City of Glasgow Cup
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Boradwood Stadium

CLYDE… 3
(Love 41, Howie 52, Welsh og 90)

CELTIC… 1
(Henderson 73pen)

CELTIC’S defence of the City of Glasgow Cup began with a 3-1 defeat against Clyde in the opening game of the competition on Tuesday night.

Clyde have returned to the tournament for this season, and they, along with Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park, are fielding their first-teams while both Celtic and Rangers will play ‘Colts’ sides.

Tommy McIntyre’s young side started brightly, with Jack Aitchison having an early chance, but on seven minutes, it was Clyde who came close to opening the scoring, with Martin McNiff’s header crashing off the post.

Luca Connell did well to fashion some space on the edge of the Clyde area, but his effort on 22 minutes was well saved. And Connell turned provider just before the break to set up Armstrong Oko-Flex, but the Irishman’s net-bound shot was blocked by the Clyde defence.

And just a minute later, the home side scored through a header from Ally Love to give them a 1-0 lead at the break.

Four minutes into the second half, Aitchison set up Ewen Henderson, but his effort from just outside the box hit the post.

And the Hoops suffered a further blow when Craig Howie headed home Clyde’s second goal on 52 minutes.

Oko-Flex came close to reducing the deficit just after the hour mark following a clever one-two with Scott Robertson, but his shot from 12 yards just went narrowly over. And Robertson was next to try his luck, shooting just past the post from 20 yards out.

Liam Hughes in the Celtic goal then produced two great saves on 73 minutes to deny Clyde a third goal, and four minutes later the Hoops scored.

Oko-Flex was fouled inside the area and Henderson coolly converted the spot-kick to make it 2-1. The young Celts drove forward in search of an equaliser, and with two minutes of the match remaining, both Oko-Flex and Connell came close. However, in the last minute, Clyde attacked and Hoops captain, Stephen Welsh, inadvertently steered the ball into his own net as he tried to block a Clyde cross.

CELTIC: Hughes, Coffey, Miller (Church 62), Deas, Welsh, Robertson, Burt (McGrath 54), Connell, Aitchison (Harper 67), Henderon, Oko-Flex
Subs: Mullen, Paterson, Mazis, McBride

Disappointment for young Celts in City of Glasgow Cup opener