On a pitch more suited to keeping pigs than playing rugby league, Matt Calland's below-par visitors had shrugged off a terrible start to trail just 8-6 as the half time hooter loomed.
After facing the steadily worsening elements in the opening 40, Fax looked well placed to push for their third consecutive victory against John Dixon's Super League hopefuls, who were every bit as athletic and organised as you would expect from a side with 10 Australians in the starting line up and another two on the bench.
But a mistake by Andy Smith, the giant wingman seeing the soap-like ball slip from his grasp 40 metres from his own line four minutes before the break, gifted Celtic the field position from which irrepressible half back Jace Van Dyke and replacement prop Aaron Summers sent stand off Damien Quinn charging over the top of full back Shad Royston to score.
Even with winger Mark Lennon adding the extras, Fax still looked handily placed.
Worse was to follow though, with a penalty conceded from the restart opening the door for some slick build up to create a try for free-scoring full back Tony Duggan on the final play of the half.
Lennon converted for a 20-6 lead and, suddenly, Fax had a very muddy mountain to climb in conditions that were never going to lend themselves to a high-scoring game.
Whatever Calland said to his team in the dressing room clearly had an effect, with the visitors, accident prone for long stretches of the first half, finding some much needed direction in the second period.
With captain Sean Penkywicz and back rower Paul Smith leading the way, they at last managed to put some pressure on an impressively well-drilled Celtic defence, providing some comfort for a travelling supporter that just about outnumbered the home crowd.
Penkywicz went close with a chip and chase effort six minutes after the break, and, even though Fax flirted with disaster - Graham Holroyd's attempted short drop out almost handing a try on a plate to Celtic's former Wigan and London hooker Neil Budworth - they steadily worked their way back into the game.
The breakthrough on the scoreboard eventually arrived 20 minutes from the end, David Larder splashing over on the left from Penkywicz's cut out pass.
Holroyd converted, and six minutes later the visitors were in again, Paul Smith, muddied almost beyond recognition, getting an outstretched finger tip to Penkywicz's grubber kick under the Celtic posts.
Holroyd's goal left Fax trailing by just two points at 20-18 and a comeback that had once seemed impossible suddenly seemed almost probable.
Sadly, it proved the cruel hoax, with the kind of defensive lapse that has characterised Fax's form over the last two or three weeks opening the door for Budworth to break from dummy half before sending a flying Duggan stepping away from Mick Govin's despairing tackle.
Lennon added his fifth conversion and Celtic were home and, like their visitors, in desperate need of a hosing down.
Even then, Fax never threw in the towel, Holroyd getting the ball back immediately with a brilliant kick off and the visitors deservedly claimed a precious bonus point, but it was difficult to escape the conclusion that their form is not what it was.
They had struggled from the start, with centre Mike Ratu's first-minute fumble opening the door for Van Dyke to send Quinn through a yawning gap with just two minutes on the clock.
Celtic continued to threaten, but when Fax finally managed to cling to the ball, they scored: Andy Smith powering over by the corner flag.
Holroyd missed the goal, but traded penalties with Lennon to leave the game on a knife edge as the interval loomed.
Then, suddenly, it all went wrong.

MATCH FACTS
Celtic Crusaders: Tony Duggan; Paul Ballard, Josh Hannay, Mark Dalle Cort, Mark Lennon; Damien Quinn, Jace Van Dyke; Jordan James, Neil Budworth, David Tangata Toa, Terry Martin, Darren Mapp, Chris Beasley.
Subs: Ian Webster, Aaron Summers, Neale Wyatt, Gareth Dean.
Tries: Duggan (2), Quinn (2)
Goals: Lennon (5)

Halifax: Shad Royston; Lee Greenwood, Jon Goddard, Mike Ratu, Andy Smith; Graham Holroyd, Sean Penkywicz; Paul Southern, Mick Govin, David Wrench, David Larder, Paul Smith, Miles Greenwood.
Subs: Janan Billings, Richard Varkulis, Dana Wilson, Frank Watene.
Tries: A. Smith, P. Smith, Larder
Goals: Holroyd (3)
Referee: David Merrick (Castleford)
Attendance: 1,003

STARMAN
Saturday night was a game for forwards rather than backs, so it was no surprise to see rangy back rower Paul Smith take three points in the season-long Star Man award.
The former Huddersfield man was one of Fax's most effective metre makers all evening, causing real problems for Celtic with his intelligent running close to the play the ball.
He also got through his fair share of work in defence, in what, at times, was a pretty brutal contest.
And when Fax finally started to carve out the scoring chances as the game entered its final phase, it was Smith who found the legs to race onto Sean Penkywicz's grubber kick to touchdown.
Prop Frank Watene takes the two points after turning in some short, but admirably intense, spells in the front row of the pack.
On a night when Fax never really got rolling forward convincingly, Watene's blockbusting charges seemed to represent their best hope of gaining some match-winning momentum.
The final point goes to Penkywicz, who looked one of the few players sharp enough to cut open a well organised defence.
Not everything the little hooker or half back tried came off, and the wrist injury that made him a doubt before kick off is clearly troubling him, but Penkywicz's class is always evident.
A chip and chase early in the second half almost brought reward and it was no coincidence that he eventually set up Fax's second and third tries of the night.

PLAYER POINTS
Craig Kopczak 8, Andy Smith 8, Lee Patterson 7, Sean Penkywicz 6, Graham Holroyd 5, Paul Smith 5, Paul Southern 4, James Haley 3, Jon Goddard 3, Mike Ratu 3, Dana Wilson 3, Shad Royston 3, Dave Larder 3, Frank Watene 2, Mick Govin 2, Janan Billings 1

YOU SAID
Stop the man with the ball and guess what happens. Leaking too many points Fax, let's see the profesionalism and ruthlessness that Matt is talking about. - STU OF THE FAX

Great effort Fax! Last 10mins of the first half killed us! Kept going though well done! - ACKERS

Over l00 points against in just three games not good enough fax must do better - SHAY

STAT ATTACK
Celtic
First half
Completions: 14
Penalties: 4
Percentage possession: 50
Second half
Completions: 15
Penalties: 3
Percentage possession: 46

Halifax
First half
Completions: 16
Penalties: 7
Percentage possession: 50
Second half
Completions: 16
Penalties: 4
Percentage possession: 54