Karamoko Dembele made his much anticipated Reserve League debut, playing wide on the right with the Celtic front three able to muster just 51 years between them with Jack Aitchison the oldest at 19.
Armstrong Oko-Flex was the other member of the youthful front line and scored the only goal of the game with a header seven minutes from half-time.
Three days after celebrating his 16th birthday Dembele was finally allowed to play reserve team football, lighting up the second half after putting down a few markers in the opening 45 minutes.
Kilmarnock’s defenders clearly didn’t want to be shown up against the bright young thing of the Scottish game but after coming through the Academy ranks Dembele is well used to the physical attention that he received.
The good news is that the 16-year-old seems as strong as he is skillful, if he can gain a few more inches in height there will be no stopping him despite the incredible preductions that have been made since he appeared on You Tube.
The hoops did have the ball in the net after 8 minutes but the linesman had his flag raised as Marvin Compper shot home from close range after Stephen Welsh had glanced on an inswinging free kick from Scott Allan.
Aitchison carved out a couple of half chances midway through the half but was unable to find the net with either shot.
Eight minutes from the break Celtic took the lead when Oko-Flex timed his run perfectly to cushion a header over the Killie keeper from a diagonal cross from Kerr McInroy.
After a couple of first half flashes that attracted some very heavy attention from the Killie defenders Dembele almost scored in the 47th minute. Ross McLaughlin touched the ball left to the teenager whose fierce shot from 19 yards was brilliantly pushed away by Devlin Mackay in the home goal.
In the 70th minute Dembele came even closer to a goal as he held off three defenders desperate to take him out, cut in from the right then smacked a left footed shot at goal that was touched onto the bar.
Kilmarnock finished game strongly with Ryan Mullen pushing a close range header around the post with an 88th minute shot striking the crossbar.
KILMARNOCK: Mackay; McLevy, Ewan Deveney, Barlow, Lynch, Higgins, Brindley, Barr, Graham, Frizzell, McDonald Subs: Jamie Walker, Monk, Rennie, Josh Walker, Shields, A.Taylor, Campbell
CELTIC: Mullen; Hill, Church, Welsh, Compper, McInroy, Dembele, McLaughlin (Mazis 74), Aitchison, Allan, Oko-Flex
Subs: Willison, Caffrey, Kennedy, Savoury
