Celtic B 2-0 Caledonian Braves: Braves boss Ricky Waddell takes positives from loss

Airdrie’s Penny Cars Stadium was the venue as first half goals by Ben Summers and Joey Dawson won it for the Hoops second string, with Braves creating a few decent chances at the other end but failing to take them.

“We obviously find ourselves two nothing down at half-time,” Waddell said.

"In fairness to the guys they rallied. I wouldn’t say we deserved to win the game.

"If we had scored it might have been a different matter but we obviously didn’t.

"Was it a two nothing game? If you’re in their camp you’re probably saying yeah.

"We did create chances which was the positive thing.

"But we just want to move forward and take the positives.

"As I say, we’ve just lacked a wee bit in front of goal today. Not even in front of goal, just in possession of the ball which caused us not to create chances.

"The scoreline’s the scoreline. In fairness, we chaged it for the last 15 minutes, the boys went for it and I think they tired in the end.

"We just need to move on from it.”

It doesn’t get any easier for Braves – 10th in the Lowland League table with 31 points from 24 games – this weekend as they host Rangers B in the league on Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

"Playing that game is no issue to us,” said Waddell, who was speaking to Braves TV. “I would like a few bodies back.

"We’ve got two of the younger lads coming on the park – we’ve not really had that continuity over the last few games.

"So I would like to get that continuity coming back in the last 10 games if we can.

"We have no issue with Rangers. They are similar to Celtic in that they will look to dominate the ball, try and shift you about.

"It’s at our place so I expect us to be a little bit more attack mindset.

"And I want to still be resolute as much as we can when we’re out of possession.

"So we’ll go, we’ll get prepared, we’ll see where we are injury wise this week and we’ll approach the game positively.”

On a weekend where minor football matches were few and far between due to a combination of the impact of coronavirus and unplayable pitches, another one of the few local sides in action were Motherwell FC Women who went out of the Scottish Women’s Cup on penalties after Partick Thistle twice came from behind to take the tie the distance.

Carla Boyce scored her third Motherwell goal with an accurate header before Freya MacDonald knocked the Jags level early into the second half.

With both sides striving to score a late winner, Leanne Crichton netted a wonderful free-kick to restore Motherwell’s lead with 12 minutes left on the clock. But there was late heartache for the Women of Steel as Cheryl McCulloch’s header sent the game into extra time.

With no further goals in the subsequent 30 minutes of overtime, it went to a shootout decider.

Despite accurate penalties by Boyce and Chelsie Watson, Amy Anderson missed the target whilst Crichton saw her spot kick saved by McGregor, sending Thistle into the fourth round.