A double from Aidan Nesbitt helped Celtic open their Development League campaign with a 3-0 win over Partick Thistle as Ronny Deila watched from the stand at Cappielow.
The 18-year old switched from right wing to playing behind the main striker, Anthony Stokes then Ciaran Lefferty, at half time and scored either side of a Regan Hendry tap in.
Logan Bailly, Darnell Fisher, Eoghan O’Connell and Anthony Stokes all found themselves in the Development side as Stevie Frail’s side kicked off the new campaign.
Celtic could have taken an early lead when Nesbitt cut the ball back to Luke Donnelly but the midfielder was off balance and sliced his shot wide.
After that early opening there was little in the way of chances around the Thistle goal although Donnelly and Stokes looked to be on the same wavelength.
In the 23rd minute Donnelly sent Stokes through on goal but after rounding goalkeeper Marc Waters the angle was too tight with Thistle crowding out the former Hibs striker.
A minute later Stokes delivered a free kick from the right that Donnelly got a boot on but Waters got down low to block the shot.
It was tough going for the hoops with Thistle proving little in the way of an attacking threat, happy to fall in behind the ball and keep Celtic at bay.
At the interval Celtic made one substitution that changed the game around. Donnelly, starting his first game in a month was replaced by Theo Archibald who played wide left, Regan Hendry switched over to the right flank with Nesbitt taking up the advanced midfield role and within two minutes of the restart Celtic went in front.
Archibald’s corner from the left was met by a shot from O’Connell twenty yards from goal, with the ball bobbling about Nesbitt popped a snap shot into the net from eight yards out.
Celtic didn’t have to wait long for a second goal, Hendry rolling the ball into the net from close range after Stokes had sent a low shot beyond the Thistle keeper.
Stokes and Tierney were substitued midway through the second half with Thistle gaining some possession without putting Bailly’s goal under any real pressure.
As Thistle wilted in the final stages Celtic pushed strongly for more goals, with ten minutes left to play Fisher had a shot cleared off the line, when he sent the rebound back to Hendry the midfielder found his shot crowded out. Two minutes later Nesbitt completed the scoring with a well placed shot from the edge of the penalty box after Archibald’s pace had opened up the Thistle defence.
CELTIC: Bailly; Fisher, O’Connell, Kelleher, Tierney (McIllduff 70); Thomson, Hendry; Hill, Donnelly (Archibald 46), Nesbitt; Stokes (Lafferty 59)
SUBS: McCabe, McCart, Breslin, McIlduff, WardropTt