DEMOLITION DERBY DAY
Celtic kids fire five past sorry Rangers
THE Little Big Shot Youth Cup Final wasn’t intended to become a YouTube sensation.
But as last night’s live internet broadcast of this Old Firm demolition derby ensured it went viral for Celtic fans and became a video nasty for Rangers.
For the Hoops it was an insight into an exciting crop of young talent as an Aidan Nesbitt hat-trick and strikes from Sam Wardrop and Luke Donnelly wrestled the trophy from their city rivals.
As for the Ibrox side, their only highlights were an own goal from CalumWaters and a late consolation from Dylan Dykes.
And that earned the Rangers kids a scathing review from their coach.
Ian Durrant said: “We weren’t good enough and they battered us at all levels.
“We have a few heads down in there but I have told them they have to pick themselves up.
“This game will be what they are judged on at FAMOUS FIVE Sam Wardrop opens the scoring, while Aidan Nesbitt, right, celebrates his hat-trick as Celtic lift the trophy the start of next season. They have to stand up and be men, it’s their job.
“They are better than us at the moment but slowly and surely we are getting there. “It’s a sore one but I hope it stands them in good stead and we come back after the summer and regroup.
“There are no positives, none at all. It is sad when you say that. We got back into the game after the own goal but then lost a goal a few minutes later from sloppy defending.
“If you are going to defend like that you don’t stand a chance.
“I asked them to take part in the game and they didn’t.”
Sadly this goalfest was played out at an empty National Stadium which allowed entry only to selected school kids, friends and family due to previous bad behaviour from supporters of both clubs in previous meetings in this competition.
Rangers included a rarely seen member of the Newcastle Five in the shape of Kevin Mbabu in a line-up which also featured the familiar names of Fraser Aird and Ryan Hardie, Tom Walsh. While only Eughan O’Connell and Kieran Tierney had enjoyed exposure to Celtic’s first-team football under the watching Ronny Deila this season.
But Celtic coach Stevie Frail insists his youngster’s free flowing play will have caught the eye of the Norwegian gaffer.
He said: “We try to produce good football as that’s the way we train and Ronny is keen on that.
“It’s tough to get into our first team and we need to get them to a level where these kids can eventually play there.
“It’s a big, wide, open pitch and the manner of the win was really pleasing.
“It’s great when a performance comes off like that as we have flair players. It was an excellent display all round.”