Birtley Town vs West Allotment Celtic

Recap

Hoops hit NINE as Wharton bags hattrick in West Allotment Celtic rout

Birtley demolished the league’s bottom club 9-0, scoring seven in a brutal second half performance, including four goals in the last seven minutes as a youthful Celtic side toiled towards the end. 

The game started in dry conditions overhead and the pitch was in good nick considering its recovering from a near two month downpour. The Hoops were favourites on form and league position and it showed with pressure right from the off. Kaleb Young showed some good skill to avoid a sliding challenge but could only fire wide, before Matty Ward could only win a corner when slid through by debutant Matty Pattison.

Birtley did then take the lead in the tenth minute as a quite beautiful cross from Owen Lancaster flew straight onto the head of Kyle Wharton who headed home well. A minute later and it was two and this was a goal to keep an eye out for on the highlights. A Lancaster long throw was sent high across the edge of the area and Matty Pattison let it drop over his shoulder before sending a beautiful left footed volley arrowing into the top left corner. A goal worthy of his Premier League stature.

As the half went on the Birtley pressure continued. Wilson Gray made a brilliant double save to deny Matty Ward before Kaleb Young could only put a pressured shot straight at Gray when well placed. At this point Birtley were hardly leaving the Celtic half and it took another brilliant save by Gray to stop Pattison from scoring another belter. Then just before halftime Reece Harrison went on a brilliant mazy run down the left but was denied by the woodwork. The ball rolled back to the six yard box but Reece Havelock-Brown had his effort blocked well. 

HALF TIME | BIRTLEY TOWN 2-0 WEST ALLOTMENT CELTIC

The second began in much the same vein as the first and it only took six minutes for Birtley to add a third. For the second time Kyle Wharton rose highest to head home from a cross on the left and make it 3-0. The pressure continued as Pattison fired a free kick just over and Wharton fired just over searching for his hattrick. He continued that search a minute later and almost made it a hattrick of headers but was denied by yet another brilliant save from the 16 year old in goal for Celtic.

On the hour mark it started to pour it down and the goals started to rain down as well. Matty Ward made it four as the ball was played over the top. He then rounded the keeper before finishing from a narrow angle. A couple minutes later and another goal mouth scramble where the ball hit the keeper twice, the crossbar once, the post twice and pretty much every player on the pitch.

With twenty to go the visitors made one final change as the young Wilson Gray in the Celtic goal made way for another youngster Sean Newmark. The former had a brilliant performance and should not be disheartened by the score line. Minutes passed and another goalmouth scramble where Hoops yet again hit the post. Then the new keeper Newmark rewarded the substitution with a frankly ridiculous save to tip a Reece Havelock-Brown rocket onto the crossbar and over. Sadly for him from the resulting corner Kaleb Young headed home to make it 5-0. More Celtic pain then followed as Storey went down and with no more subs they were reduced to ten for the rest of the game. 

The final ten minutes produced goals galore. First on 84 minutes, Reece Havelock-Brown powered home a sixth with a brilliant back post header. Five minutes later it was seven as Matty Ward curled a beautiful effort beyond Newmark. As the clock passed ninety, the ball was in the back of the net again as a Kaleb Young cross evaded everyone including a flying Wharton still hat-trick-hunting to nestle in at the far post. And eight became nine as a ball was sent across the face of goal where Reece Harrison put it back across goal to leave Wharton to tap home from at most a yard out and complete his hat-trick. The referee finally ended the Celtic suffering with the final tally at nine. 

FULL TIME | BIRTLEY TOWN 9-0 WEST ALLOTMENT CELTIC

Smiles all round and the Birtley Ultras still had the drum going hours after full time. A word to the young Celtic players who still showed fight all the way to the end. Particular mentions to the two keepers for the visitors who made some excellent saves between them and whom the score line shouldn’t dishearten. We wish them all the best for the rest of the season. 

UP NEXT
The Hoops are on the road next week with a bus running to Kendal Town next Saturday. Please get in contact ASAP to secure your seat. Travel on the bus is £25 and we’ll be leaving Birtley at 10:45am, returning from Kendal at 5:15pm to return in time for the Newcastle game at 8pm.

Many thanks to the 128 in attendance for your support and we look forward to seeing more of you down at The Arrowmark in a very busy March.

H2H vs WEST ALLOTMENT CELTIC
P7 W1 D1 L5 GF7 GA15

Highlights