Ten man Ross County blown away by rampant Celtic as Staggies drop out of the Premiership top six
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Scottish Premiership
Celtic 4
Ross County 0
Scorers: Giakoumakis (12, 18, 61 pen) Maeda (26)
Ross County were left blown away by a horror first 30 minutes which saw them concede three times and were also reduced to 10 men at Celtic Park.
Giorgos Giakoumakis scored twice followed by Daizen Maeda also finding the net with full-back Kayne Ramsay being sent off all before the half hour.
Giakoumakis then completed his hat trick from the penalty spot in the second half to extend Celtic's lead at the top to six points, with second place Rangers playing at Dundee tomorrow.
The result saw Ross County drop to eighth with only two games remaining, Hearts at Dingwall next weekend before a trip to Aberdeen before the split.
Manager Malky Mackay kept faith with the same starting 11 which beat St Mirren 1–0 in the previous league game in Dingwall.
The Staggies went into the match having suffered only one defeat in their last eight matches in the Premiership.
But it took Celtic only 12 minutes to break the deadlock, as Giakoumakis beat the Ross County defence in the six-yard box to nod Joao Jota's cross from the left wing into the net.
The Greek striker doubled their advantage six minutes later, but at the second attempt after his original header from Jota's cross from the right wing was headed off the line by Jack Baldwin.
But he made no mistake with the rebound.
Ross Laidlaw made two outstanding saves to deny Maeda and Callum MacGregor as the Staggies’ backs were against the wall.
But Maeda was not to be denied as moments after Laidlaw had parried captain MacGregor’s shot out of play, he nodded a corner into the back of the net.
On the half-hour mark, Ramsay received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Tom Rogic which forced the Australian to go off injured.
It was a case of damaged limitation with still an hour to play.
Mackay substituted Joseph Hungbo and replaced him with Keith Watson as the Staggies went defensive and managed to see out the half with conceding any further goals.
But Celtic carried on in the second half as they were awarded a penalty when Alex Iacovitti was judged to be guilty of handball in the box.
Giakoumakis strode up confidently to fire his shot into the bottom left corner of the net sending Laidlaw the wrong way.
Celtic took their foot off the pedal in the closing stages of the match with Ross County rarely threatening to pull one back.
Celtic: Hart, Jurnanovic, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, Macgregor (Bitton 74), Hatate, Rogic (O’Reilly 32), Jota (Abada 62), Maeda (Turnbull 74) (Ralston 62), Giakoumakis.
Subs (Unused): Bain, McCarthy, Johnston, Ideguchi.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, H.Paton (Spittal 54), Callachan, Charles-Cook, Iacovitti, (B. Paton 74), Ramsay, Tillson (Cancola 74), Hungbo (Watson 32) White (Burroughs 54).
Subs (Unused): Munro, Vokins, Samuel, Drysdale.
Referee: Don Robertson
