match report, images and reaction

 Aberdeen U20’s 2 | Low 25′, 82′ (pen)

Celtic U20’s 2 | Atajic 65′, Johnstone 89′ (O’Connell Sent off 82′)

SPFL U20 League | Links Park, Montrose | 6pm KO | FT

Neil Cooper’s U20 side drew 2-2 with Celtic this evening at Links Park, Montrose after a fine performance. The young Dons took the lead on the 25th minute when Nicky Low pounced on a defensive mistake. Josh Magennis came close to doubling the lead on 41 minutes but his header missed by inches. Danny Rogers was forced into a fine save from Waters 4 minutes after the restart before Celtic equalised on 64 minutes when Atajic was left with a tap in.

Aberdeen continued to play well throughout and were rewarded with a penalty on 82 minutes which also saw O’Connell sent off for the visitors. Nicky Low stepped up and scored the spot kick to hand the Dons the advantage. Just a minute later Lawrence Shankland hit both post’s after good play by Cammy Smith and they were made when Johnstone in the last minute headed home from a corner to rescue a point for last season’s U20 league champions.

RedTV | Neil Cooper Post Match Interview please click here

RedTV | match highlights to follow

The Dons lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. Rogers was in goal with Campanile at right back, Rumsby and McKenna in central defence with Gibbons at left back. The midfield three were Storie in the centre with Low to the left of him and Masson to the right. The front three were Magennis, with Smith and Shankland playing off him.

In the early stages of the game both teams took a while to get used to plastic surface. The pitch was extremely lively which led to the game being played at a very fast pace with nobody getting any time on the ball. The one thing the surface does do is highlight the players with a good touch.

The first shot of the game fell to Celtic’s Atajic but he shot high and wide. Celtic in the early stages were dominating possession slightly and they forced a number of corners but Aberdeen defended them well. On 20 minutes the Dons twice gave away the ball in a dangerous area. Celtic captain Herron was put through and from a tight angle hit a powerful shot but Rogers stop up it well.

Despite that effort Aberdeen had by now reverted from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation and the change by Neil Cooper certainly worked as the Dons were enjoying the majority of possession.

After 23 minutes the young Dons put together a really good move. The ball eventually fell to Masson and his shot from 25 yards was well kept down but the keeper made a good low stop. Then on 25 minutes Aberdeen took the lead. Celtic tried to be too clever at the back and played one pass too many on the half way line. Nicky Low read the situation brilliantly and nipped in to steel the ball. He raced forward and when one on one with the keeper showed great confidence to wait for the keeper to move before hammering the ball home. The goal really came from the excellent pressing Aberdeen did the whole game. Two minutes later Low was very unlucky with a shot which went right across the face of goal. At this stage Aberdeen were well on top. Lawrence Shankland then had a chance inside the box although it would probably have been flagged offside had it gone in.

On the half hour mark Josh produced a lovely turn in the box to get away from his marker. He cut the ball back to the onrushing Marcus Campanile. His shot then fell to Smith but he could not keep his effort down.Then on 41 minutes the impressive Campanile went on a great direct run. The ball was eventually fed wide to Masson who floated in a pin point cross for Magennis and his header went inches over.

Although Celtic had an equal share of possession during the half, the Dons certainly created the better chances and could have been further ahead at the interval.

After the restart Celtic full back Waters made a good run and his shot seemed to be heading into the corner but Rogers produced a fine save. Although he did not have a lot to do this evening, Rogers looks more and more impressive every time you see him in action. He is calm, deals well with crosses and he is very comfortable with the ball at feet.

Celtic had started the half strongly but on 51 minutes a great one two between Smith and Magennis led to an opening for Smith. He lashed a shot goal wards and the keeper, who did not seem to know much about it, did well to adjust and grab the ball at the second attempt and not fumble it.

For the next 15 minutes Celtic began to get on top but Aberdeen were battling for every ball and throwing everything they had into every challenge and the visitors were creating nothing of note. But then disaster stuck on 64 minutes. It looked as if Rumsby and McKenna were about to snuff out another attack when Rumsby tried to play the ball back to his keeper. His back pass was slightly short and Henderson nipped in ahead of Rogers. He then played the ball wide and Atajic rolled home the equaliser. Scott Rumsby was extremely unlucky as the ball appeared more to break off him. Other than that he never put a foot wrong the whole game as both central defenders were outstanding.

On 70 minutes Josh Magennis came off and Stephen O’Neill came on. The midfielder quickly got involved and Aberdeen looked more threatening in the final third of the park once again. O’Neill and Shankland linked well down the left and O’Neill forced the keeper to make a good block.

The Dons were back in the game and almost went ahead. Campanile played a very good ball in from the right. Shankland won the header and his effort appeared to be going in but the defender did just enough to deflect the ball over. From the corner the ball was cleared but played out to Nicky Low. He swung a great ball into the back post area and Shankland looked set to score until O’Connell hauled him down. The ref pointed to the spot and sent off the Celtic defender, to who his credit did not complain about the red card. Nicky Low grabbed the ball and coolly as you like strolled forward and put the keeper the wrong way to put the Dons 2-1 up.

Celtic as you would expect put everyone forward and the Dons took advantage on the break on 85 minutes. Cammy Smith, who looked very sharp throughout, did brilliantly down the left and he squared the ball for Shankland. Lawrence from about 8 yards out hit the post, the ball rebounded and hit the other post and agonisingly the ball eluded Smith although it did look as though he was impeded as the defender tried desperately to recover the situation and the Dons maybe should have had a penalty. They certainly should have had a goal.

And they were made to pay for the miss.

Just like last week the Dons gave away a corner in the last minute. The ball was swung in and substitute Johnstone planted a very good header into the net. He was completely unmarked though. someone had failed to do their defensive duties.

It was an absolute sickner.

Still when reflecting on the game this was a very good Aberdeen performance and some really individual displays that would have impressed Neil Cooper and the management team. Aberdeen matched Celtic all over the park and were really unfortunate not to win this game. They deserved to for the effort the boys put in. Aberdeen | Rogers, Campanile, Gibbons, Storie, McKenna, Rumsby, Shankland (O’Sullivan 85′), Masson, Magennis (O’Neil 70′), Smith, Low

Substitutes not used | McMahon, Duguid, Ferries, Kelly

Celtic | Fasen, Miller, Waters, Findlay, O’Connell, Kidd, Herron, Henderson, Twardzik, Atajic, McMullan

Subs | Hart, Hoaveau, McManus, Lindsay, McNally, Johnstone