Youth/Development Team Thread

Notorious · Nov 30, 2016

VALENCIA…0

CELTIC…3
(Nesbitt 1, Donnelly 39, Ajer 56)

CELTIC kept their hopes alive of reaching the knockout stages of the Premier League International Cup after an excellent 3-0 win over Valencia in Southampton.

The young Hoops only took 30 seconds to open the scoring against the Spanish side as Aidan Nesbitt fired home following some effective pressing.

Luke Donnelly, who had a hand in all three goals, doubled the advantage before the break with a sublime chip from 18 yards.

And Kristoffer Ajer, operating in a more advanced role, sealed the three points early in the second half, converting from Donnelly’s knockdown.

The impressive result in their final group game moves Tommy McIntyre’s team onto six points in their section alongside Norwich City, though the Canaries retain top spot due to their superior goal difference.

Speaking after the match, McIntyre spoke of his delight at how his charges had implemented the game-plan from the first whistle to put their Spanish counterparts to the sword.

“They took on the game-plan based on from the analysis we had of Valencia, which we had worked on in training, along with the video analysis we did today with the players,” he said.

"Everything we asked of them they took it on the park and they put in a top-class performance.”

“From the kick off we pressed them high and in that first wave of pressure we forced the error on the right and Luke Donnelly ran through and squared it to Aidan Nesbitt to tap it in. It was a great finish and a great start for us and it really settled us down.

“Luke had a hand in all three goals. He set up the first and the second one was a great piece of skill. The ball dropped to him on the edge of the box and you expect him to have a strike but he lobbed the goalkeeper and it just dropped in the back of the net. It was a fantastic piece of skill.

“For the third goal, the cross came over and he managed to head it down into the path of Kristoffer Ajer who put it into the net.

“It was a good time to get the third goal. We had started the second half really well and Aidan Nesbitt had a chance to score to put us three up after we had cut them open, but we quickly managed to get the third goal which effectively killed the game. The players acquitted themselves really well.”

McIntyre had made four changes to the team that lost to a more experienced Norwich City side in their previous match of the U23 competiition for the encounter in Southampton, with Ross Doohan, Anthony Ralston, Michael Duffy – in the midst of a loan spell at Dundee - and Ajer coming into the team.

And the coach was pleased with their contribution, along with every member of the squad who took part in the victory.

“It was good to have that wee bit of experience as well,” said McIntyre. “We brought in Michael Duffy, who needed game-time and we managed to give him that in a top quality game.

"He really was excellent. He started the season with Dundee playing and he has been on the bench a couple of times and it was good to give him time on the pitch and he came in as if he had never been away.

“Aidan Nesbitt and Luke Donnelly also needed game-time, while Kristoffer Ajer came in and he played a bit higher up as the no.10.

“All the players played really well and put in a shift. They enjoyed it. It was a nice pitch, and although it was cold and frosty, we seemed to adapt to it better than they did.

“They were still an excellent team, however, and we had to continue to work really hard even at 3-0 up to make sure we didn’t let them back into the game, and we managed the match really well.”

With the two top runners-up from the six groups progressing to the last 16, the Bhoys still have a chance of advancing following tonight’s triumph, but they must wait until all the other group games are completed.

“It’s been good so far and hopefully we can get that second spot and progress,” said McIntyre. “There are two out of six of the second-placed teams that go through so hopefully we manage to do that and we will just need to wait and see.

“Having that wee bit of experience certainly helps, such as tonight when we were played a Valencia B side and you can imagine how strong league they play in, so it was a great test for us and we were able to blend that bit of experience and youth which we didn’t have against Norwich.”

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

The Bhoys play Dundee United today in the Scottish Cup busy day for Celtic.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

Doohan, Ralston, Kerr, McCart, McIlduff, Hill, Hendry, Archibald, Ajer, Miller, Aitchison

subs: McAdams, Wardrop, Higgins, Crossan, Johnston, Duffy.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

TOMMY McIntyre has made five changes to his team for today’s SFA Youth Cup clash with Dundee United at Lennoxtown.

The young Hoops go into the game in good form having overcome Valencia 3-0 in their mid-week Premier League International Cup fixture but have been forced into a string of changes with several of the players who featured against the Spaniards returning to their loan clubs for the weekend’s fixtures.

Fiacre Kelleher and Aidan Nesbitt have returned to Peterhead and Greenock Morton to be available for weekend action while Connor McManus, Luke Donnelly and Wallace Duffy drop out, with the latter earning a spot on the bench.

The changes mean places in the team for Josh Kerr, Regan Hendry, Theo Archibald, Calvin Miller and Jack Aitchison, who have all featured regularly for the Bhoys this season.

The Hoops progressed to today’s fourth round clash against United by overcoming Edinburgh City 21-0 in the previous round.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

Mark Hill scores for the Bhoys it's 1-0 at HT.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

4 up 10 minutes to play.

Priest · Dec 3, 2016

FT Celtic 5 Dundee United 0 with the goals coming from Hill, Kerr, Johnston and Crossan(2)

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

full time 5-0 Hill, Kerr, Johnston and a Crossan double send the Celts marching on.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

CELTIC’S Development Squad launched a second-half blitz on Dundee United to march confidently into the quarter-final draw of the Scottish Youth Cup with an emphatic 5-0 fourth round victory at Lennoxtown.

The Hoops trounced Edinburgh City 21-0 in the previous round and although the scoreline was considerably smaller in today’s encounter, they put on a similarly powerful display, sweeping aside the Terrors in a scintillating second-half performance.

The only downside was the sight of defender and captain Jamie McCart leaving the field through injury after the hour-mark, with the young stopper enjoying another fine performance for the Bhoys before taking a bad challenge outside the Celtic box before the hour-mark.

Development Squad coach Tommy McIntyre made five changes to his team from the mid-week win over Valencia in the Premier League International Cup, bringing in Josh Kerr, Regan Hendry, Theo Archibald, Calvin Miller and Jack Aitchison for Fiacre Kelleher, Connor McManus, Wallace Duffy, Aidan Nesbitt and Luke Donnelly.

The multiple switches didn’t stop the Celts from pressing their opponents to take the advantage from kick-off but they were made to wait for their opener as the visitors sat-in and launched themselves into tackles.

Celtic had three or four excellent chances in the first-half from set-pieces on the right but United goalie Brett Long showed good reactions to palm away headers from Kerr and shots from Aidan McIlduff and Jack Aitchison.

The pressure finally told on the visitors, however, when Mark Hill swept in the opener from outside the box just before half-time with his left after Anthony Ralston’s well-placed pass.

After a quick turnaround at the break the Bhoys went back on the hunt with Theo Archibald, Hill and second-half substitute Mikey Johnston all threatening before the hour-mark.

The floodgates soon opened, though, when Kerr nodded in Celtic’s second of the afternoon when he met a corner from Hill with a glancing header that crept over the line before Long could get it to safety.

United made a double switch to stem the flow but it mattered little as Johnston made it 3-0, driving into the box past a beleaguered United defence and unleashing a powerful shot with his left into the net at the near post.

The Bhoys could smell blood and sent on PJ Crossan for the impressive Jack Aitchison with 15 minutes left. And it wasn’t long before the small but powerful striker had a goal to his name, sliding a shot past the keeper with his right after Regan Hendry’s pin-point pass.

Crossan then made it two for the afternoon when Ralston cut-back for the forward into the box, with the young Hoops hit-man slotting home with a close-range tap-in.

The Celts continued to threaten as the game reached its conclusion and United’s reckless tackles grew progressively more dangerous but Crossan was denied a hat-trick by a combination of fine saves from Long, keeping the score at 5-0.

McIntyre’s side will now look ahead to next week’s quarter-final draw after a five star performance at Lennoxtown.

Notorious · Dec 3, 2016

THE KILLER instinct of Celtic’s Development Squad has been praised by Tommy McIntyre after his team rifled five without reply past Dundee United in the SFA Youth Cup at Lennoxtown.

After a tense first-half characterised by a largely defensive-minded United set-up and some tough challenges, Mark Hill broke the deadlock in the Bhoys’ favour with a low, left-footed finish from the edge of the box on the stroke of half-time.

The floodgates then opened in the second-half with Josh Kerr and substitutes Mikey Johnston and PJ Crossan adding to the tally, with the latter scoring a quick-fire double late on.

McIntyre’s side could have had more were it not for the saves of Brett Long in the United goal but he said afterwards that his team’s emphatic 5-0 win was justified on the day.

“The deciding factor was getting that first goal on the stroke of half-time,” he said. “We put a lot into it and we’re just off the back of a tough game against Valencia.

“We had one day recovery and one day training and preparation for this game so all credit to the players who came in and the subs that went on, they all had an impact. They coped with the mental challenge really well and produced a good performance.

“I don’t think we deserved anything less because we had peppered their goal a few times, hit the bar and their goalkeeper had some fantastic saves in the first-half but he was leading a charmed life and for me it was only a matter of time before we got that first goal.”

The only downside to Celtic’s second-half performance was the site of young Jamie McCart leaving the field through injury after the defender was fouled on the edge of his own penalty area. The young Celts captain admirably tried to play on but the knock he had taken was too severe and he was withdrawn shortly after the hour.

His departure forced Celtic into a change, with Sam Wardrop replacing the injured skipper, but the shuffle mattered little as the Hoops went on to put four past United in a scintillating second-half showing.

And McIntyre praised his side for maintaining their discipline in the face of some robust challenges.

“We made the changes as well with the game coming up against Man City on Tuesday and we brought Calvin Miller off to rest his legs and give Mikey Johnston the chance of going on to influence the game and he duly did that,” he said.

“PJ also came on, allowing us to rest Jack Aitchison, and he’ll take a lot from that, given the fact he scored two goals, so I’m really pleased for him that he’s managed to get a couple of goals. He’ll take a lot of confidence from that.

“I thought the deciding goal was the second goal. Once you get that you just manage the game. They started to open up more then we got the third and fourth. Our third was a great delivery from Mark Hill and header from Josh Kerr, then we ended up getting a few more which killed them.

“It was great and the fact that they kept their discipline was pleasing too. There were some really tough, naughty challenges. We’ve got one or two injuries which we could have done without but it means if we lose one or two for Tuesday then it gives a few a chance to come in and stake a claim and hopefully they’ll take that chance.”