CELTIC’S IMPRESSIVE START to the season continued apace with a comprehensive 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over St Mirren in Paisley.
Skipper Callum McGregor fired the visitors ahead inside three minutes and fellow midfielder Reo Hatate added a second in the 33rd minute as Celtic ignored the inclement weather to take control.
Hoops defender Alistair Johnston swept in a third in the 71st minute to complete a convincing victory for the champions who have indicated their intentions early.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have won all four games this season – scoring 12 and conceding just one – and should go into next Sunday’s Old Firm game against Rangers at Parkhead with supreme confidence.
There was no doubting the effort put in by Stephen Robinson’s men but they were well short and have now lost four games in a row.
Saints were knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup last week by Dundee United so Robinson took action, with Republic of Ireland U21 international Killian Phillips making his debut after joining on loan from Crystal Palace.
Jonah Ayunga, Jaden Brown, captain Mark O’Hara and Richard Taylor also started with Roland Idowu, Mikael Mandron, Oisin Smyth, Scott Tanser and Fraser Taylor dropping to the bench.
On a wet and windy day in Paisley, striker Adam Idah and midfielder Paulo Bernardo came in to the Celtic side with Rodgers confirming missing Matt O’Riley is on his way to Brighton, while Nicolas Kuhn had to settle for a place among the substitutes.
There were less than three minutes played when McGregor picked up a pass from James Forrest outside the box and lasered a shot low past Buddies keeper Ellery Balcombe for his second goal of the season, equalling last season’s tally.
In the 14th minute Balcombe made saves from Hatate and then Idah following a fine move from the Parkhead side.
Balcombe used his foot to block the next effort from Idah after he had been sent clear by Bernardo.
There was a VAR check for a Celtic penalty on the half-hour mark when Daizen Maeda went down in the box following a challenge by the already-booked Alex Gogic, but play continued.
Celtic soon doubled their lead though, Johnston’s lofted cross to the back post being headed back by Maeda for Hatate to drill a shot low in off the far post.
There was another VAR check when Maeda when down in the area following a tackle by Shaun Rooney, but again no penalty was awarded.
Robinson brought on Mandron and Idowu for Gogic and Ayunga at the start of the second half but Celtic retained the upper hand and continued to threaten.
Kyogo Furuhashi and Kuhn replaced Idah and Forrest just before the hour mark and eight minutes later Balcombe thwarted Furuhashi after the Japan striker raced on to Johnston’s defence-splitting pass.
But it simply delayed what looked like the inevitable.
Moments later, Kuhn drifted into the St Mirren box from the right and set up Johnston to knock the ball high into the net from 10 yards to make it 3-0.
There was also time for 18-year-old Francis Turley to make a late debut for Hatate as Celtic, who showed they remain a potent force even without the services of influential Denmark midfielder O’Riley.
