Neil Lennon was delighted to see Gary Hooper net a double against Ross County.
The striker has yet to put together the sort of devastating scoring run that has characterised his first two seasons at the club where he notched 22 and 29 goals.
Yesterday’s double took this season’s total to 15 including priceless strikes at home and away against Spartak Moscow with Lennon sensing that the former Scunthorpe striker is nearing top form.
“I fancied him to score but his all-round game was top class and I think he will only get better,” the Celtic boss said. “ He is an intelligent player. There are things you can’t coach and one thing I’ve always liked about him since the day I saw him is his football intelligence.
“He can drop off into spaces or he can play on the shoulder of people and he has that natural knack of scoring goals, he scored two headers which is another thing he is adding to his game.
“I don’t know what he has got for the season. It might be 15 or 16 so again we are getting a great return of goals but it is what he brings to the team with his all-round play.”
While Hooper’s intelligence and awareness is unequalled he was unable to collect a hat-trick but almost converted a late chance when substitute John Herron lashed out at goal which Hooper almost diverted into goal.
Herron is the latest graduate from the Celtic youth academy having caught the eye of Tommy Burns playing against Celtic as an eight-year-old with a local club in Coatbridge.
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Good goals great result with no thanks to spot kick Norris. Old spot kicks tally of penalties have went down since the death of Rangers.