Rogic shows his class as title comes within reach

Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 at Firhill tonight to move to within nine points of clinching the first ever SPL u-20 title.

Tom Rogic and Dylan McGeough were the scorers for what was effectively a development team rather than a youth side.

With six matches left to play Celtic need three more wins to add this title to the three u-19 championships that they’won before the change in age group.

There were only five survivors from the side that beat Kilmarnock nine days ago in the SFA Youth Cup with Tony Watt and  McGeough reinforcing the side along with the overage duo of Viktor Noring and James Keatings. January signing  Rogic was joined  in midfield by John Herron who missed the semi-final through suspension.

It took Celtic just 8 minutes to open the scoring with Rogic drilling home a low 20 yard drive after Herron had dummied a cut back from Watt.

Killie should have levelled the scores in the 26th minute when they were awarded a penalty for handball against Mikey Miller but their striker struck the base of Noring’s right hand post from 12 yards out.

A minute later  Watt almost doubled Celtic’s advantage when he headed over from a McGeough cross but in the 33rd minute that combination did put Celtic 2-0 in front.

Watt made a great run down the left channel before drilling a great pass to his Scotland u-21 team-mate who fired in a low shot across the Killie keeper into the net.

After the break Celtic kept the pressure up on the Killie goal with the visitors struggling to cope with Watt’s powerful runs down the left.

Rogic looked a class above everyone else on the park and was unlucky to see a low shot on the hour strike the base of the post.

Celtic ought to have added a third goal but with Rogic and Watt pressing their claims for first team action it was a more than useful 90 minutes in the run-in to prizes at all levels being handed out.a

CELTIC: Noring; Fisher, Miller Irvine, Findlay; Herron (George 34), McGeouch, Rogic, Keatings (P Twardzik 55); Atajic, Watt (Johnstone 64)

SUBS: Fasan, O’Connell,  Kidd, Lindsay,