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Stephen Craigan gives his post-match thoughts as the young Steelmen make it two wins from two against Celtic in the SPFL Development League.

Motherwell Under 20s sealed a 100% record against Celtic in the Development League this season with a 2-0 win in Lennoxtown.

A Jake Hastie brace put the hosts to the sword on an afternoon when the young Steelmen controlled the encounter at Celtic’s training complex.

Stephen Craigan included goalscorer Hastie and left wing back Adam Livingstone in the starting 11, despite the duo playing for their development loan clubs just two days earlier.

But that did not deter from hunger and energy displayed by the entire side as they continued their push for a strong end to the season.

It was the dream start for the Fir Park youngsters, who went in front inside three minutes.

Bursting forward from the right, Hastie cut in on to his favoured left foot before curling a low effort past Ross Doohan in the Celtic goal.

Liam Brown went close to scoring two goals in five minutes with spectacular efforts. The first was a volley from the edge of the area which flashed wide and the second a thunderous strike which rose narrowly over the bar.

The determination and fitness of Craigan’s side proved too much for the home side to handle and some intense pressure from Hastie and Jamie Semple robbed the ball from the Celtic back line, but Semple failed to test Doohan with his effort.

The young striker went similarly close before the break, and he was again at the heart of it early in the second half.

A clever ball down the left flank was picked up by Semple, who did well to breeze beyond his man before bursting through on goal. With one defender between him and the keeper, the Scotland Under 17 international failed to pick out the run of Turnbull, who surely would have made it 2-0.

Soon enough, it was two and it was Hastie again.

Punishing some slack play by Stephen Welsh at the back, Semple slipped in Turnbull who struck at goal from a narrow angle. Doohan got a hand to it but the ball spilled perfectly for Hastie to double the lead.

Celtic’s woes were compounded in the 80th minute when Kieran Campbell picked up a second yellow for a foul on Shea Gordon, as the youngsters held on for a clean sheet and another impressive victory.

Watch as Adam Livingstone’s first half strike secures all three point for Stephen Craigan’s youngsters.

Under 20s boss Stephen Craigan reflects on his side’s 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle in the Development League.

Motherwell Under 20s recorded a well-deserved victory against Partick Thistle in the Development League.

Despite creating a hatful of chances, the youngsters only managed to win by a solitary goal against the struggling Glasgow side.

The youngsters controlled the majority of their clash at Forthbank Stadium and nearly found the back of the net after just five minutes.

As the ball fell nicely on the edge of the box, Davie Turnbull flashed an effort towards the far post on the bounce, but it flashed wide.

James Scott went closer elven minutes later when he anticipated a great run and cutback from strike partner Alfredo Agyeman, but the former saw his instinctive prod rebound off the post and in to Thistle keeper Jamie Stevenson’s grateful arms.

The breakthrough finally arrived eight minutes before the interval.

Shea Gordon found Scott with a decent ball in to the box but the ball ricocheted off a Thistle defender before falling for Livingstone at the back post. Motherwell’s number three made no mistake, thundering home from a tight angle to give the Steelmen a deserved lead.

The second half brought with it a lot more action, as ‘Well dominated the visiting Jags but couldn’t muster a well-deserved second goal.

Livingstone nearly grabbed his second of the game with a stunning effort, but it was matched by a stunning save from Stevenson, whose fingertips denied the defender from finding the top corner in style.

That moment sparked a five-minute frenzy in which the Glasgow outfit somehow stayed within one goal of their far superior hosts.

It was Livingstone involved again, who on another day may have had a hattrick. The youngster crashed the bar with another effort off his left foot, but it looked set for Shaun Bowers to finish on the rebound, but his low drive towards the bottom corner was turned off the line by the backtracking Lee Duncanson.

A few minutes later, there were huge calls for a penalty as Gordon found himself bundled to the deck as he shaped for a shot on goal from eight yards, but the referee waved play on. The ball was half-cleared only as far as Liam Brown, who whipped a right-footed effort towards the top corner, beating the keeper but also the post as it flew wide.

The Fir Park youngsters saw out the majority of the game comfortably, and looked to have doubled their lead right at the death. From a Turnbull corner, Jordan Armstrong got up well to nod beyond Stevenson but he was deemed to have fouled the stopper in the process.

Turnbull went close with a header a minute later, but again Stevenson kept out his former teammates on an evening when it should have been a lot more than just 1-0.

Watch the goals as Stephen Craigan’s side win the mini Lanarkshire derby 3-1 away to Hamilton Academical.

Stephen Craigan believes his Motherwell Under 20s side have a lot more to offer, despite running out 3-1 winners in the mini Lanarkshire derby.

James Scott’s opener was followed up by a David Turnbull double at New Douglas Park but the hosts will have felt they could have taken something from the game, missing two penalties and having a goal disallowed for offside.

“I didn’t think we played very well, if I am being honest,” said the Under 20s boss. “We played better in our last three games but lost all three games.

“Football has a funny way sometimes that the result isn’t always what the performance is.

“PJ Morrison has won us the game with his saves. He was excellent. Overall we encouraged them too much. I think Hamilton deserved to win the game but it’s nice to see when the game isn’t going your way and you’re not playing well, you somehow manage to win.”

The young Steelmen were cheered on by Barry Maguire, who was in the stands days after making his debut for the first team away to St Johnstone.

“We used Barry as an example. He used to be a risk taker and he would frighten the life out of you sometimes. In the last six months he’s become a basic defender. He kicks it when he has to, he can play when he has to but as a defender he makes better decisions.

“That’s what we are trying to say to the rest of them. Those players have to change things in their game if they want to move forward. “

Motherwell Under 20s returned to winning ways with a 3-1 mini Lanarkshire derby victory over Hamilton Academical at New Douglas Park.

The game was deadlocked up until the 54th minute when James Scott put the visitors in front. Accies had already missed a penalty before that goal, and missed another before eventually levelling things through Ross Cunningham.

However, a David Turnbull double was enough to extend the young Steelmen’s dominance over their near neighbours to almost five years.

Motherwell started the match on the front foot and crafted a few early chances, but nothing that would really test goalkeeper Alexander Marshall. At the other end, the unmarked Charles Scott met a Cunningham corner, but his header was blocked before eventually being hooked clear.

Ten minutes before the break, Mikel Miller, a January recruit from Isthmian League South Division side Carshalton Athletic, blazed over the bar from twenty yards when the better option appeared to be teeing up the supporting Ryan Tierney who was in on goal.

Then, five minutes before the interval, the hosts had a great opportunity to take the lead when Jordan Armstrong was adjudged to have clipped an attacking player in the area. Tierney stepped up, but his penalty was well held by Peter Morrison, who guessed the right way.

Morrison was again on hand shortly after, firstly beating away a Jamie Boyd shot then turning away a Cunningham effort after the forward found space ten yards out.

The second half started much the same as the first had ended, with Accies on the front foot. Tierney was again involved, this time his shot from the edge of the box cannoned off the underside of the bar before ‘Well scrambled it clear.

Motherwell weathered the early pressure and posted attacking intent of their own when a Turnbull effort from distance bounced narrowly wide of target, with Marshall scrambling across his line.

However, the keeper would be helpless moments later when Craigan’s men would take the lead. Shea Gordon picked up the ball deep in Accies territory and immediately sent Alfredo Agyeman scampering down the left. He danced past Boyd before cutting it back for Scott who slotted home from close range.

Accies almost hit back immediately when Charles Scott met Lewis Smith’s cutback to the front post, but his effort ballooned well over the bar.

Five minutes later came a huge moment of controversy when referee Ryan Oliver pointed to the spot for the second time in the game, judging Jordan Armstrong to have pulled back the attacker. It looked outside the box, and the Motherwell players protested for some time, but they were let off the hook when Ronan Hughes blazed the spot kick over the crossbar.

However, it would only take a further three minutes before the home side got themselves back to level. A defensive mix up allowed Cunningham the ball six yards out and, despite the best efforts of Morrison and his defenders, the Hamilton man fired it into the top left corner.

Motherwell though were to get another opportunity to restore their advantage. Jake Hastie, on a substitute, crossed low from the left and after Jamie Semple helped it on, Turnbull was on hand at the back post to tap home and make it 2-1.

The Steelmen then added a third. David Turnbull was presented the opportunity from the spot after Semple’s header was handballed by Hughes and he made no mistake, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to secure a 3-1 victory.

Motherwell Under 20s return to action on Monday evening when they take on Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.

The Steelmen sit fifth in the Development League, two points ahead of tonight’s opponents, but four adrift of fourth-placed Hearts.

Stephen Craigan’s men will be keen to get back to winning ways after losing at the Oriam last midweek, despite a decent showing.

Accies go into the match off the back of a defeat themselves, having lost 3-0 to Dundee seven days ago.

The match is at New Douglas Park. Kick off is 7pm.

A frustrated Stephen Craigan felt his side were deserving of more as they lost 2-1 against Hearts in the Development League.

A Jake Hastie goal just before the break brought the young Steelmen level before the Edinburgh side restored their advantage on the hour mark.

And the Northern Irishman admitted his side went on to run out of ideas in the final minutes at the Oriam Sports Complex.

He said: “I’m disappointed with the result because I felt only one team really looked likely to win the game.

[pullquote]I’d be disappointed if I was standing here and we’d drawn the game, so I’m even more disappointed that we’ve lost.[/pullquote]

“We created chances, we hit the post at 1-1 and there was an iffy penalty given against us.

He added: “But we encouraged them today. We encouraged them when we gave them the first goal and then again with the second.

“After that, we lost our way a little bit in the final ten minutes and couldn’t get ourselves back in the game.”