Statement win is on the horizon for Lennon

NEIL LENNON believes Celtic are ready to thrash an opponent if they maintain their recent rate of progress. A comfortable 2-0 win over Ross County chalked up back-to-back league victories for the first time since early October and kept the Parkhead men’s title ambitions alive. David Turnbull scored his first league goal since his move from Motherwell, with Leigh Griffiths marking his first domestic start of the season with a second-half header. Lennon felt the volume of chances created showed Celtic were now going from strength to strength. ‘We should have won the game by more,’ he said. ‘I’m pleased with the quality of chances we created tonight. ‘If we keep playing like that, we’re going to give

somebody a right good going over. ‘It was a clean sheet and we didn’t look in any trouble. We seem to be going in the right direction again. ‘We missed some great chances but I am delighted.’ Celtic rarely looked in danger from the moment Turnbull struck, radiating a confidence sorely lacking over a costly two-month spell. ‘We got a lift from the weekend win (in the Scottish Cup final) and that pressure and anxiety has gone now,’ said Lennon. ‘We’re looking forward to the league games now and it’s good to get a win to start the Christmas period. ‘There is a feelgood factor. We just want to keep the squad bubbling over now. ‘We are still a long way back and we won’t get too high or too low.’ Partnered with Odsonne Edouard, Griffiths spurned several chances during his 81-minute contribution. ‘He scored a great goal but it was probably the hardest chance of them all. He should have had a hat-trick,’ said Lennon. ‘He got better as the game went on, his movement was really good and he scores goals. ‘Odsonne should have scored, too, and we missed some chances in the second nd half to rack up a really lly good scoreline.’ Both Shane Duffy and Scott Brown sat out through injury but will be available for the trip to Hamilton on Boxing Day. Despite his first game e in charge not going as planned, l d new Ross County boss John Hughes felt there were positives, saying: ‘I was quite glad we came to Parkhead first because we were playing against the champions, and I could see who was up for it and what we’ve got. ‘In terms of quality, I’m honest enough to say it has to be better, our ball retention has to be better. ‘The effort and commitment was very good. Celtic peg you back so, when you get it, sometimes there is nowhere to go. ‘The goals we lost were preventable but I saw a toget togetherness. There’s eno enough to know if we ge get a bit of luck we could c be all right. Our challenge is in the bottom half b beating the teams a around about us. Ou Our cup final is really St Mirren.’ M County were hampered b by th the early l withdrawal of Ross Stewart but Hughes is optimistic he will be fine to play against the Buddies at the weekend. He added: ‘Ross had a tight hamstring. But we got him off so hopefully he will be all right for Saturday. If he’s not, someone else will have to stand up.’