Striker insists he did net twice on first start... and could have had another

CELTIC striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo not only claimed he had bagged two goals on his full debut for the club against Hearts yesterday, but says he should have hit a hat-trick.

There was some dubiety around the goals that were awarded to the Ivorian, with Hearts manager Craig Levein claiming his defenders Christophe Berra and Craig Halkett had held their hands up to getting the final touch to both strikes.

But Bayo was having none of that after the game, with his only disappointment being that he hit the post with a late header that would have seen him making a bee-line for the match ball at the final whistle.

“I scored twice,” Bayo said. “I touched the ball for the first goal and the defender also touched the ball, but I got the last touch on it.

“I got the last touch for both goals. I disagree that they were own goals.

“I’m very happy, I’ve not had a start before this game so I’m really pleased.

“I’m really happy with the performance of the team as well and myself.

“I should have scored three and the manager told me that as well.

“He’s been great with me since I arrived, and he speaks to me and encourages me all the time.

“I have benefited by the encouragement and it has paid off today with me scoring.”

Bayo thanked the Celtic fans for the rapturous reception he received as he was substituted late on after suffering from cramp, and he also thanked them for their patience after he had to wait eight months for his first start since joining the club in January.

“It’s a great club and the fans are incredible,” he said. “This was my first chance at starting and there were lot of people watching so I was amazed by that.

“It’s just part of football and the fans make it. The fans were happy, and they understand I have been waiting for this.

“When I arrived, I was really happy and then I suffered the injuries, but

the manager has been happy with me and the progress I was making but I had to be patient with it.”

Meanwhile, Hearts striker Conor Washington was disappointed that his side failed to capitalise on his consolation goal, the forward converting the rebound after Fraser Forster had saved his penalty.

He felt Celtic were wobbling at that stage and that the visitors may even have snatched a comeback draw, but that they let the champions off the hook.

“Frustration is the overriding feeling,” Washington said. “I think the gaffer summed it up perfectly after the game. There’s just pure frustration that we didn’t lay more of a glove on them after we scored, that should have given us the belief that maybe something was there for us.

“Ultimately there’s just disappointment that we didn’t give a great account of ourselves, especially after the goal.

“The goals we lost, it’s hard for me to say without watching them back, but at the time they felt soft and the timing of them was a kick in the guts really.”