youth football

CLEATOR Moor Celtic Juniors enjoyed a fantastic experience when they played games this weekend against Blackburn Rovers. Celtic made the journey with the under-7, 8 and 9 age groups, and greatly impressed the Blackburn staff with their technique and commitment.

The games took place at their superb academy, where the standard of playing surface allowed some tremendous football to be played.

THE under-7s were the only visiting Cleator Moor side to use Blackburn Rovers Academy’s fabulous indoor facility.

Despite the heroics of Celtic keeper, Connor McAleavey the visitors soon found themselves four goals down as the result of some excellent passing football from the host team.

Celtic regrouped at the interval and were rejuvenated after the break. Excellent passing play from back to front, involving Gregg Rooney, Adam Meagan, Daniel Burns and Tobias McAteer resulted in two quick goals for the ever alert Brad Miller and Ben Graham, who were leading the line for Celtic.

Blackburn were also alive in the Celtic half of the field but the stout defending and tough tackling Conner Hollerin was not allowing the Lancashire side to play the football they did in the first period.

Con McAleavey pulled off some fine saves but the superior side hit a quick double in a 90 second period to stamp their authority once again.

The inspirational Gregg Rooney had other ideas and appeared in every area of the pitch with fine tackles, excellent ball skills and a drive to match any of the opposition players, getting a deserved goal after beating two Blackburn players to score in the bottom corner.

The Blackburn keeper was now performing heroics of his own and three late interventions kept out Miller, Meagan and Graham.

In the driving seconds of the game a well taken free kick goal gave the score a true representation of Blackburn’s superiority. Final score 8-3 to the hosts.

Celtic: Conner McAleavey, Conner Hollerin, Daniel Burns, Adam Meagan, Gregg Rooney, Tobias McAteer, Ben Graham, Brad Miller.

Man of the match, Gregg Rooney.

CELTIC’S under-8s faced a Blackburn Rovers team of mainly trialists and within three minutes found themselves a goal down to their hosts.

The quality in the build up cemented the belief that this could be a long afternoon for the West Cumbrian league side. However, this was not the case.

Three minutes after conceding the opening goal the visitors equalised when the in-form Ryan Bainbridge blasted home from a tight angle after some fine build up work.

Celtic’s tough tackling captain Aaron Kelly fairly disposed the scorer of Blackburn’s opening goal before finding the ‘inspirational’ Scott Davidson, who beat off the challenge of three Blackburn tackles and found Jack Mitchell on the right, who recorded Bainbridge with a defence unlocking pass.

Two minutes later another Blackburn attack was broken down by the alert Conner Hodgson who switched the play to Michael Fleming on Celtic’s left.

He, in turn found Jacob Carton, who with a clever inside pass found that constant thorn in the side of the Blackburn defence – Scott Davidson, he fed Bainbridge to thunder a shot into the home side’s net 2-1 to Celtic.

A fine move from the home side resulted in an equalising goal 2-2 at half time.

There was no score in second half, but Celtic managed to hit the Blackburn woodwork an incredible four times, once from Mitchell and three times from man of the match, Davidson.

At the other end, tough tackling from Hodgson, Carlton, Kelly and Fleming kept any hopes of a Blackburn victory at bay.

A special mention must go to keeper Jackson Sharp, who’s heroics kept his side in the game by pulling off some fine saves which were appreciated by every spectator in the large crowd. Final score 2-2.

Celtic: Jackson Sharp, Michael Fleming, Conner Hodgson, Aaron Kelly, Jacob Carton, Scott Davidson, Jack Mitchell, Ryan Bainbridge.

Man of the match, Scott Davidson.

AFTER a very even first 10 minutes it was Celtic keeper Jake Moore who had to make a tremendous diving save to keep out a Blackburn rocket shot.

In that first 10 minutes there was a lot of stout defending to be done and the Celtic rearguard of Robson Todd, Jordan Little and Callum Tole were equal to the task.

The opener arrived on 11 minutes when after a smart Celtic move Luke Close found space on the edge of the box and rifled home.

Just after half-time Tom Mahone doubled the lead when he curled in directly from a corner. Minutes later the prolific Aidan Pirie volleyed home from short range.

Celtic continued to impress in all areas of the park with strong tackling performances from Callum Waker and Luke Davison. After more intelligent combination play Mahone timed his run perfectly to add his second with a subtle finish. Callum Birdsall completed the scoring with a well taken goal near the end.

This young Celtic team are getting a lot of plaudits for their attractive passing game and greatly impressed their hosts.

Celtic: Jake Moore, Callum Toole, Robson Todd, Jordan Little, Tome Mahone, Luke Close, Callum Birdsall, Aidan Pirie, Callum Walker, Luke Davison, Scott Davidson.