U20s v Celtic
Friday, 18th Dec 2015SPFL Development League: (home) v Celtic. Jordan Orru (og 22) 0-1
- - Listen to Coach John Potter give his post match thoughts
DUNFERMLINE 0 CELTIC 1
Dunfermline kicked off this 'home' league game at Broadwood Stadium on Friday lunchtime. It was a young squad with none of the first team squad included probably due to a League One fixture scheduled for the following day.
From the start play was all towards Cammy Gill's goal. Miller, Wardrop and McIlduff all had early crosses into the Pars box and the Pars keeper made a good block in seven minutes when Celtic broke down the right and Hendry got in a shot from a Donnelly pass.
Four minutes later Miller sent a 20 yard shot wide left of Gill and Breslin headed wide when on the end of a Wardrop cross. Celtic kept coming and McIlduff sent in another potentially dangerous ball but this time there was no one on the end of the cross and Jordan Orru headed away.
Dunfermline replied with James Thomas setting up Paul Joseph Crossan for a shot at Celtic's goal but keeper Hazard could watch that go wide. Midway through the first half Celtic took the lead when a Donnelly cut back from the left hit ORRU and the ball ended up in the net. 0-1
Taking confidence from going ahead Celtic continued to press the Pars defences. Stuart Morrison headed behind a dangerous cross and from the corner Gill touched the ball away for another corner that this time centre back Morrison headed clear.
Kelleher almost got on the end of a Hendry corner in 32 minutes before at the other end in the next minute he blocked an effort from John James Henderson. There were claims for a penalty but it was not given. Crossan had come close to meeting another Thomas pass but apart from that the pressure all came from Celtic.
In 37 minutes Orru headed clear before Anthony Stokes could connect with a McIlduff cross and three minutes later when the Celtic forward did connect with Wardop's delivery, he sent his header wide. After Miller was fouled on the edge of the box, Stokes then drove a 41st minute free kick into the Pars wall and over the bar to earn a corner.
There was time for Donnelly to try to penetrate the Pars defence but again they prevented the goal. It had been a first half in which the hosts had to soak up loads of pressure.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Celtic 1
The second half began with more Celtic corners that Dunfermline survived before Cammy McClair won one for the Pars. The 51st minute reprieve from defending was headed clear by Thomson but Crossan kept Celtic aware with a ball through the box and Henderson's very good free kick earned another corner on the left.
Gill made a fine save from Stokes in 64 minutes and then two minutes later the Pars wall again deflected away a Stokes indirect free kick in the centre of the Pars penalty box after Duncan was deemed to pass back to his keeper. Gill dealt with the corner and Celtic continued to be thwarted. Miller and Hendry tried an unsuccessful exchange in the box and Gill gathered a Murray cross at his near post.
Orru defended another Wardrop attempt and Duncan was cool under pressure when heading back to Gill in 79 minutes. More corners, shots that were blocked and corners were thrown at the Fifers defence but after going down to ten men when sub Payne came out worst in a challenge with Henderson, Celtic were happy to see out the remaining time and three minutes of added time for the win.
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Sutherland, Callum Smith, Jack McClair, Josh Robertson.
CELTIC: Conor Hazard; Sam Wardrop, Fiacre Kelleher (Jamie McCart 62), Tyler Blackett, Aidan McIlduff, Jack Breslin, Joseph Thomson, Regan Hendry (Brandon Payne 70), Luke Donnelly (Innes Murray HT), Calvin Miller, Anthony Stokes
SUBS NOT USED: Colin McCabe, Daniel Higgins, Blair Kidd, Ciaran Lafferty
SCORERS: Orru (22 og)
REFEREE: Craig Napier
WEATHER: Cold, wet and windy 11C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League: (away) v Hearts, w/c 04.01.16 date and venue to be confirmed
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