Vauxhall Motors 3Stalybridge Celtic 2
LIKE a lion backed into a corner, Vauxhall lashed out in a desperate bid to escape the relegation trapdoor – but their efforts look to have come too late.
Motors are six points adrift in Blue Square North with only six to play for and their goal difference sees them trail their closest rivals by 10.
Despite missing captain Josh Wilson, Tom Hannigan, Rory Winters and Alan Griffiths on Easter Monday, the home side looked dangerous against Celtic as manager Carl Macauley set out a 4-3-3 formation with Josh Macauley, Karl Noon and Paul Brown up front.
Motors took the lead on 29 minutes, Brown’s cross from the left wing only half-cleared and Jonathan Egerton striking a left-foot shot past keeper David Carnell.
Eight minutes later it was 2-0. Chris Noone played in Noon who outpaced Celtic’s defence to calmly slot the ball past Carnell.
Stalybridge pulled a goal back on 62 minutes when James Coates parried the ball into the path of Keith Briggs to scramble home.
With four minutes to go Motors made the points safe. Lee Dames slotted the ball through to Noon who fired a rasping left foot shot for his 10th goal of the season.
With a minute to go the referee awarded Celtic a penalty, which Warren Peyton buried but Motors held on for a deserved victory.
Vauxhall: Coates, Owens (Grice), Dames, Lane, Moogan, Smith, Brown, Egerton, J Macauley (Furlong), Noon, Noone. Subs: Wright, C Macauley, Mustafa.
Attendance: 265.
