Rangers youth team coach Billy Kirkwood felt his side showed first-team tenacity to beat Celtic in the SFA Youth Cup final on Wednesday night.Walters Smith's side, who play Fiorentina in a UEFA Cup semi-final first leg at Ibrox on Thursday evening, are still on course to win four trophies in a season that has been characterised by the squad's never-say-die spirit.

Four days after Rangers shot themselves to the Scottish Cup final with a penalty shoot-out win against St Johnstone at the national stadium, the Under-19s beat their Parkhead rivals 3-1 after extra time thanks to a John Fleck double and a cheeky back-heel by Andrew Little.

The trophy win gave Kirkwood's side the league and cup double, although it took a late equaliser from Fleck in normal time to rescue the game after they had fallen behind to a Cillian Sheridan strike.

Kirkwood said: "To show the resilience to come back from a goal down was great.

"They took a leaf out of the first team's book - that is what they are all about.

"It's nice to win with flair but sometimes you have got to role the sleeves up, especially in the final.

"Credit to Celtic. The big lad Sheridan gave us a lot of problems. But when Fleck picked the ball up at the end, something was always going to happen.

"And for him to score a late goal like that at the national stadium was fantastic.

"Getting that goal gave us a lift and getting the second goal killed them."

After Little back-heeled the Light Blues into the lead in the first period of extra time, Fleck scored a third at the death with Celtic keeper Paul Skinner up in the Rangers box for a corner.

Fleck, who is still 16, enjoyed his goals.

"It was a great goal to score to keep us in the game," he said. "I didn't look at the clock, I knew we would take them right to the end and we did and got the goal.

"Once I scored, their heads went down which was good for us.

"I noticed their keeper coming up for the corner and when the ball fell to me I drove with it. I knew I could outpace the defender so I just hit it past him and got the goal."

Celtic coach John McLaughlin thought his side would see out the 90 minutes to grab victory.

"I couldn't see us losing it." he said. "We had five 16-year-olds in the side and the effort was great.

"I didn't think Rangers were better than us so we are devastated to lose the game."

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