Scott Sinclair and Kieran Tierney back in routine for Celtic

Scott Sinclair scored his 13th goal for Celtic with his stunning strike against Albion Rovers. Picture: SNS.

No-one welcomed the 19-year-old full-back’s return to action more than Scott Sinclair as the winger resumed a highly effective partnership with him down Celtic’s left flank which has been partially forged in the unlikely setting of an oche at the club’s training ground.

Sinclair and Tierney are both great darts enthusiasts and, while they are not yet ready to throw down a challenge to Michael van Gerwen or Gary Anderson, their own tungsten rivalry has strengthened a bond which has consistently hit the target on the field this season.

“We’ve got a really good relationship off the pitch as well,” said Sinclair. “We play darts whenever we can and we get on so well with each other. You can see that on the pitch too.

“At the moment, KT is a couple of games up on me in our darts competition. It started as a bit of banter in training as we both like the darts. One morning after training, we ended up having a game after lunch and it’s gone on from there into a series. Now that his arm injury is better, he’s improving at the darts. He is a great young player and I’m happy he is back in the team. We both know each other’s game inside out, so it’s great for both of us and for the team that he is back.”

Tierney missed 16 games after suffering ankle ligament damage during a training session in October, with his period on the sidelines also allowing him to complete rehabilitation on the arm problem to which Sinclair referred.

The highly-regarded Scotland international made a seamless return on Sunday, surging up and down the left wing to eye-catching effect before being withdrawn just after the hour mark as Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers eased him back into action on the artificial pitch at the  Excelsior Stadium.

Sinclair believes there are no limits to how much Tierney, who has already been linked with several English Premier League clubs, can go on to achieve in his career.

“He can be as good as he wants to be,” added the 27-year-old former Manchester City player. “He’s playing regularly at such a young age and for any young player, when you are playing week in, week out, you can show your attributes and your quality. He’s been doing that and he can only get better.

“He is definitely a very grounded kid and I’m sure he’s going to keep improving and keep enjoying his football.”

Enjoyment is the biggest factor in Sinclair’s own outstanding form in his first season with Celtic as he puts the frustration of his spells at Manchester City and Aston Villa firmly behind him.

He scored his 13th goal for Celtic with the stunning strike which set them on their way to a 3-0 win over the wee Rovers on Sunday and he hopes to maintain a prolific strike rate in the second half of the campaign.

“For me, it’s just about being consistent,” said Sinclair. “When I first came here, I wasn’t just going to score one week and then not score for another four games.

“The most important thing for me is to be consistent throughout the whole season. I feel much sharper now. I’ve had a nice break, as everyone else has had in the winter break, and I’m going into the second half of the season feeling much better and ready to go again and to try to score more goals than I did in the first half of the league.

“We knew we would have to be patient against Albion Rovers. The way they set up was a credit to them for doing it well, but it was up to us to break them down and create chances. We did that in the first half and created chances where we should have put the game to bed. But we kept going and we got the win. The way they got men behind the ball and kept their structure meant it was difficult for us to break them down but it’s great for us that we did that and we got the win to take us into the next round.”

Having missed out on Celtic’s League Cup final win over Aberdeen in November because of injury, Sinclair is highly motivated to ensure he is fully involved in his team’s bid to add the Premiership title and Scottish Cup over the next few months.

They can move 22 points clear at the top of the league with a victory over St Johnstone at Celtic Park tomorrow night, while even a draw would equal the post-war record of 26 unbeaten domestic matches from the start of a season which was set by Jock Stein’s Lisbon Lions in the seminal 1966-67 campaign.

“I want to win as much as I can while I’m here,” added Sinclair. “It’s great that we can keep continuing to win our games. We are so together in the dressing room and it’s a great environment to be in. The manager has installed that as well.”