Celtic’s youth side powered to within touching distance of the SPL title by demolishing Inverness Caley Thistle 6-1.
Despite losing a goal after just four minutes Stevie Frail’s side barely flinched from that set-back and could well have scored more goals.
The points put Celtic five clear of Hearts who have to play Rangers and Celtic in their final matches with a win away to Motherwell on Saturday clinching the title for Frail’s side.
After weeks of frustration due to postponements Celtic have rattled off five away wins in a fortnight to stay on couse for the double of SPL title and SFA Youth Cup.
“We knew we had a run of away games and that it would be a big challenge,” Frail admitted. “The whole squad deserve credit for winning five away games in a such short space of time.
“It’s a team effort, the boys on the bench are itching to get on and will be a big part of any success that we have. Everyone has played a part and I wouldn’t want to single any individual out.
“We’ve stressed to them that we can’t look too far ahead but we can now look at the Motherwell match and this result sets us up for that.
Frail added: “The level of the boys fitness is very pleasing and a lot of that is due to the work we put in when we went to Turkey in January.
“On the first day there we absolutely battered them, that’s when they realised that they weren’t there for a holiday. A few of them were on the verge of being sick and we worked them really hard for a fortnight.
“They’ve been playing Saturday-Tuesday for a fortnight now and haven’t slacked off in any way.”
The visitors got off to the worst possible start conceeding a goal in the sixth minute but after finding their feet there was only going to be one winner.
A good move down the right after 20 minutes ended with a telling cross from Jackson Irvine being converted by Filp Twardzik.
Five minutes later Tony Watt sent Greig Spence through one on one with the former Alloa striker netting confidently from ten yards out.
Any doubts about the outcome were killed off three minutes from the break when Twardzik netted with a glancing header at the front post from Callum McGregor’s corner.
There was no let up after the break with Celtic dominating possession and pinning Inverness back for long periods.
Four minutes after the re-start Spence latched onto a slack pass-back and after colliding with the home keeper laid the ball off to Callum Bagshaw who drilled the ball into the net.
Tony Watt was next on the scoresheet after creating space for himself in the home penalty box with substitute Bahrudin Atajic completing the scoring with a close range header in the 78th minute.
“We didn’t start the game well at all,” Frail added. “We lost a cheap goal and that’s not something we’ve been guilty of recently, we’ve had a lot of clean sheets.
“It was 20 minutes before we got the equaliser but before that we had started to get back into the game. They showed their character and scored some excellent goal.
“The first goal was a great ball across from Jackson (Irvine) and we needed it, it was a good time to score.
“All of the goals were good, we’re without our top scorer but managed to get six goals which is pleasing to see.
“Filip Twardzik took his goals well and looked more like his old self, the strikers played well and scored but I could go through the whole squad and highlight their contributions.”
On Friday Hearts are at home to Rangers with Celtic facing Motherwell at Bathgate’s Creamery Park, kick-off 11am.
CELTIC, Feely; O’Donnell, Hughes (Jones 54), Toshney, Brennan; Irvine, McGregor (P Twardzik 67), Bagshaw, F Twardzik; Watt, Spence (Atajic 63)
SUBS; Thomson, Gormley, Lowdon, Fraser,
GOALS F Twardzik 2, Spence, Bagshaw, Watt, Atajic
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