Bidvest Wits beat 10-man Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.

The win takes Clever Boys to 13th place on the league table, while Phunya Sele Sele remain ninth on the log.

The Clever Boys were the better side in the early stages of the game with James Keene looking lively upfront for the hosts.

Wits were awarded a penalty in the 30th minute after Mpho Maruping deliberately handled the ball in the Celtic box and the player was sent off.

English striker Keene converted the penalty to make it 1-0 to Wits much to the delight of the Clever Boys fans inside the stadium.

Celtic goalkeeper Patrick Tignyemb had to be alert in the 42nd minute and he gathered Wits defender Thulani Hlatshwayo's goal bound throw in.

Phunya Sele were under pressure with the half-time break fast approaching on a chilly night in Johannesburg.

But they managed to contain the home side until the match referee blew the half-time whistle and the score was 1-0 to Wits at the interval.

The Cleve Boys continued their dominance in the early stages of the second-half as 10-man Celtic struggled to contain them.

Tignyemb denied Wits attacking midfielder Vincent Pule just after the hour-mark as the hosts pressed the visitors.

However, as the second-half progressed, Celtic began attacking in numbers and Vusi Shikweni forced Wits keeper Darren Keet into a good save.

Celtic attackers Menzi Masuku and Deon Hotto were also denied by Keet in the closing stages of the game.

Wits were able to hold on to their slender lead and ultimately, they recorded a 1-0 win over Celtic.

Wits (1) 1 (Keene 31')
Celtic (0) 0

Wits XI: Keet, Hlatshwayo, Khumalo, Pule (Klate 70'), Hlanti, Claasen, Mkhwanazi, Myeni (Pelembe 62'), Gyimah, Keene (Monare 61'), Majoro.

Celtic XI: Tignyemb, Pfumbidzai, Rikhotso, Ndengane, Gordinho, Baloyi, Maruping, Hotto, Mashikinya (Mabena 49'), Phalane (Shikweni 75'), Mabasa (Masuku 49').

Bidvest Wits will look to outsmart Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership match at Bidvest Stadium on 19 January 2018, kick-off at 20h00.

Wits have claimed four points from their last two matches, with a 2-0 home win over SuperSport United on January 10 followed by a 1-1 draw away to Chippa United on January 14. Despite the strong haul of points, the Johannesburg side remain tied for last spot on the log with AmaZulu and Platinum Stars.

The Clever Boys have claimed just seven points from nine home matches this season, though they gave a fine performance in the last game they hosted, as goals from Bongani Khumalo and James Keene saw them defeat Matsatsantsa.

Celtic suffered their fifth loss of the season when they were handed a 4-0 thrashing at Maritzburg United on January 12. It was a second time in the last five league matches that they have conceded four goals, having lost 4-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns last month.

Phunya Sele Sele have claimed just nine points from eight away matches this season. Since beating Cape Town City away back in October, Celtic have taken just one point from a possible 12 on the road, conceding 10 goals in the process.

In head-to-head stats, Celtic and Wits have met in 56 league matches since 1985. The Clever Boys have claimed 23 wins compared to 18 for Phunya Sele Sele, while 15 matches have been drawn. The Johannesburg side has claimed 15 wins from 28 home matches in the rivalry, suffering five defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season, Celtic claimed a 1-0 home win on October 1 thanks to a goal from Roggert Nyundu. Phunya Sele Sele have recorded one win, one draw and one loss from their last three trips to face the Clever Boys in Johannesburg.

Wits’ line-up from their 1-1 draw with Chippa on January 14: Keet, Hlatshwayo, Mkhwanazi, Gyimah, Hlanti, Pule (Pelembe 76’), Ntshangase, Motshwari, Claasen, Myeni (Frosler 89’), Majoro (Gamal 62’).

Celtic’s line-up from their 4-0 loss to Maritzburg on January 12: Tignyemb, Pfumbidzai, Rikhotso (Lubisi 78'), Ndengane, Letsoalo (Motshegwa 49'), Maema (Nyundu 47'), Gordinho, Baloyi, Hotto, Mabena, Phalane.