Youth/Development Team Thread

Celtic make another change as Miller is replaced by Archibald

 

Final Celtic change as Hill replaces Thomson

 

8 minutes or so to go Celtic still 3 up.

 

5 minutes to play still time for another Hoops goal.

 

3 minutes added on.

 

full time Villa 0 Celtic 3

Two Goals from Luke Donnelly and Jack Aitchison give the hoops the win.

 

Good win for the development team

 

That's an excellent win. Wasn't long ago that Villa's youth academy were winning youth European honours, added with some decent older pro's..

 

Up next for Celtic is Norwich City in the PLIC next week.

 

That in Norwich Crow?

 

aye mate.

 

Nice one mate. Was just looking for exact info through google but wasn't specific..

 

Weird the Valencia game is all the way down in Southampton.

 

we have Barca after that in the UEFA Youth League then Valencia in the Premier League International Cup.

 

Celtic fixtures coming up for the lads after tonight.

Fixture Schedule



Wed, Nov 16 PLIC Norwich City Carrow Road, 7.00pm

Wed, Nov 23 UEFA Barcelona Cappielow, 2.00pm

Wed, Nov 30 PLIC Valencia Staplewood, 7.00pm

Tue, Dec 6 UEFA Man City Academy Stadium, 1.00pm

Rescheduled games

Old date New date

Rangers (a) Tuesday, Nov 8 Tuesday, Jan 17 (a)

Inverness CT (h) Tuesday, Nov 15 Friday, Dec 16 (a)

Aberdeen (a) Tuesday, Nov 23 Thursday, Jan 22 (a)

Hibernian (h) Tuesday, Nov 29 Monday, Jan 2 (h)

Dundee United (a) Tuesday, Dec 6 Friday, Mar 17 (a)

 

Are these games home and away.

 

A DEADLY double from Luke Donnelly helped Celtic make a dream start to their Premier League International Cup campaign as they impressively put Aston Villa to the sword in Birmingham.

The forward, who has spent this season on loan at Alloa, deservedly opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark for the visitors with a composed finish in the box.

Jack Aitchison doubled the advantage 11 minutes before the interval and then Logan Bailly made a tremendous stop from Gabby Agbonlahor’s penalty to keep Tommy McIntyre’s side in the driving seat.

And Donnelly sealed the stylish victory with an exquisite free-kick after a foul on Calvin Miller, giving the Hoops a huge boost ahead of the second group game next week against Norwich.

With several over-age players allowed to participate in the competition, Bailly, Dedryck Boyata and Gary Mackay-Steven all started for the Hoops at Villa Park as they looked to garner game-time, having been limited in their involved for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Loan Bhoys Jamie Lindsay (Morton) Joe Thomson (Dumbarton) and Donnelly also returned to action for the Hoops against the English side who fielded a number of experienced players including former England internationalist Gabby Agbonlahor and France cap Aly Cissokho.

Development Side regulars Anthony Ralston, Jamie McCart, Aidan McIlduff, Miller and Aitchison made up the rest of the Celtic side as McIntyre opted for a blend of youth and experience.

From the first whistle, the Bhoys grabbed the initiative, moving the ball around with pace and purpose and operating at a high-tempo.

Inside the opening three minutes, they got their first sight of goal. After Miller had earned a corner on the left, Thomson swung the ball in and McCart headed over as Villa goalkeeper Matija Sarkic failed to capture the cross.

Miller was particularly prominent in the early exchanges, driving at his man at every opportunity and sending in a series of dangerous deliveries, one of which caused Cissokho consternation though the chance eventually fizzed out.

Miller and Aitchison both had further efforts on target as the Hoops continued their assault on the home defence, before Corey Blackett-Taylor dragged a shot wide at the other end as the hosts managed a forward foray.

Normal service was soon resumed as Mackay-Steven almost started and finished a move that began on the halfway line, the winger heading narrowly wide from Miller’s centre. Lindsay then saw a shot deflected wide.

On the quarter-hour mark, the Midlands club’s resistance finally crumbled. Miller was the provider, picking out Donnelly in the box, and the forward casually rolled the ball away from his marker before finding the far corner.

Pressing furiously, Celtic continued to look the more threatening side, though Villa spurned a decent chance to level when striker Callum O’Hare headed over from Blackett-Taylor’s inviting cross.

But it was the Bhoys who would who strike again in the 34th minute after some superb striking play from 16-year-old Aitchison. Receiving a pass on the edge of the box, he wriggled clear from a host of defenders and flashed a low shot into the corner beyond Sarkic.

Brimming with confidence, McIntyre’s team were playing some lovely flowing football, passing with pace and precision, much to the delight of the Hoops fans in the ground.

Mackay Steven shot wide after driving run through the middle and Thomson had a shot blocked but the Celts were forced into some last-ditch defending to deny Agbonlahor and O’Hare as half-time approached.

Eager to maintain their momentum from the opening period, the Bhoys made a bright start to the second half and Donnelly had two decent opportunities to make it 3-0 but he was narrowly off target on both occasions.

And those looked to have proved costly as the English side were handed a chance to level from the spot in the 57th minute after the referee had deemed that McIlduff had handled the ball in the box following a cross from the right.

Agbonlahor took the penalty and hit it with plenty of power, but Bailly made a terrific low save to preserve the two-goal cushion.

It was key moment in the match as Celtic only took six minutes to extend their lead and effectively kill off the contest. After the rampaging Miller was fouled on the edge of the box by Tommy Elphick, Donnelly stepped up and curled the resultant free-kick in via the far post.

Villa continued to search desperately for a route back into the match but the clearest openings fell for the Bhoys, with Thomson to the fore. First he saw a shot saved in the box by Sarkic and then he found McIlduff with a sublime reverse ball but again Sarkic came to his side’s rescue, blocking the left-back’s effort.

And the away side comfortably saw out the closing stages with comfort to claim a valuable three points in the group and enhance their prospects of reaching the knokout stages.

 

The PLIC games are just one offs and all are played in England

 

Buzzing that its being played in Southampton, means I can go watch!

 

can you periscope the pretty please saves me posting updates.