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.

Robson promises that Boro will improve

Stand-in Middlesbrough captain Barry Robson has promised the 'Boro support that his performances will only improve.

Robson has made the biggest impact at the Riverside Stadium of the five players that left Celtic in January and has a red card, a goal and the captaincy to show for his efforts.

Boro must win at Nottingham Forest today to retain any outside hopes of an automatic promotion place although a play-off spot looks much more realistic.

Forest are battling it out with West Brom and Newcastle for a promotion place with Robson aware that Gordon Strachan's side will need to improve on their midweek defeat from Blackpool if they are to take anything from today's match.

Discussing his goal in last weeks win over Peterbroug he said: "I don't think my overall performance was one of my better ones and as for the team, it won't do.

"We're better footballers than that. That wasn't us, I think we can all do a lot better. That's the disappointing thing, we want to do much better for the fans.

"I suppose it was a good thing that we could win when not playing well. Winning is the most important thing, but we're good footballers and we want to show that.

"The manager sets the standards very, very high at this football club and if you don't reach those standards he lets you know.
 
"We need to stay strong and work hard. The manager wasn't happy with the performances and the players weren't either. We can play and we can penetrate, but we can play a lot better."

Middlesbrough go into today's game trailing Forest by 14 points with Gordon Strachan having won five, lost five and drawn nine matches since replacing Gareth Southgate.

Bellamy told to stay away for three months!

Former Celt Craig Bellamy looks to be on the move again with reports that Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has banned the striker for THREE MONTHS!

Five years ago Bellamy was at the heart of Celtic's faultering title bid before moving on to Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool and West Ham before joining Manchester City for £14m last January.

Following the sacking of Mark Hughes Bellamy was reported to have complained to the club bosses about the sacking and has never really got on with Mancini.

The former Inter Milan boss seemed to prefer Robinho over the Welsh striker with their relationship taking a turn for the worst last week.

When The Sun does these type of stories they tend to be well sourced and not rushed through which suggests that there is plenty of truth to the incident.

The Sun claims: "The manager was yelling 'Why are you always questioning me? Why won't you do as you are told? Why are you always questioning everything at training and in games?'.

"Bellamy argued back that he only wanted what was best for the club.

"But Mancini snapped 'I want you to leave now. And do not come back for three months'."

Bellamy has missed City's last two matches, both 1-1 draws with Stoke.

Meanwhile loan Celt Cillian Sheridan is hoping to give Celtic a pre-match boost ahead of tomorrow's SPL clash with Dundee United.

Sheridan scored twice for St Johnstone in their 5-1 win over Hibs on Wednesday and is looking to take that form into tomorrow's clash with Rangers.

He said: "I’ll probably have a few calls from the Celtic lads wishing me well and hopefully I can do them a turn. I’d like to help them out.

"Rangers have a 10-point lead but I don’t see why Celtic can’t peg them back. It’s happened in other leagues so why not here in Scotland? There’s always a chance and Celtic will keep fighting.

"We lost to Rangers in the semi-final of the League Cup, that was a disappointment but we have to take the form from the Hibs game into this one to cause an upset.

"I’m expecting to get a bit of stick if I start. That goes with the territory. It’s not something that bothers me. These are the sort of games any player wants to play in. I’m no different. We are looking to kick on from the Hibs result.

"From a personal point of view, I came here hoping to enjoy my football again. If things carry on through to the end of the season and I score more goals I’ll definitely do that.

"It was great for the confidence to score twice against Hibs. It was a relief and a weight off my shoulders when I got the first early in the game."

Sun report on Bellamy

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Livingston challenge for Celtic youths

Celtic have been drawn to play Livingston at home in the semi-finals of the SFA Youth Cup.

The tie is scheduled to be played on Sunday March 28 with the other semi-final to be contested between the winners of the Airdrie-St Mirren tie and Rangers.

Livingston produced the shock of the round in the quarter-finals when they won 1-0 away to holders Hibs.

The draw opens up the possibility of three Celtic-Rangers matches between now and the end of the season with the teams still to play each other in the u-19 league, the first derby match of the season has been scheduled for Saturday March 6 and will be played at Lennoxtown or Barrafield.

Celtic are currently sitting at the top of the u-19 league and play Hamilton Accies at Lennoxtown on Saturday, kick-off 12noon.

Stevie Frail's side haven't played in the league since December 12 when they beat St Mirren 4-1.

Elsewhere right-winger Nicky Riley, a member of the 2006 u-19 double winning squad, has joined Hamilton until the end of the season, whist Cillian Sheridan scored his first St Johnstone goals with a double in the 5-1 win over Hibs.
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