A brilliant solo effort from Denny Johnstone ten minutes from time secured a 3-1 win for Celtic’s u-20 side against Motherwell at Fir Park.
With Neil Lennon watching from the stand Bahrudin Atajic and Darnell Fisher fired Celtic into a two goal interval lead.
Craig Moore pulled a goal back for the home side in the 65th minute but after replacing Jack Kirwan as the sole striker Johnstone cut in from the left and fired an unstoppable shot into the net from a tight angle.
The win builds nicely on last week’s 1-0 win over St Mirren with the young hoops hosting Hamilton Accies at Firhill next Tuesday.
Fisher and Callum Watters came in for international full-backs  Mikey Miller and Joe Chalmers with Kirwan replacing Lewis Kidd and playing as the sole striker with close support coming from Patrik Twardzik and Atajic.
After taking the first 15 minutes to find their feet the visitors started to impose themselves on the match scoring two well taken goals before the break.
Midway through the first half home keeper Lee Holis did well to block a fierce drive with the offiside flag going up against Twardzik as he moved in on the rebound.
Sixty seconds later Kirwan was fouled on the edge of the box but Atajic’s free kick flew over the cross bar.
That effort proved to be a decent marker with Atajic finding the net from a similar position in the 35th minute. Fisher’s driving run into the box ended with him crashing to the deck with Zaine Francis-Angol picking up a yellow card. Henderson’s free kick was charged down and retaken with Atajic driving the ball low into the net at Hollis’ left hand post.
Two minutes from the interval Celtic doubled their lead with a great strike from Fisher. Picking up the ball midway inside the Motherwell half he drove his way into the penalty box then finished like a veteran with a low shot under Hollis.
There was no let up after the break with a McNally shot forcing a good save out of Hollis following a Celtic free kick wide on the right.
The homeside hadn’t carried much of a threat but in the 65th minute McNally backed off from the advancing Craig Moore allowing the home winger to fire a left foot shot across Fasan into the net.
Shortly after the Motherwell goal Glenn Eadie replaced Kirwan with Denny Johnstone moving into the strikers role and Eadie sitting in front of Fisher on the right.
Johnstone almost restored Celtic’s lead in the 73rd minute but his half volley from 18 yards out struck the base of the post.
With ten minutes left to play Johnstone scored a brilliant solo goal to put the game beyond the home side.
Showing a great touch with his heel to lose his marker wide on the left Johnstone cut into the box before angling a great shot across Hollis into the net from a tight angle.
MOTHERWELL (4-4-2): Hollis, Devlin, Francis-Angol, Hetherington, Kerr, Page, Watt, Carswell, McHugh, Moore, Leitch
Subs: Stewart, Cummins, Murray, Johnstone, Shirkie, Higgins, Asghar
CELTIC: Fasan: Miller, McNally, Findlay, Watters: Johnstone, Lindsay, Atajic, Henderson (McManus 89), P Twardzik (Donnelly 89); Kirwan (Eadie 68)
SUBS: Daniels, Barrowman
CLICK HEREÂ for could Kelvin Wilson turn around his Celtic career?
Follow Video Celts on Twitter and Facebook
Great result and another very promising display. Shows the strength in depth that we could cope with players away on International duty and still pick up the points. Full marks to all concerned and setting a marker for the rest.
Do they video these games? They should put them on Celtic TV so we can have a look at the future bhoys.
There’s usually a few minutes of highlights and some interviews on Celtic TV, with the games now in proper stadiums the quality is much better
Excellent result for the bhoys.
This is a very young side, some of whom are only 16. Most of last season’s under 19 squad are either in the first team squad or the development squad. Quite sure that we will see others coming through a la Tony Watt and Dylan McGeough.
HH!!