IT was the same old story for Gary Whild's side as they slipped further into the relegation mire with this defeat.

For large periods of the game it was Redditch firmly in the driving seat but their undoing, once again, was a lacklustre start that saw Celtic cruise into a two-goal lead.

Kettering and Worcester had also taken advantage of the slow-starting Reds in recent weeks but lessons had not been learnt and Matty Barlow took just five minutes to hand Stalybridge the lead following some below-par defending from Exodus Geoghaghan.

And the towering centre-half was also at fault when Lee Ellington doubled the advantage 12 minutes later.

Moments later and Mark Hume was just wide with an effort while Dominic Krief put a shot over the crossbar as the home side looked to finish the game off.

But as is the case with Redditch, the two-goal deficit finally saw them come to life and Carl Palmer sent a header fizzing over the bar.

It was Dave Walker, making a rare start, who reduced the arrears on 24 minutes. A free-kick was pumped upfield by Richard Softley and although Richard Ball's shot was blocked by keeper Ashley Timms, the rebound found its way to Walker who fired home.

Chances then went begging at each end with Krief missing a glorious opportunity when he put his close-range effort over the Redditch crossbar while Ball had an effort that grazed the woodwork.

But Ball made amends on 33 minutes when he bagged his third goal in as many games, firing beneath the body of keeper Timms from six yards.

Redditch were now in control and Palmer fired inches too high before Ball fired a shot just the wrong side of the post. Walker thought he had bagged his second only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

But just when it seemed as though the Reds would go on and claim three much-needed points, they fell behind six minutes after the restart. Visiting keeper Richard Anstiss had brilliantly turned away a Hume effort but, from the corner, he was helpless as James Olsen powered a shot into the net.

Chris Murphy and Ball went close to levelling before Geoghaghan took matters into his own hands with a barnstorming run only for his shot to crash into the unfortunate Scott Maxfield.

Walker was denied by a fine Timms save and Redditch's last chance fell to Murphy but his effort was off target.