Youth/Development Team Thread

33 on the clock still 0-0.

 

half time no goals.

 

Think only the Man City game out of the last 4 youth matches have Celtic bothered to provide updates from, poor show

 

Thanks Paul...

 

thank * for Hamilton Accies twitter and bet365

 

second half underway.

 

It is interesting to see Miller at LB, considering he's primarily always played at wing or striker. If its true Rodgers wants him there, would it be surprising to see him come into the first team at LB this season? Izzy in the last year of his contract and hasn't exactly been that impressive. Think its possible Rodgers could rate Miller and might bring him into the fold when he's settled at LB, rather than extend Izzy or sign a replacement back up.

 

C'mon tae * Celtic.

 

55 minutes played still 0-0

 

getting chances in this second half but still no goals

 

1 down.

 

Luke Donnelly makes it 1-1

 

2-1 now to the away side not long to play.

 

Jack Aitchison makes it 2-2

 

and that's full time late drama at Cappielow.

 

Miller at left back in interesting, might be given a chance then over the next few games. Especially surprising since McIlduff looked good from what I had seen and is a natural full back. Weird.

 

JACK AITCHISON’s dramatic late equaliser saw Celtic claim a share of the spoils with Hamilton Accies in the SPFL Development league after twice falling behind to the Lanarkshire side at Cappielow.

After a fairly quite first-half that saw the Hoops edge the game in terms of chances, the action burst into life with just over 20 minutes left as Hamilton’s Lewis Ferguson opened the scoring from close range.

Tommy McIntyre’s side were back level just two minutes later, however, when Luke Donnelly slammed home from inside the area to get his team back into the game.

After making all their changes, the Hoops pushed for a winner but were caught out at the other end as Marc Kelly put the visitors back in front with a low finish but Celtic had the final say in the dying stages when substitute Jack Aitchison fired in a last-minute equaliser to seal a point for the Celts.

Celtic made four changes to their team following the narrow loss to Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League in their last outing, taking full advantage of the return to Development League rules by bringing more senior players like Connor McManus, Donnelly, Aidan McIlduff and PJ Crossan back into the fold in place of Dan Higgins, Regan Hendry, Mikey Johnston and Aitchison, who dropped to the bench.

Donnelly, who has spent much of the season on loan at Alloa, started the Bhoys off on the front foot, testing Accies keeper Darren Jamieson in the visiting goal inside the first 10 minutes before Theo Archibald, scorer of Celtic’s second in the 3-2 loss to Manchester City, also saw an effort hooked off the line in the opening exchanges.

A full-blooded first-half saw players on either side booked as the teams battled for supremacy but it was the home side who shaded it in terms of chances, with Crossan also unlucky not to find the net after a good run and shot.

Steven Boyd carried the main attacking threat for Hamilton in the first-half but it was at the back Accies were doing most of their work as Jamieson continued to frustrate the Celtic strikers with a string of saves with half-time on the horizon.

The game remained goalless at the interval but a rejuvenated Hamilton side did their best to change that at the restart when Kelly saw a shot blocked before Ferguson appealed for a penalty in vain after going down in the box.

The Celts responded by pressing for their own opener and almost got it after the hour mark but Jamieson was again there to thwart McIntyre’s team, keeping the scores level.

The Hoops’ profligacy was then punished when the visitors took the lead with just under 20 minutes left through Ferguson. Boyd had threatened the Celtic backline with a turn a shot that went behind for a corner and Ferguson was on hand to convert from close range after the set-piece was sent in.

Their lead was short-lived however as the Bhoys bounced back almost instantly through Donnelly, who powered home a low drive from just inside the area as the game burst into life.

A flurry of subs greeted the approach of the closing stages of the game, with one of Celtic’s fresh faces, Regan Hendry, forcing Jamieson into another fine stop but the visitors were soon back in front after Kelly supplied a low finish to some good work by Hamilton sub Sean McKirdy and midfielder Ross Cunningham.

Cunningham then rattled the bar in the final five minutes with a free-kick before Ben Reilly was booked for handball at the other end as the frustrated Hoops pressed for an equaliser.

Their perseverance finally paid off in the 90th minute, however, when substitute Aitchison dramatically pounced on some sloppy defending from the visitors to slot home and drag his team level in the match again with just seconds left on the clock, securing a hard-fought but ultimately deserved draw for the Hoops.

 

Youths taking on Inverness Caley this afternoon

Doohan; Wardrop, Ajer, O'Connell, Miller; Johnston, Hill, McManus, McIlduff; Hendry; Donnelly

Subs: McAdams, Crossan, Ralston, Kerr, Duffy

 

1-0 Celtic just before the half hour, Mikey Johnston's cross diverted into the net by a Caley defender, youngsters seem to be on top and have hit the bar a couple of times also.