Peebles Rovers 1

Celtic XI 2

Neil Hobson

at Whitestone Park

A BUSTLING Whitestone Park was treated to a thrilling match between Brendan Rodgers' youngsters and the improving home team.

Goals from Brian Coffey and Max Potter secured the win for Celtic on a night where Rovers pushed them all the way in front of the biggest crowd seen at the ground in recent decades.

Barely four minutes had registered on the clock before Coffey latched onto a through ball and danced past the Rovers defence to shoot past McGinley.

Any fears of the floodgates opening were quickly quashed by a workmanlike home team.

Alan McMath continued to hover around the box, looking to latch onto any long balls that could penetrate the towering Celtic defence of Potter and Jack McDowell.

And a few half chances did begin to arrive for the Rovers.

A foul on Saul Schulz-Keith opened the window of opportunity for Ross Lamb to smash a terrific free kick at Ryan Mullen.

Lamb looked a forceful presence throughout the evening.

A nice lay-off from Schulz-Keith saw Lamb steam down the right, carving through the Celtic defence to sting the palms of Mullen.

But the Hoops had plenty of quality - and continually looked dangerous.

Bruno Gavin galloped forward from midfield before showing some nifty footwork to evade the Rovers defence only for Jason Newell to clamber the ball to safety before the Celtic player could dispatch his shot.

Josh Jack kept up the Celtic attack as he blasted a shot over the crossbar.

The game gradually calmed after a tumultuous 45 minutes, with McGinley and Mullen bystanders as the battle raged in midfield.

If anything it was Rovers who began to gain the upper hand during the early stages of the second half.

Lee Zavaroni was bombing forward at every opportunity as he pulled around and toyed the Celtic defence.

One of his crosses fell to McMath but Campbell was on hand to clear.

By now, Rovers were hitting their stride and a bumper Whitestone support were rewarded for their faith as they equalised in tremendous fashion.

A McGrath foul on McMath just outside the box allowed Lamb to smash home a terrific freekick past Mullen on 62 minutes.

By now Rovers had the young Celts on the canvas and Robbie Renwick kept up the attacking onslaught as he charged down the right before whipping in a short ball across the face of goal that Newell very nearly prodded past Mullen.

For a time, it looked as though Rovers could see the game out.

But, a niggly foul conceded on the edge of the box allowed a Coffey free-kick to be stabbed home from a yard out by Max Potter on 80 minutes.

It was the final notable action on a terrific night for Peebles Rovers.

Peebles: McGinley, Dodds, Brown, Smith, Newell, Rossi, G. Lamb, R. Lamb, Schulz-Keith, McMath & Zavaroni. Subs: Lindsay, Mackay, B. Runciman, J. Runciman, Fleming, Forrest, Renwick & Cockburn