Super sub Odsonne Edouard bagged two goals in three second-half minutes to extend Celtic’s lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership.
The French striker climbed from the bench just after the hour mark having been absent from the starting line-up.
Having replaced Leigh Griffiths, Edouard’s impact was instant as he moved onto the 20-goal mark for the campaign with a header and a typically-clinical finish to sink the Staggoes.
Ross County were brave. Callum McGregor’s first-half penalty put them behind, but they stayed fighting in the contest until the hosts’ French star put them to the sword.
Edouard’s goals put him beyond his top-flight figure of last term, but the opening of the five-point gap at the top of the table was more important.
Neil Lennon’s team will play better this season, but they got the job done with some comfort by the conclusion to make it three wins out of three since the return from the mid-winter shutdown. On the flip side, County may play worse and win.
It took over an hour for the champions to get safe as the Highlanders gave a fine account of themselves for two-thirds.
Celtic started well enough and led at the break, but not without some scares in the middle.
Griffiths free-kick found Christopher Jullien header who saw a saved by keeper Nathan Baxter before the striker side footed a volley wide.
Baxter also produced a fantastic point-blank stop from a close-range James Forrest header, but County carved some terrific openings in that first period and could easily have been in front themselves.
Josh Mullin's shot was saved low by Fraser Forster and the attacker had an even better chance when Blair Spittal’s brilliant ball from the back gave him a one-on-one which he lobbed too high over the bar.
Spittal missed an even better opportunity when he knocked beyond a post from a Mullin centre and Don Cowie also broke from the midfield to shoot wide as the visitors posed real danger.
However, eight minutes from break, Celtic got a break as the Highlanders shot themselves in the boots.
Defender Keith Watson needlessly challenged Mikey Johnston in the box and the attacker went down. Referee Kevin Clancy pointed to the spot.
McGregor took the responsibility and rifled an accurate kick into Baxter’s bottom left-hand corner to edge the hosts into an advantage which took into the restart.
County would not go away upon the resumption, but their resistance was broken by Edouard.
Lennon called him from the bench to replace Griffiths and the pay-off was instant.
McGregor’s corner eluded the visiting backline and the French striker stopped to nod over the line from close range.
The celebrations had barely died down when the French talisman skipped away to bag his team’s third.
Forrest’s pass was beautifully controlled by the substitute who eased clear of Watson before delivering a cultured finish into Baxter’s bottom right-hand corner to seal the deal.
Three talking points
1. Eddy the talisman
Manager Lennon took Edouard, who had a sore toe, out the firing line by naming Griffiths in the starting set-up. The Scotland star has worked hard and was not undeserving of keeping his spot in the team, but the Frenchman just adds that bit of star quality. Incredibly, Edouard is now past his tally for last term in the Ladbrokes Premiership and the campaign has four months to go.
2. Plunging into the deep
Former boss Gordon Strachan believes Celtic’s depth of squad gives them the edge in the title race and it’s hard to argue on the basis of this encounter. Lennon was without Hatem Elhamed, Jeremie Frimpong, Boli Bolingoli, Kris Ajer, Nir Bitton, Ryan Christie and Mohammed Elyounoussi for the match and still managed to win with comfort in the end.
3. County calamity
The Highlanders were terrific at times in the opening period with their defending and their excellent ability to spring on the counter attack which created clear openings for Josh Mullin and Blair Spittal. However, Watson’s daft tackle on Johnston in the box ruined the good work. It didn’t look a necessary challenge and his team paid the ultimate penalty.
