Queen’s Park 0 Celtic 1 – Narrow defeat but big steps taken

SEAN CRIGHTON’S Queen’s Park side signed off from pre-season with a narrow defeat to Scottish champions Celtic.

A single strike, from former Spiders striker Johnny Kenny, proved decisive in a tight affair which was far removed from the corresponding friendly a year ago which saw 10 goals hit the net.

Instead, the 898 spectators inside the sold out city Stadium witnessed a disciplined performance from the home side who spent long periods out of possession.,

However that is exactly the sort of test head coach Crighton had been expecting and he got the reaction he was looking for too.

He told QPTV after the game: “I couldn’t be prouder of the team. This last pre-season fixture was always one we were looking forward to because we’re not going to play against a team with that sort of quality every week.

“It was a good test for us and naturally we are disappointed in defeat but I’m proud of how we did in terms of our structure, shape and not jumping out – there was actually one moment where we did jump out of shape and Celtic scored from that.

“It proves when you play a team of Celtic’s quality you must stay disciplined and I felt for large spells we did that.”

The moment Crighton refers to came after 19 minutes when Kenny slammed in from close range after Mitchell Frame reached the by-line.

Prior it had been almost all one-way traffic as Celtic piled on pressure and the Spiders dropped deep into a compact 5-3-2 formation to keep them out.

And keep them out they did, more or less.

Schoolboy Cole Burke – just 16 years old – put in a series of blocks to deny Frame and Arne Engels throughout the first half and impressed further in the second alongside Euan Murray and Charlie Fox.

Despite dominating possession for the opening 20 minutes an Engels drive over the bar was the closest the visitors came to opening the scoring and it was Ross Doohan who had the first meaningful save at the Somerville Drive end of the ground – holding a low Jamie Bradley blast from the edge of the area after neat link-up with Henry Fieldson.

It had been the Spiders’ only attack to that point but moments later they were behind to their former loanee’s high blast past Calum Ferrie.

Fox headed an Auston Trusty header back off the line five minutes later as he and his team-mates kept Brendan Rodgers’ side at bay until the interval.

Louis Longridge also fired a free-kick narrowly over the bar before the break where Celtic made ten changes to the team.

Out went Engels, Trusty and another former Spider Adam Montgomery, and in came youngsters led by Stephen Welsh.

Sean Crighton maintained the same side for the second half, later introducing five subs from his bench and Queen’s found more progress up the park in the second 45.

Infact they found it almost immediately as Josh Fowler hit the by-line within seconds of the restart but his low cross was booted clear.

That said, Calum Ferrie twice had to come to the rescue.

The first was a brilliant fingertip save to deny Thomas Hatton’s rocket that was pushed onto the crossbar by the Queen’s Park No1.

Later he was down sharp to deny sub Samuel Isiguzo on the rain-slicked surface.

In between times the Spiders had sought an equaliser and seen an Aidan Connolly drive blocked and Fieldson again threaten on the left-side.

Tyrece McDonnell was introduced along with Timam Scott to complement earlier changes with Seb Drozd, Aidan McGinlay and Roddy MacGregor added, and McDonnell’s footwork flummoxed Welsh and led to the Celtic skipper fouling Fieldson to hand the Spiders a set-piece chance on 77 minutes.

Longridge floated it high, Charlie Fox dived to meet the header, but the bounce of the ball took the sting out of the effort and it was easily held.

It proved the final meaningful chance for the home side, but head coach Crichton was far from disappointed a week before competitive action begins against The Spartans in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

He added: “I’m really proud of the young players but also the experienced players for helping them along.

“We’re gearing up for – the competitive football next weekend. This game was always about fitness and how we were and I’m happy to get everyone minutes to make sure everyone is ready for next week, not just the players who started tonight, everybody.

“When they’re called upon I want them to be there, ready.

“I’m pleased I’m looking forward to next week and it’s been a really good and exciting pre-season.”

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Fieldson, Fox, Murray, Burke (McDonnell 74), Pignatiello, Longridge, Bradley (MacGregor 65), Connolly (McGinlay 65), Fowler (Scott 74), Ruth (Drozd 65).