Youth/Development Team Thread

Morton 1 up.

 

Morton pull a goal back 3-2.

 

This on Celtic TV?

 

It will be blocked most likely

 

CELTIC…4
(Afolabi 16, Oko-Flex 37pen, Harper 51, Dembele 87)

MORTON…2
(King 7, Muirhead 59pen)

CELTIC made it two wins out of two in the Reserve Cup with a victory over Morton at Lennoxtown today (Tuesday). And the Hoops replicated the 4-2 result of their opening game against Dundee with the same margin of victory over the Greenock side.

The home side started the first-half strongly, and there were early chances for Liam Burt and David McKay inside the opening three minutes.

However, it was the visitors who grabbed the opening goal after seven minutes when Billy King curled home an effort from the edge of the box that evaded Conor Hazard in the Celtic goal.

That only served to drive the Hoops on, however, and Tommy McIntyre’s side were level on 16 minutes when Oko-Flex’s low cross into the box was tucked away by a cheeky back-heel from Jonathan Afolabi.

McKay then had an effort cleared off the line, with Oko-Flex again the provider, while at the other end, Robbie Muirhead came close with a shot that went narrowly wide. And Hazard denied Muirhead again just after the half-hour mark with a brilliant save inside the six-yard box.

On 37 minutes, Celtic took the lead from a penalty. Oko-Flex was brought down inside the area, and then stepped up to convert the spot-kick.

And as the game moved into the last few minutes, Hazard was called upon to deny both Kalvin Orsi and Muirhead again as Morton looked for an equaliser.

It took only six minutes of the second-half for Celtic to extend their lead. Cameron Harper picked up the ball from Burt, took a touch and then drove a powerful shot that went in off the post.

Afolabi came close to scoring his second of the game when his shot from 20 yards out just went narrowly over, while Hazard again was called into action to deny the visitors.

However, there was nothing the Irish goalkeeper could do on 59 minutes when Morton were awarded a penalty after Hoops defender, Bobby Paterson was penalised for a foul inside the area. Muirhead stepped up and slotted the ball home to reduce the deficit.

With 18 minutes remaining, Karamoko Dembele, on as a substitute for Liam Burt, had a chance to extend Celtic’s lead, but his first effort was blocked, while his follow-up shot hit the side-netting.

Afolabi showed great strength to win Celtic a corner on 79 minutes, but his header from the resulting set-piece went wide.

Morton continued to press for an equaliser, but once again, Muirhead found Hazard in the Celtic goal a tough adversary, with the Irishman saving well in the 85th minute.

Two minutes later, Celtic made it 4-2 and it was Dembele who fired home the goal, slotting a shot into the bottom corner from close-range to seal the win for Tommy McIntyre’s side.

CELTIC: Hazard, O’Connor, Paterson, Church, McKay, Coffey, Harper, Robertson, Afolabi (McGrath 89), Burt (Dembele 63), Oko-Flex.
Subs: Oluwayemi, McRobb, Moffat, Mazis

 

Cheers for the updates and info.

 

Hopefully highlights will be about soon.

 

Really surprised Afolabi isn't getting a shot from the bench at least tomorrow..

Thought he'd be a shoe in..

4 different scorers. Dembele back. Harper showing he can make the step up to the reserves. All good..

Morton just by the couple of goalscorers alone. Billy King and Robbie Muirhead are experienced SPL/top end championship player's so they no doubt had a strong team out against our kid's. Decent..

 

Good result and a positive report. Plenty to be happy about. Looking forward to watching Afolabi.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if Lennon started edoaurd tomoro and brought on bayo or Griff. Can see O'Connor , okoflex and afolabi being left at that reserve level for the foreseeable future. Frimpong seems to be ahead of oconnor currently. Lennon seems fairly conservative in his team selections and players won't be picked from reserve/developement team unless they are absolutely banging the door down. You could argue okoflex is banging door down currently. good though that I'd hope a good portion of the players out there today and the likes of connell will be well used to playing together and a good portion will come through at the right time to the seniors

Sent from my VTR-L09 using Tapatalk