Celtic’s Development side, including Leigh Griffiths and Stefan Scepovic, were drawing 0-0 at half time against Hamilton Accies at Cappielow.
For the first time this season Stevie Frail made use of established first team players with Griffiths and Scepovic given the chance to stake a claim for a role against Ross County on Saturday.
With so many players away on international duty it was the perfect opportunity for the striking duo to play their way into the side with Ronny Deila not getting the bulk of his squad back to Lennoxtown until Thursday.
Eoghan O’Connell and Filip Twardzik were also in the starting XI alongside Paul McMullan who featured in three matches in five days for Scotland’s u-19 side in Lithuania.
John Collins and John Kennedy were in the stand but it was Hamilton that started brightest forcing a couple of early corners with Celtic short of numbers in midfield where Jack Breslin and Jamie Lindsay looked isolated with McMullan and Twardzik pinned to the wings to support the front two.
After a flurry of Hamilton corners Celtic’s first chance arrived in the 18th minute. Griffiths’ persistence saw him latch onto a short pass back from Craig Watson but keeper Blair Currie was quick to react and spread himself well to block the strikers shot.
Three minutes later Leo Fasan pulled off a great save pushing away a 15 yard drive from Greg Docherty after former Celt Jaioson McGrath pulled the ball back from the bye-line. On the half hour mark Scepovic had the chance to impress but after taking a cross from the left on his chest a defender cleared the ball away as the ball hit the deck. In the 34th minute Scepovic did put the ball in the net but the assistant referee had already flagged for offside.
As the half drew to a close Celtic were pushing Hamilton further back but there was little in the way of possession or chances for Scepovic or Griffiths to work on. Five minutes from the interval Currie pulled of a great instinctive save pushing a close range Scepovic header over for a corner.
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48 min UPDATE Griffiths opens the scoring with a low free kick from 20 yards out.
CELTIC: Fasan; Wardrop, O’Connell, Findlay, Tierney; McMullan, Breslin, Lindsay, Twardzik; Griffiths, Scepovic.
Subs: Hart, McCart, Thomson, Hendry, Kelleher, Miller, Hill.
