Neil Lennon will expect similarly effective performances from now on

By ANDREW SMITH
Published on 31/10/2012 02:31

CELTIC attacker Kris Commons was sheepish over officially being awarded a hat-trick in last night’s 5-0 Scottish Communities League Cup quarter-final win at home to 
St Johnstone

“Have they given it to me?” Commons asked. “I don’t think the first one was going in for sure. It was more a cross than I shot. But I’ll take it. I was listening out for the tannoy announcer and he didn’t same my name [after Celtic’s opener that deflected off Laim Craig] and I certainly didn’t think I was taken the penalty to complete a hat-trick. I’ve got the match ball, though.”

Celtic manager Neil Lennon declared his side had laid down a “marker” with the “emphatic” nature of their success against a team on an eight-game unbeaten run.

He said: “I told them ‘this time last week you were well motivated, you were in a nice climate, going out [against Barcelona] in the Nou Camp, tonight is different with maybe 15,000 but the attitude has to be the same. I got that. I enjoyed watching my team tonight. That is a marker, I hope, for a concerted period of performances. That is what I am demanding from them.

Referring to Saturday’s home loss to Kilmarnock, Lennon added: “We have moved on but I cannot forget it. I want to the players to forget it but I will be demanding more of the same from them.”

Lennon claimed his team, were back to their best last night and added: “The pace we played at was very high and the third goal was magnificent. We were aggressive in our pressing and aggressive in our possession.”

St Johnstone counterpart Steve Lomas didn’t disagree. “Celtic were a class apart,” he said. “They showed why they are champions of Scotland and why they could go to Barcelona and give them a game. Sometimes you have to give the other team credit. You don’t play poorly here and get a a result and we looked a big leggy, and tired.”