesday when Steeton are the visitors to McGrath Park (ko 8pm). Steeton are seventh in the table, just a place below St Helens but on Saturday crashed 4-1 at home to Nelson who are out of the drop zone only by virtue of goal difference.
