Celtic begin William Hill Premiership title defence with rout of Kilmarnock

Anthony Ralston’s stoppage-time goal sent Celtic top of the William Hill Premiership as the champions opened their title defence with a routine 4-0 victory over a depleted Kilmarnock side.

Reo Hatate, Liam Scales and Nicolas Kuhn were also on target as Brendan Rodgers’ side moved above St Mirren on goal difference in an early Premiership table that already sees Celtic clear of the rest of the teams.

Kilmarnock arrived in between European trips to Belgium and Norway and with only two experienced defenders available.

Joe Wright missed out after suffering a quad injury during Thursday’s Europa League qualifying defeat to Cercle Brugge, while Robbie Deas was suspended and new signing Corrie Ndaba injured.

Midfielder Brad Lyons filled in at right-back and 19-year-old Oliver Bainbridge made his first-team debut at left-back, 24 hours after joining on loan from Sunderland. Stuart Findlay and Lewis Mayo provided the experience in central defence.

Kasper Schmeichel made his Celtic debut in an otherwise familiar line-up which was only missing the injured Daizen Maeda.

Lisbon Lion Jim Craig unfurled the league flag and Celtic quickly set about the process of retaining their title.

Lyons cleared off the line from Kyogo Furuhashi following great skill from the Japan forward, whose international team-mate Hatate soon drilled home from 18 yards in the 17th minute. Celtic had won the ball back high up the park before Greg Taylor teed up the midfielder.

Schmeichel made routine saves from Liam Donnelly and Fraser Murray, but otherwise had an unsurprisingly quiet afternoon.

Robby McCrorie was far busier, saving well from Furuhashi and Kuhn as Celtic zipped the ball about with pace and purpose.

The champions doubled their lead five minutes before the break when Scales got a run on Mayo to head home Matt O’Riley’s corner.

McCrorie saved from James Forrest before being beaten by a deflection after Kuhn cut in from the right wing in the 59th minute.

Hatate produced a regular supply of efforts without troubling McCrorie and set up Furuhashi with a glorious cross, only for the striker to make a mess of his right-footed effort.

With the game gone, visiting manager Derek McInnes took the opportunity to rest players ahead of his side’s Conference League qualifier against Tromso on Thursday.

Furuhashi saw a goal disallowed for offside before being denied by a strong challenge from McCrorie and then a good stop from the goalkeeper.

Substitute Ralston was on hand to drill home the rebound from a tight angle and put Celtic a goal ahead of St Mirren at the top of the table.