PARS 2 Celtic B 1, SPFL Trust Trophy, fourth round

TEENAGER Taylor Sutherland enjoyed a dream first-team debut by scoring his first Pars goal to set them on their way to an SPFL Trust Trophy victory over Celtic B.

The 16-year-old, with just three minutes on the clock, nodded home Kyle MacDonald's cross to put James McPake's men ahead.

Nikolay Todorov doubled their advantage after 25 minutes and, although Johnny Kenny replied for the visitors before the break, Athletic did enough to progress to round four.

They were given a tough examination by the young Hoops side, who had chances in the second half, but the story of the night belonged to Sutherland.

He was one of three 16-year-olds picked, along with defender and fellow debutant Sam Young, and midfielder Andrew Tod, who made his first top team start, having twice come off the bench in the League Cup group stages.

In a much-changed home side from Saturday's comeback draw with Clyde, McPake was able to give some of his players in need of game-time minutes, as well as blooding some bright prospects from the club's academy.

It also put them into the fourth round of the competition, in which they will visit Arbroath next month.

Pars boss McPake suggested pre-match he would look to freshen his team up - and he did that by making seven changes from the side that drew with Clyde on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet, skipper Kyle Benedictus, Josh Edwards and Craig Wighton dropped to the bench, with Aaron Comrie, cup-tied Chris Mochrie, and Robbie Mahon, missing out altogether.

In came Max Little in goal; teenage trio Young, Tod and Sutherland; captain for the night, Chris Hamilton; Rhys Breen; and Todorov.

And, within three minutes, Sutherland had a moment he'll never forget.

MacDonald received the ball on the right from Joe Chalmers before crossing to the near post, where the young forward - who turns 17 next month - headed beyond Tobi Oluwayemi in the Celtic B goal.

It was the ideal start for the hosts, who fashioned another opportunity shortly afterwards.

A good move saw Todorov flick the ball around an opponent for Chalmers, who in turn fed Matty Todd, but his effort from the left of the area was blocked.

Although there was not many further opportunities in the opening quarter - another Todd effort aside, although the offside flag was raised as Oluwayemi saved - both sides were playing some neat football.

It was evident that both the Pars and Celtic were keen to play out from the back, but another cross into the box provided the route to the hosts' second of the evening.

Hamilton this time provided the assist, flighting it to the far post for Todorov who, after controlling brilliantly on his chest, fired a fine shot on the turn that got the better of Oluwayemi at his near post.

That seemed to have Athletic in cruise control, and Todorov shot wide just after the half hour after he was picked out well by Sutherland, but the Hoops caused a stir with a goal of their own nine minutes before the break.

There was a suspicion of offside as Dylan Corr slid a pass behind the Pars defence to find the run of Kenny, but the assistant referee's flag stayed down.

Kenny did the right thing and played to the whistle, before dinking a lovely finish over the helpless Little.

That was the first chance that the visitors had had carved out, but it gave them a lift, as they sought to find a leveller before the break.

They couldn't, and the Pars almost restored their two-goal lead within a minute of the restart.

Todorov had an effort from inside the box saved well by Oluwayemi and, as the ball fell loose, Tod struck the crossbar on the follow-up.

At the other end, a dangerous Celtic attack saw Breen block on the line from Tsoanelo Letsosa's shot from the edge of the box, before Ben Quinn lashed high and wide after turning inside the area.

The chances continued; Bruno Davidson shot wide for the Hoops, before Todorov should have scored after being found in the box by Todd, but his effort lacked purchase as it was cleared off the line to safety.

Wighton and Edwards were introduced just before the hour mark and the former, and Chalmers, had attempts blocked after Oluwayemi had saved from Todd, who had been played in by Hamilton on the right.

Celtic B, though, continued to pose a threat, with Kenny firing high over the top, before having another effort blocked, while Corr hammered well wide of the near post from a Davidson corner.

Hamilton had an effort deflected behind by team-mate Todd as the game moved into the final five minutes, in which the Hoops lost Corr to injury, forcing them down to 10 men.

Edwards forced a smart stop from Oluwayemi in stoppage time, while Hamilton fired wide, but the hosts had done enough to progress.

Pars: Little, Hamilton, MacDonald, Chalmers, Todorov (Wighton 58), Breen, Fisher, Todd, Young, Tod (Edwards 58), Sutherland.

Subs not used: Mehmet, Benedictus, Rennie, Beagley, Hoggan.

Goals: Sutherland (3), Todorov (25).

Booked: Fisher (16), Hamilton (60) Celtic B: Oluwayemi, Murphy (Dede 65), Otoo, Robertson, Corr, Kelly (Frame 83), Davidson, Letsosa, Kenny, Thomson (Turley 72), Quinn (Dawson 72).

Subs not used: Clarke, Easton, Cummings.

Goal: Kenny (36).

Referee: Calum Scott.

Attendance: 1,287.