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Celtic youths

Bhoys stay on course for double

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Glasgow Cup winners take 2Celtic’s u-17 side took another step towards lifting the league title by beating Forth Valley 2-1 at Lennoxtown last night.

Stephen Welsh and Mikey Johnstone scored the first half goals that cancelled out the opener from the visitors.

The teams were separated by 49 points at the start of the match but it was closely contested throughout with Forth Valley causing a few scares in the closing minutes.

With four matches left to play Celtic are on course for the title but with third placed Hamilton to be faced twice there is little margin for error.

Aidan McAdams, Broque Watson and Jack Aitchison were absent on Scotland duty with Connor Hazard, Keiran Campbell and Daniel Higgins stepping in.

Johnston had a snap shot turned round the post for a corner in the seventh minute but six minutes later the visitors took the lead when their centre forward showed a composed touch in the box to drill a shot past Hazard from 15 yards out.

Celtic were back on level terms in the 15th minute when Welsh nudged the ball home at the back post following a tempting inswinging free kick sent in by Kerr McInroy on the right.

Johnston crashed a shot off the bar in the 20th minute but 11 minutes from half time Celtic took the lead.

Welsh sent a searching pass down the right flank for Ewan Henderson to race onto, the midfielder beat his defender before crossing into the box where Johnston controlled the ball with one touch, nudged the ball wide of the keeper then squeezed his shot into the net from a tight angle.

Celtic made a couple of positional changes after the break and brought on Christian Antoniazzi and Grant Thorburn but found the Forth Valley defence difficult to break down as they settled for a 2-1 victory.

CELTIC: Hazard; Bowers, Welsh, Duffy, Church; Bell (c) (Potter 88), McInroy (Thorburn 75); Campbell, Henderson (Antoniazzi 66), Higgins; Johnston

League scorers so far (22 matches): Johnston 20, Aitchison 16, McLaughlin 8, Bell 5, Duffy 3, Watson 2, Campbell 3, McInroy 3, Higgins 2, McAllister 2, Thorburn 2, Potter 2, Murray 2, Antonazzi 1, Diver 1, Church 1, Barr 1, Henderson 1, Payne 1, Welsh 1

Glasgow Cup (7 matches): Johnston 8, Aitchison 5, Diver 1, Campbell 2, Antonazzi 1, Watson 1, Potter 1, Bowers1

CLICK HERE for the u17 league table

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