Young hoops go top of the league

Celtic’s u-19 side leapfrogged Hearts to go top of the u-19 table with a well deserved 2-0 win at the Hearts Academy this afternoon.

Second half goals from John Herron and Rhys Williamson settled the issue in a hard fought match between the top two teams in the country.

It was a much changed Celtic team from the one that drew 1-1 with Motherwell last week with Paul George and Filip Twardzik absent on first team dity in Madrid.

Tony Watt and Williamson dropped onto the bench with Dylan McGeough and Omar Bogles making their debuts while Lewis Kidd and Callum McGregor returned to the starting XI.

McGeough almost had the perfect start to his Celtic return but his fifth minute shot smacked off the crossbar as John Kennedy’s side set out their stall to attack.

Jackson Irvine shot wide before a Marcus Fraser header from a McGregor corner was held by the home keeper but as the half progressed Hearts came more into the match although the Celtic defence were coping with anything that came their way.

After his first 45 minutes in five months McGeough made way for Williamson at the interval to give Celtic a different attacking option down the left with the centre of midfield being well controlled by Irvine, McGregor and Kidd.

Bogle made way for Watt in the 64^th minute with Celtic taking the lead eight minutes later. Mikey Miller’s diagonal cross back into the penalty box was knocked on by McGregor to Herron who took one touch then smashed a great shot into the net from 15 yards out.

Hearts looked to be settling for a point before that goal and threw everything at Celtic to get back into the match.

Celtic held their line well and were a constant threat on the counter attack as Williamson proved with three minutes left to play. Racing onto a pass just inside his own half he knocked the ball past a Hearts defender in his stride thenstruck a low left foot drive across the keeper into the corner of the net to clinch the points.

In the other matches played today Rangers lost 5-2 at home to Hibs, Aberdeen beat Dunfermline 2-0, Motherwell beat Inverness Caley Thistle 1-0, Dundee United won 2-1 at St Johnstone and Kilmarnock won 4-1 at St Mirren.

CELTIC Thomson, Miller, Fraser, Findlay, Chalmers; Herron, McGregor, Irvine, Kidd; McGeough (Williamson 46) Bogle (Watt 64)

Subs: Daniels, Atajic, Fisher, Gormley, Yaqub

THIS SEASON’S SPL SCORERS: Watt 4, F Twardzik 3, George 1, Atajic 1, Herron 2, Williamson 2, Gormley 1, OG 1

CLICK HERE for Celtic youth team gallery

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