Queen's Park 17s Squad

Friday 24th July 2009

Celtic 1 - 2 Queen's Park

The 17s went on the road to play both sets of the Old Firms Full time under 17 teams at their impressive training grounds. This was in at the deep end immediately as it was also going to be our first games of the pre season schedule. The coaches where quietly confident but with it being our first game and with 3 boys just back from their summer holidays they knew it would be a tough test.

In the first game at Lennoxtown, Queen's started slowly but once the boys remembered how to pass and play they soon settled into the game and created a number of good opportunities. Not surprising, the boys took a while to get their second wind but looked good, with Queen's keeping the majority of the ball.

However the 17s got caught out with a sucker blow just on half time. A through ball in between centre back and goalkeeper, both hesitated and the striker slotted the ball under keeper. This was a huge body blow against Queen's efforts but fortunately the whistle for half time soon followed.

What would happen after being a goal down? Would Queen's lose more, drop into their shell or come out with a fire in them to attack?

The later was the answer and the boys soon took the game to Celtic. Queen's again created a few good opportunities and with Celtic's goalkeeper in excellent form it looked like we would be struggling to get past him - it would need something special to do so!

This came from great one and two touch football from the centre of park to slip the Queen's striker in to slot past the impressive Celtic Goalkeeper. Celtic looked shocked, they soon dug in and came roaring back at Queen's. Some fine defending (with some rash defending) the 17s kept them out only to counter again with some slick speedy passing for the same result as before 2 -1 to Queen's!

The boys held on for what is surely a massive result against a full time team such as Celtic.

Coach Paul Ronald was commented "Against full-time opposition our boys played possession football and ran out deserved winners"

Back to 17s Home Page