An unexpected hat-trick from Curtis Jones helped Celtic’s u-19 side to a 6-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle at Lennoxtown today.
The 19-year-old defender has missed a large chunk of the season through injury but returned to action in the recent 2-1 win over St Mirren and linked up with Marcus Fraser returning from the development squad.
The result was never in any doubt as Celtic raced into a 3-0 half time lead but after watching his team-mates miss numerous chances and be thwarted by an inspired goalkeeper and the woodwork Jones decided to help out in attack.
After nodding Celtic into a 4-1 lead with a well placed header in the 57th minute it looked like there would be no further scoring as chance after chance was squandered.
With three minutes left to play Jones chested down a free kick on the penalty spot and drilled his shot past the keeper then headed home from a Darnell Fisher cross in the final move of the game.
The win lifts Celtic into second place in the table seven points behind Hearts but with two games in hand.
It took the side a bit of time to find their feet but after Bahrudin Atajic swept a Patrik Twardzik cross into the net in the 27th minute the result was never in doubt.
Two minutes later Tony Watt tapped in a cut-back from Fisher as the home side left their visitors trailing.
Just before half time Fisher scored with a crisp drive across the keeper from an Atajic pass but four minutes after the break Inverness scored with a well worked goal down the left flank.
Jones then headed his first goal of the day but the home side could easily have hit double figures with numerous attempts at goal.
Watt came close on a couple of occasions with a Callum McGregor shot in the 86th minute coming off the post before the Inverness keeper blocked three attempts at a rebound from Twardzik.
On Sunday Celtic travel to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen in the last eight of the SFA Youth Cup.
CELTIC: Thomson: Fisher, Jones, Fraser, Chalmers: Herron, McGregor, Irvine, P Twardzik: Watt (Kirwan), Atajic (Lindsay)
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