The Bhoys Keep Pace At The Top With Four-Goal Win Over The Saints

Celtic kept pace with Aberdeen and Rangers at the top of the table with a four-goal demolition of St. Mirren at Celtic Park - the score moving them into second place on goal difference.

James Forrest was given his first start by manager Neil Lennon and Joe Ledley was selected as the left-back in a formation set up for the attack.

Forrest turned heads from the start of the game, playing a part in the set-up for the first goal. Receiving the ball, he spun past two defenders and swung the ball in to Georgios Samaras. The Greek forward slipped the ball through to Ledley who drove it into the net.

A Fortune cross in the 23rd minute was touched in by Shaun Maloney, though replays suggested that van Zanten should have perhaps been "credited" with an own-goal.

Shortly after, Maloney had another pop, only to see his shot rebound off the left-hand post, while Fortune's strike of the rebounded ball hit the outside of the same post.

After the break, Celtic continued their dominance and it was only a matter of time before they would increase their goal-tally.

Forrest scored his first goal for the club in the 68th minute when Fortune set him up with a fine ball which the youngster drove past the helpless 'keeper.

Substitute Ki Sung-Yeung put the result beyond doubt in the 81st minute with a long-range strike that St. Mirren's goalkeeper Paul Gallacher had no chance of saving.

Manager Neil Lennon was pleased with the whole team's performance, saying: "We got a clean sheet and some of our football at times attacking-wise was breathtaking.

"We have got energy in the team and we've got quality. It's all right me asking them to do it, they've got to take it on board.

"You can't play like that all the time, but in certain games you can and the crowd responded to the players.

"It was important to go to Utrecht with a good result because it's a big game in the context of the season and we'd like to get a European run going."

He reserved particular praise for 19-year-old Joe Forrest who he described as "an exciting player with an eye for goal."

"He's an old-fashioned winger who just wants to hurt people. He looks like a kid that's come in off the street and said, 'Right, throw me a ball, I'm ready to play'," he continued.

"I love his attitude and he's a breath of fresh air."

Earlier in the week, Celtic got their Europa League campaign off to a good start with a 2-0 win over FC Utrecht at Celtic Park.

Efrain Juarez got the scoring started in the 19th minute and Samaras scored the second from close-range in the 34th minute.

As we went to press, rumors surfaced that Celtic hope to sign Newcastle goalkeeper Fraser Forster on a season-long loan deal.

Forster, who is 22-years-old and stands 6' 7" tall, will be in Glasgow for a medical on Monday. Where he will fit into the squad, with Lukasz Zaluska as first choice 'keeper and Dominic Cervi on the bench, remains to be seen.

Lennon continued to farm out players this week, sending central defender Josh Thompson to Rochdale on a season-long loan and striker Morten Ramussen to the Bundesliga outfit Mainz.