BRENDAN RODGERS declared himself “really pleased” after Celtic’s 1-0 win over Queen’s Park at the City Stadium last night.
The Hoops mixed in the kids with some of the more established players and was happy with the outcome in the first pre-season outing.
Rodgers said: “I thought it was really good. We said to both teams we really want to start fast and they did that.
“The sharpness will become greater as we go along. We’re only a week back, but I’m really pleased.
“The speed of the ball was excellent, how they shifted it and, yeah, it’s always good to win.”
WELCOME BACK…Callum McGregor in the thick of the action against Queen’s Park.
The Irishman watched Johnny Kenny score the only goal of the game in the 20th minute.
It was an encounter designed to help get the rust out of the limbs after a month of inactivity in June and the match served its purpose.
Rodgers fielded a side which was a mixture of first-team players and Academy talent in the starting line-up. Dane Murray, who spent the first half of last season on loan at the Hampden club, squandered the opportunity to give the Hoops a tenth minute lead when he headed wide from an Arne Engels corner-kick.
The Belgian midfielder then went close with a curling effort that swept just off target.
Adam Montgomery, who also had a spell at the Spiders last term, mishit a shot that fell to Mitchell Frame who cut the ball back for Kenny to apply the finishing touch from close range.
The visitors were out of luck when a header from Auston Trusty was cleared off the line by Charlie Fox.
As expected, Rodgers made sweeping changes for the second-half, introducing a full new outfield XI, with Ross Doohan the only player to remain before he was replaced by Josh Clarke just after the hour mark.
DENIED…Samuel Isiguzo is thwarted by diving Queen’s Park keeper Callum Ferrie.
Callum McGregor, who had looked sharp and controlled in the first 45 minutes, made way at the break with Stephen Welsh coming on and assuming the captain’s armband.
The nearest the champions came to doubling their advantage before the end came when Samuel Isiguzo fired in a fine shot which drew an equally excellent save from keeper Callum Ferrie.
Next up for Celtic is the trip to Ireland to face Cork City on Tuesday.
TEAM: First-half: Doohan; Donovan, Murray, Trusty, Montgomery; McCowan, McGregor, Engels; Bonnar, Kenny, Frame.
Second-half: Doohan (Clarke 63); Summers, McPherson, Robertson, Ure; McArdle, Hatton, Turley (Daly 74); Welsh, Kyle, Isiguzo.
