youths stay top with impressive win
Mark Henderson
CELTIC Under-19s retained their position on top of the league after a comfortable 2-0 over St Johnstone on Saturday.
The young Hoops took control from the kick-off and were soon in front through an opportunist strike from Greig Spence.
Latching on to a poor pass-back, he coolly rounded the goalkeeper, before finishing into the empty net.
Although continuing to dominate proceedings, it took until midway through the second period before they added a second to secure the points.
After a good passage of play, Filip Twardzik demonstrated his good aerial ability by leaping highest to head home a cross.
U19 coach Tommy McIntyre said: “I thought we controlled the game. We started well and scored a good goal through Greig Spence and that took a bit of pressure off us. It’s always good to get that early goal and settle you down.
“We dominated the game, but sometimes that can have a detrimental effect, as you get so much of the ball you can switch off a wee bit and can start to get a little untidy with your passing, then the opposition can get wee breaks.
“Fortunately there weren’t too many in the game and we never looked liked we would lose the match. It could have been a more convincing win as we hit the woodwork three times in the last 15 minutes.
“But once again to get a shut out which was good from a defensive point of view and to get a few goals on the card was pleasing.”
He added: “At this stage of the season it’s all about getting results. It’s nice to get good performances as well as a win. A few times we have had good performances and not won the game albeit only on a couple of occasions, but just now the result was the most important thing.”
The coach singled out the performance of Richie Towell as particularly impressive.
The full-back has made great strides in the last two-and-a-half years at Celtic, and was rewarded with a three-year new contract last month.
“Richie has got his contract now and is settled down,” said McIntyre. “He is doing well up at Lennoxtown and his attitude has been excellent since he came back down as well, which is good to see and the other players will pick up on that as well.
“He did well on Saturday with a lot of drive and energy about him and got some great crosses in too.”
McIntyre was also pleased to see the return of Callum Bagshaw to the side after a long spell on the sidelines with injury.
The coach said: “He has been out since November and is the type of boy that adds that bit of determination and aggression. So it was good to get a fresh face and voice in about the team again.
“He will be hungry as he has missed a fair chunk of the season and it also gives us another player to have for the run in.”
Tomorrow (Tuesday), the U19s are back in league action when they take on Motherwell at 1pm, Creamery Park, Bathgate.
The Steelmen currently lie in fifth place and are on an excellent run of form after winning four games on the bounce.
McIntyre expects a tough test, but insists it’s a game the squad are all eagerly anticipating.
“We acknowledge that it will be a hard game, but it’s one we are looking forward to,” he said. “They are a big team with a strong side and have a few players they can bring back who have played in the first-team.
“We just have to keep winning the games and hopefully that will be the case tomorrow.
“At the end of the day the players have done really well. Even the players coming down from Lennoxtown have shown a great appetite and we have good blend with the young players there as well.
“So these games can’t come quickly enough for us just now.”
SPL Under-19 League
March, 20, 2010
St Andrews
ST JOHNSTONE…0
CELTIC…2
(Spence 24, F Twardzik 68)
CELTIC (4-3-3) Giordano, Towell, Hughes, D Gallagher, Lowdon, G Gallagher, F Twardzik, Bagshaw (Marsden 75); Fitzharris, Spence, Keatings
Not used: Jones, Ordish, Fairley, McGregor, P Twardzik
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