Youth/Development Team Thread

teams back out for the second half

 

change for Celtic Donnelly off, Murray on.

 

could really do with this second goal today Dunfermline look like they will score

 

second celtic change Kelleher off, McCart on

as Stokes has has another chance but he's unlucky not to score

 

final Celtic change Payne replaces Hendry.

1-0 with 73 minutes played


Stokes has played well today

 

Stokes with another chance not sure how he's not scored today

 

So he should

 

full time Dunfermline 0 Celtic 1


another win for the young hoops today up next Partick Thistle next Monday

 

he had a few chances today was probably the man of the match going on the updates.

 

Sometimes missing lots of chances and missing is a bad thing for a striker.

Is that the boy Donnelly back from injury then?

 

He's allowed to get compliments :smiley-laughing002:

These games are a huge deal for him, impress in these and he might get a first team start.

 

Naw he's no, he likes the IRA.

Kidding on but I think we both know he's not getting in the team :smiley-laughing002:

 

not sure how he didn't score today a few good chances for Stokes





aye that's Donnelly from injury

 

Well done the Hoops! Is that 11 league wins in a row? Bring on Partick Thistle!

Thanks for the updates Crow

 

aye that's 11 wins now

 

Yeah , like a car stops to give you a lift and when you reach the door handle it moves forward 10 yards.

No but seriously he won't have been given a game if Ronny wasn't serious. If he scored a hat trick today he would have to be given another game. It's quite a tough test to get a midfield start.

GMS and Allan both scored in the last game so they're ahead of him for a game but I doubt even they will start tomorrow. I'm not sure what decides it but I can almost guarantee Rogic and Forrest will start based on form.

Anyway it was good news Stokes is back getting a practise game. It felt like he was gone. Mind it felt like Allan would never make an appearance again. Now it's looking good.

11 wins that's good going.

 

Top of the league now and still have 3 games in hand over Hamilton who look like our only challengers

 

Brilliant, good to keep that winning feeling going

 

Today's Match Report



CELTIC’S Development Side continued their unbeaten start to the season and moved top of the table with a comfortable 1-0 win over their Dunfermline counterparts at Broadwood.
The only goal of the game came in the first half when central defender Jordan Orru miscued his clearance from Luke Donnelly’s cutback, sending the ball into his own net.
It may have been a narrow margin of victory but the young Hoops thoroughly deserved the three points after a dominant display, with Conor Hazard not forced into making a save throughout the entire contest.
This was Bhoys’ 10th triumph from 11 league fixtures, and this remarkable consistency means they occupy the league summit, despite having plenty in games in hand over their rivals.
Senior players Anthony Stokes and Tyler Blackett were both given a run out for Tommy McIntyre’s side in Cumbernauld.
In total, there were six changes to the team that edged a five-goal thriller against Falkirk on Tuesday night, with Hazard, Sam Wardrop, Aidan McIlduff, Joe Thomson, Donnelly and Stokes all coming into the starting XI.
Logan Bailly, Jamie McCart, Mark Hill, Gary Mackay-Steven, Scott Allan and Carlton Cole were the players to make way. McCart was named among the substitutes.
The young Hoops soon took stamped their authority on proceedings, with Calvin Miller showing some nimble footwork to send in a searching cross from the left, and Wardrop and McIlduff keen to overlap on either flank.
Regan Hendry had the youths’ first attempt in the seventh minute, collecting a return pass from Donnelly and forcing goalkeeper Cammy Gill into a smart save with a crisp drive. Miller also tried his luck from the angle of the box, his low effort scuttling beyond the far post.
On his return to the side following injury, Thomson was dictating matters in midfield, winning possession and zipping the ball around the pitch as Celtic continued to make the running.
With the Pars defending in depth, the Bhoys looked to the flanks as a method of unlocking the Pars’ rearguard - Jack Breslin glanced a header wide from Wardrop’s cross, while Miller and McIlduff were constant outlets down the left.
Aside from Paul Joseph Crossan’s shot, following a rare counter-attack, it was one-way traffic, and the visitors were rewarded for their early dominance in the 21st minute.
Donnelly broke clear in the box and his low cutback evaded his team-mates but deflected off the unfortunate Jordan Orru into his own net.
McIntyre’s side maintained the pressure, winning a succession of corners and sending in plenty of crosses.
Eventually they began to fashion some chances, with Fiacre Kelleher close to converting Hendry’s corner and Stokes heading Wardrop’s centre wide at the near post.
Kelleher did have to block a shot from John Joseph Henderson, but the young Hoops exerted more pressure as the interval approached as Stokes saw a free-kick hit the wall and deflect over and Donnelly was denied as he prepared to pull the trigger in the box.
Dunfermline briefly threatened to rally at the start of the second half, winning several set-pieces, but Celtic comfortably dealt with any danger and then resumed the offensive as Breslin sent a first-time shot wide from Wardrop’s cross.
James Thomas sent a free-kick over for the Pars from distance, before Stokes stung the palms of Gill from the angle of the box. Wardop blasted over from the rebound, but was flagged for offside.
Stokes came close again after the hosts has been penalised for a pass-back. He smashed the ball on target from the resultant free-kick, but it cannoned off a Dunfermline defender on the line.
Despite not adding to their tally, and a late injury to substitute Brandon Payne which saw them end the game with 10 men, Celtic saw out the remainder of the match with ease to secure the spoils and take over at the league summit.



and Interview with the Manager


ALTHOUGH Tommy McIntyre felt Celtic’s Development Side merited all three points against Dunfermline today, he wasn’t satisfied at their amount of goal attempts during the match.
An own goal from Jordon Orru in 21st minute was enough to seal all three points for the young Hoops at Broadwood and send them top of the table, and still having several games in hand over their rivals.
It also means the Bhoys remain unbeaten in the domestic campaign as the halfway point of the season nears.
While these are encouraging statistics for McIntyre and his young charges, he will be looking for more creativity and inventiveness from them in these types of matches in the future.
Speaking to the official Celtic website after the game, the Professional Academy Manager said: “Credit to Dunfermline as I felt they made it very tough for us by sitting in.
“Although it was an own goal, it was a good ball in from Luke Donnelly. All you can do is get into good positions and put the ball in the box. You're looking for the strikers and the midfielders coming in late and I felt we could have got one or two more in the box.
“We did well to get there, but we just needed that bit more penetration in the final third. We had a fair bit of possession, so it was a good win but a difficult one.
“Performance-wise, we have to learn to do more, especially against teams that are going to sit in. That is something we can work on and hopefully we can do better next time around.”
Calvin Miller was particularly prominent for the young Celts down the left. The winger showed some terrific trickery to fashion a number of promising positions and deliver a number of crosses into the box .
“Calvin did really well today and we did well to move the ball into wide areas and get overloads,” said McIntyre. “I felt we could have created a bit more off the crosses. We kept the ball and cut them open down the sides on numerous occasions but we didn’t enough in the final third.”
Joe Thomson also played the full 90 minutes on his return from injury and helped the Hoops stamp their authority on proceedings with his dynamism in the middle of the park.
“It’s good to have Joe back as he gives you that drive, energy and exuberance,” added McIntyre.” I felt he and Jack Breslin did well in the middle of the park. They controlled the game and its tempo so it was good to get him back, along with one or two others.”
The youths have a quick turnaround for their next fixture against Partick Thistle on Monday night, where they will be looking to cement their position at the league summit.
“We tried to rotate the squad today,” said McIntyre. “We rested Jamie McCart as we have had quite a number of games lately, and then we took Fiacre off for Jamie in the second-half so he could get a few minutes.
“There have been a number of games and we have one more ahead of Christmas against Partick Thistle on Monday. We will see what they're like after today. Hopefully we haven’t picked up too many injuries and we will take it from there.”

 

Cheers Crow, sounds like Thomson could be a good player, him and Breslin controlling midfield. Miller having another good game. Sounds like we were good going forward but couldn't handle the parked bus. Maybe if Donnelly and Stokes were match fit. There were a few headers missed. A shot blocked off the line. No excuses though, good game but as McIntyre says must do more to penetrate a packed defence. We play them quite often during the season. Still though a win's a win and our keeper didn't have to make a save

So have we won 10 out of 11 but went 11 unbeaten?

Wonder what was up with Archibald? Didn't see his name mentioned.