Hoops hit Killie for six despite Souley’s supergoal starter
SCOTT SINCLAIR last night paid tribute to Leigh Griffiths for literally handing him the chance to extend his Premiership scoring streak to six goals in six successive games.
Having scored just 120 seconds after coming on as a substitute, the Hoops’ designated penalty taker had the chance to double his tally when he won his side a spot kick.
Instead he carried the ball over to his strike partner and handed it over with a good luck message.
“Leigh giving me the opportunity to get six in six was great – I have to thank him for that,” said the Englishman.
“It shows the togetherness we have in the team. We keep creating chances, which is great and defensively we were really good. We just need to keep doing our jobs.
“Now we have Manchester City on Wednesday, which will be a tough game, but we will have the fans behind us and that will give us an edge.
“We just need to keep our belief and give it 100%.”
Just who will be in goals for Celtic against the English Premier League champions is the question with number one Dorus de Vries substituted at half time with a chest problem sustained when trying to keep out on incredible opening goal from Souleyman Couilbaly.
The little Ivorian, a former Tottenham Hotspur youth player, switched the ball from his left to his right with a brilliant touch which left Scott Brown floundering before let fly from some 40 yards out.
As the crowd held their breath, the ball rose higher and higher before sharply dipping down and in under the crossbar.
“At the moment that would be the best goal of my career but the season is not finished yet – there are more games to come,” said Couilbaly with a wicked grin.
“I try to do things like that every day in training. If you don’t try it in training then it will be harder in the game.
“Even if it goes wide I will try again. If you are scared you can never score. Every striker must free his mind and play.
“For me life is about possibilities.”
It was a nightmare moment for Hoops keeper, standing a few yards off his line, who stretched every sinew to get a hand on it but to no avail.
While the Dutchman shouted at his defenders, television evidence suggested he was the man at fault, a verdict seemingly franked by his removal at half- time for Craig Gordon.
In terms of the match, though, Killie’s breakthrough had the effect of setting up rather than deciding the match with Celtic responding as if irritated by the visitors temerity.
And Moussa Dembele, scorer of a hat-trick against Rangers, demonstrated lethal finishing ability to get the Hoops ahead at the break.
The Frenchman, in ahead of Leigh Griffiths, swept in both a Lustig cross from the right and a delightful Tierney cut- back from the left to make it 2-1.
Equally good was the second half effort from James Forrest which further extended the lead, the winger exchanging passes with Tom Rogic to burrow his way into the Killie box and toe poke in at the far corner.
It got a good response from the home support, though not as good as that which greeted Celtic’s fourth from Griffiths.
The Scotland striker had been involved for only 120 seconds when he managed to get a touch on a goal- bound header from Jozo Simunovic.
Then, having got on the score sheet himself, he showed some generosity of spirit by allowing Sinclair to do likewise after he had won a penalty by drawing a foul in the box from Killie defender Greg Taylor.
The former Aston Villa man didn’t need to be asked twice, converting coolly to make it six goals in six successive league games and keep himself on target to club legend Jimmy McGrory’s record of eight from eight.
That should have been it really but the unfortunate Jamie MacDonald blundered when attempting to keep out Rogic’s late effort leaving the final score as a damning 6-1.