ST MIRREN 0 CELTIC 3
HAIL! HAIL! Celtic were as relentless as the rain as they made no mistake while they swept to victory in Paisley on a wild and windy afternoon.
The champions refused to be knocked off course by the elements or competitive opponents as superb strikes from Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston made sure there was no banana skin on a dodgy surface as the heavens opened above the Saints’ stadium.
Paulo Bernardo stepped into midfield to prove there is life after Matt O’Riley following the confirmation of the popular Celt’s £30million move to Brighton.
The Portuguese playmaker lasted 74 minutes before being replaced and showed he was up to the task of completing the jigsaw beside McGregor and Hatate.
This was a well-earned three points for the Hoops as they maintained their focus and got the job done without the minimum of fuss.
NUMBER ONE…captain Callum McGregor fires a left-foot drive through a ruck of players towards the St Mirren net for the opener inside three minutes.
The champions came hurtling out of the starting blocks and were a goal ahead in precisely two minutes and 36 seconds courtesy of skipper McGregor.
The Hoops moved forward with pace and menace on the right with Alistair Johnston bringing James Forrest into play with a crisp pass to the veteran winger.
He edged in from the right, drew two defenders towards him before releasing pass at the perfect moment for McGregor to race onto and wallop first time with his left foot from 25 yards.
Keeper Ellery Balcombe dived full-length to his left, but could not prevent the ball eluding him at his left-hand post.
The on-loan Brentford stopper then denied Hatate and Adam Idah in a matter of quickfire moments as he blocked two attempts in the 13th minute.
Brendan Rodgers’ men were well on top with Kasper Schmeichel a virtual spectator as his new team-mates controlled the flow of play.
In the 24th minute, it was the overworked Saints No.1 to the rescue for his team again after Hatate sent Idah through with an exquisite first-time pass. The finish from the Republic of Ireland international striker didn’t quite match the movement and his low drive was deflected by the left foot of the sprawling keeper.
However, the second goal was only delayed nine minutes and once again the finish was utterly top class.
NUMBER TWO…Reo Hatate leaves keeper Ellery Bascome and the St Mirren defenders helpless with a devastating low drive.
Greg Taylor picked out Johnston with a switch of play from the left. The Canadian whipped a superb cross to Daizen Maeda storming in from the wing.
He nodded down to Japanese international colleague Hatate and the gifted midfielder thundered an unstoppable left-foot effort from 14 yards in off the far post.
It was pulverising stuff from Celtic as they drove forward and in the 37th minute Balcombe did well to paw away a floating ball from Taylor that was heading for his top left-hand corner.
Four minutes from the break, the shotstopper was in action again as he got down swiftly to his left to block an angled drive from Maeda.
On the hour mark, Rodgers sent on Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn for Idah and Forrest to continue the momentum.
In a hectic six-minute spell, the visitors almost scored THREE goals as the opportunities came thick and fast.
NUMBER THREE…Alistair Johnston thumps an unstoppable drive into the net as team-mates Paulo Bernardo and Nicolas Kuhn look on.
Following some lung-bursting work by the tireless Maeda on the left, Kuhn opened the way to drive in a low shot, but it was frantically blocked by a defender in the 63rd minute.
Four minutes later, Johnston released Kyogo, but Balcombe diverted his low drive for a corner-kick and that was followed by a six-yard header from Maeda leaving the keeper stranded, but edging just wide of the right-hand upright.
However, it was all over in the 74th minute when Johnston completed a mesmerising move among several of his team-mates before he sent Kuhn scurrying free on the right.
The energetic defender followed up his pass, took a return from the German winger and hammered a ferocious 10-yarder into the roof of the net.
Four minutes later, Bernardo and Taylor made way for the introduction of Odin Holm and Anthony Ralston.
In the 88th minute, Francis Turley, the 18-year-old signed from Glentoran, came on for his debut as he replaced Hatate.
The encounter eased to a conclusion and now all eyes are on the visit of Philippe Clement’s Ibrox side for the first derby of the season at Parkhead a week today.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor (sub: Ralston 74); Bernardo (sub: Holm 74), McGregor, Hatate (sub: Turley 88); Forrest (sub: Kuhn 60), Idah (sub: Kyogo 60), Maeda.
