Kieran Tierney put in a storming 45 minutes in front of Ronny Deila as Celtic beat Kilmarnock 3-0 in the Development League.
A fortnight on from his impressive display against Fenerbahce in the Europa League the teenager put in a commanding half shift that is bound to have impressed the watching Celtic management team.
Kilmarnock offered little attacking threat allowing Tierney to push forward at every opportunity before being replaced by Callum Waters at the interval.
Over the past year, even allowing for a four month spell on the sidelines recovering from a broken ankle, the improvement in his play has been marked.
From a youngster with potential he has evolved into a genuine first team contender with his display against Fenerbahce illustrating that he has the attitude and nerve to cope with the big occasion.
After a goal-less first half Celtic’s relentless pressure paid off with goals from Jack Breslin and a Theo Archibald double, both scoring their first goals at this level.
Sadly the closing stages of the match were played out under a cloud after a five minute delay to allow Mark Hill to be stretchered off after he flew into a somersault following a crunching tackle from a Kilmarnock defender.
Six of Celtic’s starting XI had been on international duty for Scotland’s u-19 squad on Monday with Aidan Nesbitt scoring in the 2-2 draw with Germany.
For the first 25 minutes Kilmarnock were able to compete with Celtic but the intensity of the hoops play soon had the Ayrshire toiling.
Just past the hour mark Regan Hendry should have opened the scoring but he scooped his shot over the bar from close range after being set up by a great cut-back from Theo Archibald.
A few minutes later Archibald should have hit the target when he was sent clear by a great Nesbitt pass but he screwed his shot well wide of goal.
Just before the interval Nesbitt shot over from eight yards out with the visitors delighted to hear the referee’s whistle and 15 minutes respite.
Luke Donnelly and Nesbitt both had chances in the early stages of the second half as Celtic picked up where they ended the first period.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 63rd minute from a simple source with Breslin heading powerfully home at the front post from a Nesbitt corner on the left.
Nine minutes later a shot by Nesbitt fell to Archibald, after seeing his shot blocked he followed up to tap home the rebound to maintain Celtic’s unbeaten start to the season in the Development League.
In stoppage time Archibald scored his second, slotting the ball home from 20 yards out from a Calvin Miller cut-back.
CELTIC: Bailly; Breslin, Kelleher, McCart, Tierney (Waters 46); Thomson, Hill (Murray 75); Hendry, Nesbitt, Archibald; Donnelly (Miller 64)
SUBS: McCabe, Payne
3rd goal for Jack 🙂