Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup
Penny Cars Stadium, Airdrie
Tuesday, August 8, 2019

QUEEN’S PARK… 2
(Kouider-Aissa 39, Martin 71)

CELTIC… 2
(Aitchison 15, Oko-Flex 28)

Celtic win 4-3 on penalties

IT was a night of drama in the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup as a young Celtic team won a dramatic cup-tie against League Two side, Queen’s Park. And it was a dream debut for new Bhoy, Liam Burt, who netted the winning penalty in the shoot-out after the game had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.

In the early exchanges, both sides pushed forward in search of the opener, though it was the Hoops who made the breakthrough on 15 minutes through Jack Aitchison.

He latched on to a through ball from Daniel Church and slotted it beyond the Queen’s Park goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Celtic stopper, Ryan Mullan, was called upon to prevent an equaliser.

For Celtic, Ewan Henderson came close with a lob from just outside the box, but on 28 minutes, Tommy McIntyre’s side doubled their lead.

Calvin Miller did well down the right flank before knocking it inside to Armstrong Oko-Flex, and after skipping past a couple of challenges, the young Irishman rifled a shot into the Queen’s Park net.

It was an impressive first half for the Hoops, and both Aitchison and Henderson came close to extending the lead even further.

However, with six minutes of the first half remaining, Queen’s Park reduced the deficit through Salim Kouider-Aissa, but just before the break, Celtic were denied a penalty after Oko-Flex appeared to have been fouled inside the area.

The Hoops pressed forward at the start of the second-half, with Henderson shooting narrowly wide and Robbie Deas heading a ball across goal from a free-kick.

Henderson came even closer on 64 minutes when he drove a free-kick on target, but it was well-saved by the Queen’s Park keeper. Seven minutes later, it was 2-2 as Adam Martin slotted the ball home.

On 72 minutes, Liam Burt, who had just signed for the Hoops on Monday, came on for Oko-Flex, and it was Celtic who pushed forward in search of the winner. Aitchison had a shot blocked inside the area before Miller and Burt both had efforts which came close.

At the other end, Mullen had to be alert in the last minute to smother the ball as Martin looked to pounce.

It meant that the game went to penalties, and Ryan Mullen was Celtic’s first hero, saving a spot-kick after both sides had converted their opening two penalties before, at 3-3, Queen’s Park hit the post.

It meant that Liam Burt stepped up to convert the winning penalty to put Celtic into the next round of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup.

CELTIC COLTS: Mullen, Coffey, Church, Deas, Welsh(c), Connell (Savoury 46), Miller, Robertson, Aitchison, Henderson, Oko-Flex (Burt 72).
Subs: Hughes, Paterson, Harper, Mazis, McBride

Penalty shoot-out drama as Celtic beat Queen's Park