FIRST-HALF Karamoko Dembele and Albian Ajeti goals ensured Celtic defeated Charlton Athletic in their second pre-season friendly under new manager Ange Postecoglou in Wales this afternoon

Postecoglou had fielded a young and inexperienced side in the meeting with Sheffield Wednesday, who were beaten 3-1, at Dragon Park in Newport on Wednesday.

However, the majority of players in the Greek-Australian coach’s starting line-up in Gwent today were established first team players.

Nir Bitton, Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor and David Turnbull made their first appearances of pre-season. McGregor donned the captain’s armband. Elsewhere, Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas, Anthony Ralston, Ismaila Soro and Stephen Welsh featured again.

Dembele and Adam Montgomery were deployed on the right and left wings respectively in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Wearing black arm bands in memory of Kevin Sweeney, the former director who passed away earlier this week, Celtic quickly took control.

Ajeti had a chance to put the Glasgow outfit in front in the fifth minute when Dembele sent him through on the Charlton goal with a delightful defence-splitting through ball.   

The Swiss striker, though, was denied by Crag MacGillivray, the Perth-born goalkeeper who was called into the Scotland squad back in 2019.

Jayden Stockley, the former Aberdeen forward, was spoken to by the referee in the first-half after elbowing first Taylor and then Welsh, who required medical attention, as he challenged for aerial balls.

Stockley became unpopular with Celtic fans after a left arm smash on Kieran Tierney in the 2017 Scottish Cup final left the left back with a broken jaw.

Postecoglou’s side took the lead in the 24th minute after Bitton, who was deployed at centre half alongside Stephen Welsh by his manager, played a slide-rule pass in to Taylor.

The defender cut the ball back in McGregor in the Charlton six yard box only for Jason Pearce to intercept. But Demeble pounced and made no mistake.

Barkas did brilliantly to keep Celtic in front just three minutes later after Albie Morgan had teed up Ben Dempsey in the penalty box. The keeper produced an instinctive one-handed save.   

Ajeti, who had netted in the win over Wednesday, doubled the Parkhead club’s lead five minutes before half-time after getting on the end of a Ralston cross and sending a powerful downward header past MacGillivray.

Postecoglou put on 10 new players at the start of the second-half: Scott Bain, Ryan Christie, Mikey Johnston, Olivier Ntcham, Odsonne Edouard, Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Shaw, Dane Murray, Ewan Henderson and Leo Hjelde joined Montgomery on the field.

It was former Wednesday defender Urhoghide’s first game for Celtic. The 21-year-old played at right back and impressed with his ability to get forward and complement his side’s attacks.

He helped tee up Johnston for a shot with 15 minutes remaining and the winger was only denied a goal by the inside of the right post.

Postecoglou threw on Luca Connell and Owen Moffat for Henderson and Montgomery, but his team conceded immediately after he had made his changes.

Conor Washington got on the end of a Josh Davison pass and fired through Bain’s legs.

But Bain denied Washington superbly with three minutes remaining when he tipped his dipping shot over the crossbar to ensure Celtic won 2-1.

Edouard limped off near the end due to a slight problem with his quad and was replaced by Scott Robertson, but Postecoglou is unconcerned about his fitness.