Cwmbran Celtic 2–4 New Inn FC — Match Report

Celtic's second game of the season ended in a 4-2 home defeat to New Inn, undone by a ten-minute spell either side of the half hour in which Alex Berrow scored three times.

It had started well. Rudi Griffiths put Celtic ahead inside seven minutes, turning in a Finlay Wood delivery, and the lead held until the 33rd minute. What followed was as quick as it was costly: Berrow levelled on 33, put New Inn ahead on 41 from Kobi Preston Watkins, and completed his hat-trick two minutes later from Joel Richards. Three goals in ten minutes, and a game that had been going Celtic's way was gone.

Celtic did not fold. Wood turned provider again on 71 minutes, Kian Saunders finishing to make it 3-2 with the better part of twenty minutes left. But Brad Baker settled it three minutes from time, converting Benjamin Williams's pass to restore the two-goal margin.

There is something to build on in a first half hour that produced the opening goal and in a response that got Celtic back within one. There is also a plain lesson in conceding three times in ten minutes. Sam Lewis and Stephen Muir made three changes across the evening, Charlie Donovan on at the break for Tommy Challenger, Daniel Camaj for Cameron Dean on 70 and Ollie Walters for Arthur Furness on 84.

Referee Michal Baniak booked Challenger and Gabriel Howells, both for persistent infringement, with New Inn's Rico Richards cautioned late on.