Frail lifts youths for Falkirk clash

Stevie Frail has spent the last two days lifting his dejected players after Saturday's 2-1 defeat from Rangers.

Celtic's u-19 side are back in action tomorrow against Falkirk with a 1pm kick off at Barrafield attempting to return to winning ways in the race for the title.

Frail's side still have to face Rangers at Murray Park but after Saturday's defeat the youth boss has had to use a mix of constructive criticism and motivation on his players.

He said: "The players heads were down after the match, their trying to take in what we are saying and all that they can hear from the next dressing room is their music blaring and a laugh and joke. Fine.

"We'll pick the players up and use experiences that we've had before. In Vilareal during the summer Liverpool won the cup against us, they were bouncing and our guys were distraught.

"We learned from that and took positives and we'll do the same again.

"There's a lot of the season still to go but we'll concentrate on Falkirk first of all. It's important to pick ourselves up and take three points from that before looking ahead.

"We have a game at Murray Park to come and that's one that we believe we are well equipped to go and win."

Saturday's defeat was a familiar story of losing to Rangers despite having the bulk of possession.

Chances however were at a premium against a well organised Rangers defence who knew how to defend in depth and secure their 18 yard box.

Substitute Bahrudin Atajic bravely scored the Celtic goal but picked up an ankle injury as he landed that saw him limp out of the match having only been on the pitch for 15 minutes.

Atajic was signed from Malmo in the summer with his strikers instinct impressing Frail.

The Celtic coach added: "Bahrudin is a clever player, you can see that in the areas that he takes up and he was very brave for his goal.

"It was probably one of the few real crosses that we put in, he got across the goalkeeper well, and put in a good header.

"He's only 16, he showed as soon as he came to the club that he is a good player, now we need to try and get him a bit fitter and upto the demands of Scottish football."

Looking back at the performance against Rangers Frail added: "We know that we have to degend better, it's not always going to be silky soccer, you need to grind out results at times.

"I felt that we were the better footballing side but it's about winning games as well. Rangers had a plan, they worked hard, got two goals that we're disappointed with that, we'll need to work on them.

"In terms of possession we controlled the game but we need to make sure that we are switched on at the back.

"Although we had possession we didn't force their 'keeper into making many saves, we were disapointed with our deliveries from set-pieces.

"Overall it's disappointing but we have a big game on Tuesday against Falkirk, we're still at the top of the league and only lose that if Rangers win their game in hand."


SPL u-19 table

Youths lose out to Rangers

Celtic's u-19 side were taught a lesson in finishing as they lost out 2-1 to Rangers at Barrafield.

Chances were at a premium for both sides but opportunist finishes from Archie Campbell and Kane Hemmings early in the second half left Celtic chasing the game although a late strike from Bahrudin Atajic almost allowed Stevie Frail's side to claim a point.

There were three changes to the Celtic side that won 2-1 at Kilmarnock last week with James Forrest and Patrik Twardzik replacing Greig Spence and Johny Marsden in attack whilst Richie Towell returned at right-back in place of Curtis Jones.

Celtic created a couple of half chances in the opening stages without unduly troubling Grant Adams in the Rangers goal.

Forrest was causing the Rangers defence some problems with his close control which brought in some hefty challenges although Rangers keeper Adams was rarely tested with the visitors defence holding firm.

Three minutes into the second half Forrest was booked for complaining to referee Dallas after taking another kick on the ankles.

Rangers took the lead in the 51st minute when Campbell raced onto a through ball before shooting low and across Daniel Giordano into the far corner of the net.

Sean Fitzharris and James Keatings were having some success down the flanks but there was a lack of punch to the Celtic attack.

In the 75th minute Rangers doubled their lead when Hemmings wrestled away from Matt Hughes before slotting his shot beyond Giordano.

Greig Spence and Atajic were thrown on in place of the Twardzik twins as Frail attempted to vary things up front and with three minutes left Atajic bravely dived in front of Adams to head a cross from Declan Gallagher into the net.

Atajic's involvement in the game ended at that stage, play was held up as he received treatment with the former Malmo striker having his left leg immobilised before making his way to the dressing rooms on crutches.

Play was held up for a few minutes as Atajic received treatment with Marsden sent on in search of an equaliser.

Spence could have salvaged a point for Celtic in injury time when Declan Gallagher's header fell his way in the penalty box but as he lifted his shot over Adams the ball fell inches over the crossbar.

STARTING TEAM: Guardino; Towell, Hughes, D Gallagher, Lowden; Fitzharris, G Gallagher, F Twardzik (Atajic 83, Marsden 88), Keatings, Forrest, P Twardzik ( Spence 76)

FINISHING TEAM: Guardino; Towell, Hughes, D Gallagher, Lowden; Fitzharris, G Gallagher, Keatings; Forrest, Marsden, Spence 

Youths throw away two points to Hamilton

Two goals in the last eight minutes from Hamilton Accies denied Celtic's youth side a winning return to league business.

Last weekend it was Stebie Frail's side that came from behind to win 5-4 away to Dundee United but slack defending allowed Hamilton to salvage a point from a game that was no showcase for youth football.

There was a frantic pace to the game from the first whistle with both side's testing the patience of the inexperienced young referee with Celtic's Filip Twardzik coming in for some especially rough treatment.

Frail made two changes to the side that started against Dundee United with Connor Frailey replacing Andy Kennedy in goals and supersub Sean Fitzharris starting in place of James Forrest. Fitzharris played on the left wing with James Keatings switched over to the right with Greig Spence alone through the centre.

Celtic forced a couple of early corners but there was no real pattern or purpose to their play with Hamilton competing strongly throughout the park

In the 18th minute Celtic went in front with a goal created and scored by Fitzharris. After beating his man to the bye-line his cross deep into the box was returned goalwards by Grant Gallagher, Keatings fired the ball goalwards with Fitzharris popping up to net from close range with the Hamilton defence claiming for offside.

Four minutes into the second half Spence was replaced by Bahrudin Atajic, a 16-year-old striker signed last month from Malmo in Sweden.

The points looked to be secured in the 67th minute when Darren McCauley netted his first goal after signing on loan from Derry City. McCauley's amateur status at Derry apparently entitles the club to compensation despite the financial problems that the club has had.

With a sizeable group of supporters, led by his elder sister Lorraine over from his boys club Top of the Hill Celtic, McCauley received a pass from Fitzharris 15 yards from goal and turned impressively before angling in a right footed shot beyond Accies keeper Gary Inglis.

McCauley is noticably bigger and stronger than most of his team-mates and became more involved as the game developed although he did look short on fitness which is understadable since he hasn't played regularly since October.

With ten minutes left Curtis Jones, who joined up alongside Josh Thompson and Michael Ordish from Stockport County, replaced McCauley with the points looking secure

Two minutes later Hamilton pulled a goal back when substitute Euan Lindsay took advantage of shoddy defending to net past Fairley from close range before Kevin Komer scored direct from a corner with two minutes left to play.

CELTIC: Fairley, G Gallagher, Hughes, D Gallagher, Lowden; McCauley, Towell, Twardzik; Keatings, Spence, Fitzharris

SUBS: Kennedy, P Twardzik, Marsden, Jones (McCauley 80min), Ordish, Atajic (Spence 49min), McGregor.