U18 FRIENDLY REPORT: BURNLEY 5-5 CELTIC

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Young Clarets held by Bhoys in ten-goal friendly thriller

2022-11-15T12:00:00.000Z

U18 FRIENDLY REPORT: BURNLEY 5-5 CELTIC

Young Clarets held by Bhoys in ten-goal friendly thriller

2022-11-15T12:00:00.000Z

Young Clarets held by Bhoys in ten-goal friendly thriller

Tony Philliskirk’s youth team played out a 5-5 draw with Celtic in a mid-season friendly at the Burnley Training Centre.

The Young Clarets had five different names - Kade Ratchford, Ryan Tioffo, Rohan Vaughan, Nathan James & Lucas Wane - on the scoresheet, and led 5-2 at one point in proceedings, but saw the visitors complete a late fightback.

U18s boss Philliskirk made five changes from the Lancashire FA Professional Youth cup win over Blackburn Rovers on 1st November with Ollie Sweeney, Brad Grant, Jack Rogers & goalscorer Ratchford coming in from the off alongside a Trialist.

Those to drop out of the 11 were Tosin Olopade, Jack McEvilly, Frankie Deane & Callum West with the latter named on the bench.

First Half

Celtic had the first opportunity of the game five minutes in when defender Caleb Goldie headed wide from a corner before Burnley worked their way into the contest and came close through captain Joe Westley, who flicked Grant’s corner on at the front post and saw the effort bounce narrowly wide.

Soon after, the Young Clarets were in front as Ratchford whipped a free-kick towards the back post and the ball bounced through to evade everyone, ending up in the bottom corner of the net.

Jon Ander Vilar Robinson then did well to deny Jude Bonnar, and Burnley capitalised on that with a second to double their advantage through Tioffo just prior to the half-hour mark, smashing past Bhoys’ ‘keeper Aidan Rice having been played through by Ratchford.

The visitors were to halve the deficit before the break though with forward Lewis Dobbie rounding Vilar Robinson to net from a tight angle, making it 2-1 at the interval.

Second Half

One of four substitutes for Philliskirk’s side at half time, Rohan Vaughan almost got his name on the scoresheet instantly, and was only kept out on the volley at close range by a terrific save from Rice.

JAMES PREPARED FOR HAMMERS TEST IN FA YOUTH CUP - Image 3

But moments later, in that one-on-one battle, it would be Vaughan who came out on top, capitalising on a handling error from the shot stopper to fire into an empty net.

A fourth for the Young Clarets soon followed as Thailand youth international James volleyed an in-swinging corner delivery from Ratchford past Rice at point-blank range, before Celtic brought it back to 4-2 with a successful set-piece routine of their own when Eseosa Sule found space to convert at the back post.

Burnley regained their three-goal advantage with a little over 20 minutes to play when substitute Wane picked up Sweeney’s through ball down the line and rounded the onrushing Rice before slotting home.

U18 FRIENDLY REPORT: BURNLEY 5-5 CELTIC - Image 3

But in the blink of an eye, the deficit was back to one with a 5-4 scoreline after James had mistimed a clearance to find the back of his own net, and frontman Dobbie had slotted past Vilar Robinson from inside the six-yard box.

And on 85 minutes, the visitors completed their comeback to make it 5-5 from the penalty spot, Dobbie again the scorer to bring up his hat-trick.

That was how things ended at the Burnley Training Centre as the referee’s final whistle brought an end to a pulsating 90 minutes of mid-season action.

Philliskirk’s youth team are now back in action this coming Saturday – 19th November – as they face Barnsley at the Burnley Training Centre in the U18 Professional Development League. Kick-off is scheduled for 11am (GMT).

Burnley: Vilar Robinson, Sweeney, James, Ashton, Grant, Tioffo (Wane HT), Rogers (Pickup HT), Gromek (West HT), Ratchford (Sime ‘55), Trialist, Westley (Vaughan HT)

Unused Subs: None

Celtic: Rice, Luyeye, Cannon, Goldie, Agbaire, Davidson, Hatton, McDonnell, Dobbie, Haddow, Bonnar

Subs: Donovan, Meikle, Sule, Kyle, Borland, Ure

Goals: Ratchford ’19, Tioffo ’29, Dobbie ’44, ’74 & ’86, Vaughan ’51, James ’55, Sule ’65, Wane ’69, James OG ’72