Queen’s Park enjoyed a high-scoring Challenge Match against Celtic at The city Stadium with The Spiders enjoying a period in the lead before going down 6-4.
Callum Davidson handed home debuts to summer captures Roddy MacGregor and Josh Hinds with former Parkhead player Magnus Mackenzie included in the substitute’s list after his recent move across the city.
Dom Thomas kicked off with the hosts lining up with four at the back and a fluid system in midfield and up front, and after some nice possession play there were appeals for a penalty as MacGregor tumbled in the box however referee Robertson appeared to call it right when he waved play on.
On four minutes Celtic carved out a chance when Kyogo fired for goal from 16 yards with Calum Ferrie moving sharply to palm the ball over.
Two minutes later Kyogo got the better of Ferrie as he skipped past Charlie Fox on the 18-yard line and advanced on Ferrie’s goal before rolling the ball into a corner with the big defender injured in the process.
After a lengthy period of treatment Fox was replaced by Lewis Reid and the substitute was quickly involved as the Black and Whites kept the ball well however a deflected Matt O’Riley shot served as a warning of the danger Celtic possess.
On 15 minutes an equaliser arrived when Danny Wilson slipped a pass to Reid who moved the ball forward to Jack Turner who sent a pass into the Celtic box which was headed into the path of RUARI PATON who took a couple of touches before drilling low past Scott Bain from 18 yards.
Paton came close to adding a second a minute later after Thomas had danced into the box and picked out the striker with a cut-back that Paton fired inches wide.
A second goal for Queen’s Park arrived on 22 minutes when Josh Hinds and Turner combined on the right and picked out THOMAS who took a step back before side-footing the ball into the far corner with his brightly coloured green left boot.
The lead lasted two minutes as O’Riley darted into the box and picked out Yuki Kobayashi who sent a volley goalward with Kyogo applying a slight touch to take the ball over the line.
The home defence appealed for a handball however the game restarted with Ferrie moving quickly to deny Kyogo a third strike of the evening with his legs.
On 33 minutes Paton led a lightning break from his own half before finding Thomas on the right with the Spiders skipper cutting the ball back onto his left foot before sending an effort high over.
Celtic retook the lead six minutes from the break when Bosun Lawal charged forward and teed up Michael Johnson and, despite a lunging block from Reid, the ball spun into the path of O’Riley who found the net first time from eight yards out.
Half time – Queen’s Park 2 Celtic 3
Louis Longridge and Sean Welsh were introduced at the interval with Jack Thomson and Thomas making way.
Queen’s first opening after the restart came after a crunching challenge from Reid on Kyogo allowed Zach Mauchin to run deep into the Celtic half before he was crowded out.
On 50 minutes Welsh looped a long ball forward trying to find his former Inverness team-mate MacGregor however the visiting defence ensured that Benjamin Siegrist came from his goal and ended the danger.
Reid stepped in to clear on 57 minutes after a low cross from Celtic’s right bounced around the six box with Ferrie diving low to clutch the ball just before the hour mark after another driven ball from the visitors threatened a goal.
Celtic grabbed a fourth goal on 61 minutes when Kyogo ran from what looked like an offside position to accept a pass played through the Queen’s defence to shoot past Ferrie and grab his third goal of the game.
With 20 minutes of the second half played referee Robertson showed leniency to Celtic’s Kyle Ure when he failed to go into his pocket after the substitute hauled Mauchin down with the full back going on a surging 60-yard run.
The visiting Hyeon-Gyu On went on a surging run himself midway through the second half from left to right across the 18-yard box before sending a low drive back into the far corner to make the score 5-2.
Queen’s pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when Liam McLeish threaded a pass into the path of LONGRIDGE who sent a delightful chip over Siegrist.
Celtic restored their three-goal advantage with 17 minutes left when Oh drilled across goal for Francies Turley to shoot past Ferrie from 12 yards out.
Davidson’s side kept going forward and McLeish was inches out from turning in a low cross from Tyrece McDonnell.
McDONNELL had better luck on 84 minutes when he was perfectly placed to nod home a delicate chip from Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia to take Queen’s Park’s goal count to four.
Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Zach Mauchin (Joseph Smith 70), Josh Scott, Charlie Fox (Lewis Reid 10), Danny Wilson (Darryl Carrick 70), Jack Thomson (Sean Welsh 46), Ruari Paton (Liam McLeish 64), Dom Thomas (Louis Longridge 46), Roddy MacGregor (Lennon Connolly 67), Josh Hinds (Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia 67), Jack Turner (Tyrece McDonnell 74)
Unused substitutes – Will Tizzard, Jack Wills (G/k), Samuel Kane (G/k), Magnus Mackenzie.
Celtic– Scott Bain, Tomoki Iwata, Stephen Welsh, Dane Murray, Yuki Kobayashi, Bosun Lawal, Odin Holm, Hyun-Jun Yang, Mikey Johnston, Kyogo, Matt O’Riley
Unused substitutes – Benjamin Siegrist, Tobi Oluwayemi, Josh Clarke, Hyeok-Kyu Kwon, Hyeon-Gyu Oh, Mitchell Frame, Lenny Agbaire, Mitchell Robertson, Josh Dede, Kyle Ure, Colby Donovan, Thomas Hatton, Francis Turley.
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