Kevin Haynes said his Berwick Rangers team coped well with Celtic B despite scoreline
Berwick Rangers boss Kevin Haynes felt his side had been hit at bad moments in their Lowland League defeat at Celtic B.
The black and gold returned to action at the Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie after a long weather-enforced break against a lively young Hoops side.
They went behind in the 11th minute as Thomas Hatton struck, then further goals from Sean McArdle in first half stoppage time and Lucas Clearie in the 56th minute sealed the points.
Haynes felt the second and third strikes had a touch of fortune about them after they were deflected into the net, but was realistic about the nature of the defeat.
“That’s the hardest game we could have got at this time of year – with having three competitive games off since Christmas, and two friendlies off, you can’t replicate matches and to play against a full-time team on a huge Astroturf with their movement and their physical attributes, their power, their pace – it’s very, very difficult,” Haynes told BRAFCTV.
“I thought our boys stood up to it. We conceded at poor times, probably – or Celtic scored at good times – couple of deflected goals…I don’t think it was a 3-0 game.
“Our boys kept going and they gave everything. They’re tired. You’d expect them to be tired after that kind of game, but in general I don’t think it was a 3-0 game.
“The first goal is our own downfall, we’re trying to be too clever, we’re taking chances. It was a poor decision and we get punished for that.
“When you’re playing against a team that can punish you on that transition with the pace that they’ve got, taking chances is very risky.”
The gaffer is hoping that the weather can hold so the team can regain their momentum and added: “It’ll be extremely difficult if we got stopped again for a couple of weeks.”
Berwick host Bonnyrigg Rose in the League Cup this weekend.
“I thought our shape was OK, we didn’t get cut open too much and Celtic had a few good individuals. There were a couple of boys who’d been involved in the first team in their European game so we’re playing against the best young boys in the country and it’s difficult, the result’s difficult but I’m not going to read too much into it,” said Haynes.