Celtic’s u-19 side take their title challenge to Bathgate today to face Motherwell, kick-off 1pm.
Last season Stevie Frail’s side clinched the title in this fixture but the current championship race looks like going the full distance with Celtic trailing Hearts by four points with two games in hand.
Motherwell have won three and drawn once since the winter break with John Kennedy expecting a tough test from the club that drew 1-1 with the hoops earlier this season at Lennoxtown.
“They are doing very well just now,” the hoops coach explained. “They are physically strong and can play football as well, it’ll be a real test especially with it being their home match
“We found it difficult against them at Lennoxtown but we go into the match on our own winning run and it should be a good game. It’llbe tough but if you are going to win championships you have to play these type of games.
“As the season has progressed we’ve got stronger, we had a lot of players stepping up from u-17 to u-19, that can be a big step but they’ve dealt with it.
“We had a one or two hic-cups but we seem to have found a bit of form and we want that to carry on till the end of the season. If we take our foot off the gas we know that Hearts will e waiting to take advantage of any slip.”
One player with title winning experience in his locker is Callum McGregor.
Over the last 18 months he has evolved from playing on the wing into a central midfielder where his partnership with Jackson Irvine forms a crucial part of the side.
Both players were rewarded with new contracts earlier in the season with McGregor’s eye for goal coming in useful in the recent wins over Inverness Caley Thistle and Kilmarnock.
“Callum is a really good player,” Kennedy added. “He’s intelligent and gives you that drive from the middle of the park, when we don’t have the ball he has the energy to win the ball back and he’s done that all season.
“It’s good that he’s adding some goals, he’s getting in the box and picking up rebounds from goalies. You’ll score more of them than 25-yarders.
“He can score from distance but against Kilmarnock he followed a ball in and put away a rebound and that’s very pleasing to see.”
Saturday’s home match with Rangers has been postponed. Celtic’s remaining matches are at home to Hibs and Rangers plus away games with Dunfermline and Rangers.
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