CITY avenged a comment made in Stalybridge's programme back in August which tipped the Blues for relegation with this victory.

Of course City still aren't safe from relegation - they need to win at places like Emley where they travel on Saturday before that.

But, after the character they showed in this Tuesday night match, the programme editor at Stalybridge will surely have been forced to make a radical reassessment of the Blues' chances.

"It certainly was a cracker of a game," said manager Tony Hesketh. "I thought we played some very good football and it was great to see us score quickly after they equalised twice. It was certainly a good game for the fans."

And it was good to see those fans - complete with their new barmy army from St Martins - turn up in numbers on this dark, wet mid-week night. Some 345 turned up - about 100 more than City would have expected last year.

The highlight of the match was the winning goal from teenage goal-scoring sensation Chris Ward with ten minutes remaining. Kenny Mayers hit a brilliant cross from the right wing about thirty yards from the bye-line. The 18-year-old Ward headed it perfectly from the edge of the penalty area downwards and the ball bounced over the diving keeper.

To their credit the Celts threw everything had at City to come back yet again but City defended well and were denied what should have been a penalty when winger Paul Crompton was felled in the box.

City opened the scoring after ten minutes. Mayers lobbed the ball into the penalty area. Striker Neil Morton used his strength to scramble past two defenders to shoot past keeper Gary Ingham.

Celtic equalised after 39 minutes with a shot from the edge of the area but City were in front again just seconds later. Mayers was the provider yet again. He carried the ball forward on the right straight after the kick off and crossed to Dean Martin who headed home.

A draw looked on the cards when Stalybridge equalised after a defensive error on 75 minutes. But then top scorer Chris Ward's moment of glory.

Team: Thornley, Kilbane, Graham, Udall, Sparrow, Mayers, Trainor, Martin, Taylor (Cheal 75), Morton (Ward 64), Kennedy (Crompton 70). Att: 345.

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