Youth/Development Team Thread

full time Celtic 3 Falkirk 2


goals from Allan GMS and Breslin

 

cole getting fitter.?

 

should be with his start tonight

 

match report from tonight's game

A SECOND-HALF fight-back from the Young Hoops saw Tommy McIntyre’s Development Squad maintain their unbeaten domestic run with a 3-2 victory over Falkirk at Cappielow.
A Bhoys side peppered with first-team stars went two goals down against the run of play in the first-half but Scott Allan’s header pulled them back into the game before half-time.
The Celts then dominated the second-half and deservedly took all three points thanks to clinical strikes from Gary Mackay-Steven and Jack Breslin.
The result extended the Hoops unbeaten run to 10 games in the Development League and helped the Bhoys get over the disappointing defeat they suffered at the hands of Liverpool in the Premier League International Cup at the weekend.
Celtic started the match with five first-team players in the starting XI with Logan Bailly, Tyler Blackett, Allan, Mackay-Steven and Carlton Cole all afforded the chance to get some valuable game time ahead of the weekend fixture against Motherwell.
Both teams started the brightly and traded corners in the opening minutes but neither could work an effort on target.
Celtic were on top of possession but it was the visitors who worked the first real chance, with Bailly saving well with his feet to deny Kyle Johnson.
The Hoops continued to move forward and probe patiently but Falkirk took the lead on 12 minutes after they capitalised on a slip in midfield from Fiacre Kelleher. The Irishman was robbed of possession deep in Bhoys territory allowing Alex Cooper to race into the box and lash a rasping shot past Bailly at his near post.
The goal came against the run of play but Celtic responded well, with Mackay-Steven bringing out a good stop from Alex Tokarczyk after latching on to Breslin’s disguised through pass.
The Celts pinned Falkirk back but the visitors defended well, forcing the Bhoys into shots from distance and crosses from wide, with the Bairns also dealing with the resultant corners.
The Hoops had their opponents camped in their own 18 yard box and the equaliser almost came when Tokarczyk spilled a corner from Allan but the keeper did well to recover and block Cole’s shot from close range.
The Celts were enjoying all the ball but couldn’t break down Falkirk’s defence and they were punished just after the half-hour mark when the ball was lost by McIntyre’s side in midfield again, this time Scott Shepherd supplying the finish from inside the area after Regan Hendry was robbed outside the box.
The Bhoys stuck to their task however, and were soon back into the match courtesy of Scott Allan.
The midfielder was lively all first-half and found himself in the right place in the box to nod the ball home on 38 minutes after Calvin Miller’s powerful shot cannoned off the post into the area.
McIntyre’s team pushed forward as the interval approached with Tokarczyk spilling another corner from Allan but they remained behind at the interval.
Falkirk started the second-half on the front foot but Celtic held on through the early pressure and drew themselves level shortly after through Mackay-Steven’s well-taken finish and good play from Hendry.
The midfielder picked out the former Dundee United star with a wonderful chipped pass into the box, which Mackay-Steven controlled before slotting beyond Tokarczyk with his left to even the score.
Cole then had a chance to put the home side in front as the Bhoys finally started to find their way through the Falkirk defence but his shot in the stretch was straight at the Bairns keeper.
It wasn’t long until the Hoops did take the lead, however, and it came after a period of concerted pressure 10 minutes after they levelled the match.
The Celts had been pulling the Falkirk defence across the box and that opened space up for Breslin on the right, where he gathered the ball in the box and fired a powerful shot at goal which took a nick off a Falkirk defender and nestled in the corner of the net.
Mark Hill and Blackett then went close as the Hoops tried to add to their lead but Tokarczyk stood strong to make a string of good saves and keep the Bairns within touching distance of McIntyre’s side.
Play became stretched as the match approached its conclusion but Celtic were still in command and went close again through Miller’s shot on the turn before substitute Aidan McIlduff drifted into the box unmarked and took aim at goal but Tokarczyk saved again.
Miller then had another opportunity to extend the lead as the Celts started to pick the Bairns off but he couldn’t get his shot away quick enough before he clipped a header narrowly wide from substitute Sam Wardop’s cross.
The missed chances mattered little, however, as the second-half goals from the Hoops proved enough to gather the three points and extend their unbeaten run to 10 games.

CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Bailly; Breslin (Wardrop 64), Kelleher, McCart, Blackett; Hill Hendry (Murray 85); Mackay-Steven, Allan, Miller; Cole (McIlduff 74)
Not used: Hazard, Payne

 

Jesus. Just checked the league table and we're 3 off the lead with 4 games in hand. Did we go on strike or something?

Take it that's because of the European games?

 

aye it's down to the games in Europe

we've still got to play

Rangers away

St Mirren away



up next

Dunfermline away on Friday


Partick Thistle away next Monday

 

Can you attend these games?

 

you can attend the youth games


you can pick up tickets from from the Ticket Office, the Celtic Superstore and the Celtic shop in Argyle Street, Glasgow.

I think anyway I've not been to a youth game for a bit

 

No Nesbit?

Let's see this lad get run out again Motherwell

Although this game being a Tuesday doesn't necessarily have anything to do with that.

 

he's not injured as far as I know

 

Good to hear. Hopefully his time comes soon. Does he play on right of the left? Is he a natural wide player?

 

from his profile on the club website

Comfortable playing centrally or on the wing, Nesbitt possesses a good range of skill and trickery, fitting well into the Young Hoops' attack minded side.

 

Hopefully for the attributes to shine on the wing because if he breaks through, lets face it that's where he'll be playing.

 

shouldn't be long before he gets a chance in the first team.

 

You seem quite clued up on the Dev squad, Crow.

Can you shed some light on the next batch?

Nesbit seems to have leap frogged a few but that often happens at that age group.

Calvin Miller and Joe Thomson still rated to the same extent?

Also curious about that Mark Hill and whether we have any centre halves or forwards with a real shot?

 

there's a few good players in the youth team

Miller and Thompson are doing well
Hill seems to be doing well also

Fiacre Kelleher good defender who should be getting a chance soon

Theo Archibald is another player I've high hopes for attacking player.

Jack Breslin another good defender can play full back CB or Midfield.

as I said there's a few players who are doing well it's hard to pick just one player

 

THE level of teamwork shown between Celtic’s senior players and youth stars in Tuesday night’s Development Squad victory over Falkirk has won the praise of coach, Tommy McIntyre.
A clutch of first-team squad players were handed the chance to impress and gain some valuable game-time in the 3-2 win at Cappielow, with Logan Bailly, Tyler Blackett, Scott Allan, Gary Mackay-Steven and Carlton Cole all drafted into the starting line-up alongside a core of Development Squad players.
The experienced Bhoys players jelled well with their younger counterparts, with Scott Allan, Gary Mackay-Steven and Logan Bailly in particular all having telling impacts on the outcome of the game.
Celtic had fallen 2-0 behind in the first-half but Allan’s header shortly before the break pulled them back into the tie before Mackay-Steven levelled matters with a composed finish in the second-half after Bailly had made a couple of important saves.
Jack Breslin then sealed the win after the hour mark and Development Squad coach McIntyre praised the way his young stars worked alongside the first-team players.
“I thought it was a really good game with two strong teams,” he told the official Celtic website. “Falkirk had one or two experienced players and we had a few first-team players as well which was great and really made the game.It was end-to-end stuff and really good for both teams.
“I thought Calvin Miller did well, as did Regan Hendry, and it gave us an opportunity to rest one or two players as well because they've had a lot of games. They acquitted themselves well and it was great to have the first-team boys with them because they are good examples.
“Credit to Falkirk. They really caught us on two counter-attacks but the players showed resilience to come back and stick in there. We dominated big periods of the game and created numerous chances with good set-plays.
“It was good to see us getting the goal before half-time and I think that set us up for the second-half.”
Celtic’s first goal from Allan came after Miller had rattled the post with a thunderous shot, and Mackay-Steven’s equaliser came as a result of Hendry’s inch-perfect pass to the winger from midfield.
Breslin then rounded an impressive night off for the Celts as Mackay-Steven turned provider, and McIntyre said it was a delight to see youth and experience mixing so well.
“Jack has scored a few this season and it’s good to see a full-back getting so far up the park and getting a shot in on goal,” he said.
“It was good combination with Gary as well and a good goal on our part which proved to be the winner, so we were delighted with that.”
The victory also extended Celtic’s unbeaten run in the league this season to 10 games but the Development Squad coach said he was keen to focus on the performance of his players.
“Let’s not speak too soon,” he said. “We don’t really reflect on that as the most important thing is the performance and the performance of the individuals and how they react in the games.”

 

I hope someone can explain to me the point in playing Tyler Blackett in a development game.

 

I know Mick, he should be with the 17's..

 

Aye for Man Utd!