Hibs’ under-20s moved three points clear at the top of the SPFL U20 League after an impressive 2-0 away win over Celtic at Cappielow Park in Greenock last night.
First team squad players Daniel Boateng, Abdellah Zoubir, Owain Tudur Jones, Duncan Watmore, Jason Cummings (pictured) and Danny Handling started the game and after a goalless first half, Cummings opened the scoring after Leo Fasan had parried a Tudur Jones’ header on 56 minutes.
Five minutes later Wales’ internationalist Jones then scored the 700th goal of the campaign by drilling a free-kick into the bottom corner of the net to secure the victory.
After the game Head of Academy Coaching James McDonaugh told Hibernian TV: “I have to give credit to Celtic, they were the better team in the first half, but in the second half we played really well and looked really good going forward. We got the wide players into the game more and the strikers looked really lively up top.
“The midfielders did their job, we had a good shape and organisation of the team plus we defended really well. Every department in the team played their part and everybody was really good and a credit to themselves and the club.”
The win also cemented a place in the final top three of the U20 League for the third year in a row, with Hamilton in fourth unable to catch the side.
“We don’t set objectives at the start of the season in terms of league positions.
“Personally though, from taking the job a few years ago and then to finish third three years in a row, it shows that we have good players, that’s not over one season, that’s over two or three seasons.”
“We set our stall out to try and win every game, it’s important that we try to create chances and of course score chances.
“I think you’ve got to work on your defence and just work on everything. If you defend really well, then you only get a draw because its goals that win you games.
“We’ve broken all sorts of records this season and I’m struggling to keep up with them. We’ve played a lot of football and a lot of games, got a lot of goals and we’ve just been generally good to watch.”
Hibs’ EOS face Hawick Royal Albert in Hawick on Saturday.
Hibernian under-20s: Paul Grant, Andrew Black, Daniel Boateng, Tom Gardiner, Ryan Baptie, Abdellah Zoubir, Euan Smith, Owain Tudur Jones, Duncan Watmore, Jason Cummings, Danny Handling.
Subs: Kleton Perntreou, Aaron Dunsmore, Bob Wilson, Callum Crane, Max Todd, Jordan Sinclair, Gareth McCaffrey.
Photo by John Preece
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
