CELTIC'S kids are mirroring Neil Lennon's big Bhoys with two defeats in the Uefa Youth League.

But, John Kennedy and Stevie Frail remain confident the Under-19 side is about to hit its stride - and shoot up the group.

The lift-off can come today when they face Ajax at Livingston.

Frail is convinced the steep learning curve is being negotiated well by his young charges, who have lost to AC Milan and Barcelona in the competition's inaugural year.

He said: "We will take confidence from that Barcelona game. We lost 2-1, but felt there was lots we could take from it."

The similarities with the experiences of Celtic's top team in Group H are there for all to see, and Frail continued: "Sometimes it comes down to a wee bit of luck, but there has maybe been a lack of quality in our finishing, at times.

"It's mainly about staying in the game, keeping concentration, and we've been doing that.

"We've been getting the equaliser, but can we then be positive and turn that into a win, which we nearly got against Barcelona?

"It was the same against Milan, but they scored at a bad time which killed us and we were left chasing it."

Like the first team, the Under-19s need to take a minimum of four points from their double-header with the Dutch.

And Frail said: "They're a strong, physical side with good players technically, so it will be a real tough game.

"In terms of progression in the tournament, these games are vital.

"We're playing against a top European side with a top academy, but we feel we can win."