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By John Mcgarry Published: 22: 58 AEST, 25 August 2024 | Updated: 01: 24 AEST, 26 August 2024 8 View comments Celtic are starting games so well this season that they are rendering the final stages of them little more than high-intensity training exercises. This was the fourth time this season that Brendan Rodgers’ side had struck twice in the first half and the third straight match in which they’d netted inside the opening five minutes. Just like Kilmarnock and Hibernian, St Mirren found their hopes of taking something from the champions snuffed out before they’d even known what had hit them. You’ve got to hand it to the Celtic manager. With Matt O’Riley about to put pen to paper at Brighton, Manchester City interested in Kyogo Furuhashi and the raft of pedigree signings yet to materialise, there’s been enough to distract him at the outset of this campaign. His side, however, have not missed a beat. This display was just as polished as those that had gone before. To the uninitiated, it might suggest that Rodgers’ squad has the requisite quality and depth to challenge on all fronts this season.   Celtic continued their dominant start to the new Scottish Premiership season claiming their third win on the bounce with a 3-0 victory away to St Mirren Callum Mc Gregor fired the visitors in front with a driven left-footed shot after just three minutes Reo Hatate was the Man of the Match, striking in the second on the 33rd minute with his left boot But while the team looks eminently capable of retaining its title even at this early juncture, making an impact in the Champions League is a different business altogether. Unless several quality signings arrive before Friday, the fear will be that a familiar story will unfold. In the here and now, though, Rodgers would have been delighted at the source of the goals his side claimed in Paisley. O’Riley scored 19 times last season. That’s unquestionably an enormous loss. But when Callum Mc Gregor and Reo Hatate step up to the plate as they did here, solutions are close to hand. With the Japanese doubling Celtic’s advantage just after the half hour mark, Rodgers’ men were looking good for the win that took them back to the top of the Premiership by the time they were tucking into the half-time oranges. St Mirren did at least make life a little more difficult for the visitors in the second period without ever looking like getting themselves back into it. The game was up the minute Alistair Johnston claimed the third from close range with 19 minutes remaining. The Paisley men were certainly unfortunate to meet a Celtic side that’s been right at it from the get-go this season. That said, Stephen Robinson will be dismayed at what little resistance his players showed until it was much too late. A fourth loss on the spin was accepted all too meekly. Life without O’Riley began for Celtic in a swirling wind and relentless rain. O’Riley’s imminent move to Brighton opened the door for Paulo Bernardo to make his first start since securing a permanent return from Benfica. Adam Idah was also pitched in for his first start since completing his move from Norwich at the expense of Furuhashi. Brendan Rodgers would have been delighted at the source of the goals his side claimed in Paisley Alistair Johnston wrapped things up with their third and final goal in the 71st minute Robinson welcomed back Mark O’Hara, the skipper having been sidelined since the European game against Valur. Killian Phillips made his first start following his loan move from Crystal Palace. You had to assume that St Mirren had done their homework on the sources of Celtic’s threats, but there was little evidence of that as they fell behind inside three minutes. For Nicolas Kuhn as Easter Road a couple of week ago, read James Forrest here. The winger bobbed and weaved down the right before identifying Mc Gregor as his best option in the middle. Just as he’d done in Leith, the skipper took one touch to steady himself before letting fly. This time the ball zipped along the turf and beat Ellery Balcombe low to his left. For Celtic, it was the perfect start to a potentially tricky afternoon. Rodgers’ players had immediately found their rhythm. Alex Gogic’s crude attempt counter that came at the cost of a booking for taking out Daizen Maeda. It left the Cypriot midfielder walking a tightrope until he was replaced with Roland Idowu at the interval. Celtic never relinquished control of the match. With Mc Gregor, Bernardo and Hatate constantly moving into space, taking the ball and laying it off, St Mirren struggled to make any appreciably impact. The contest might well have been over by the interval. Saints were grateful to Balcombe for keeping them afloat with a double save to deny Hatate then Idah. This was the fourth time this season that Brendan Rodgers’ side had struck twice in the first half Celtic have now gone two points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership standings  Bernardo has a fizzing strike deflected over then, following an error by Jonah Ayunga, Idah drilled the ball into the keeper’s legs. The only minor complaint Rodgers could possibly have had was that his side’s domination hadn’t resulted in more goals. That changed just after the half hour mark. St Mirren (3-5-2): E. Balcombe, Taylor, Lacovitti,  Fraser,  Brown, Gogic (Idowu at 46’), O'Hara, Phillips, Phillips (Smyth 74’), S. Rooney, Ayunga (Mandron 46’), Olusanya (Sutherland 87’). Unused subs: Urminsky, Bwomono, Kenny,   Tanser, Taylor.   Bookings: Gogic, Rooney  Manager:  Steve Robinson Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel, Taylor (Ralston 75'), Scales Carter-Vickers, Johnston, Hatate (Turley 89'), Mc Gregor, Bernardo (Bernardo 75'), Maeda, Idah (Furuhashi 60'), Forrest (Kuhn 59').   Unused subs:  Sinisalo, Palma, Welsh, Yang Hyn-Jun.   Goals: Mc Gregor 3', Hatate 33', Johnston 71'  Bookings: Taylor  Manager:  Brendan Rodgers  Referee: Chris Graham  Attendance: 7, 937  Johnston’s deep cross asked a lot of Maeda. The winger stretched his neck to keep the situation alive with his header dropping for Hatate. What a finish he produced from 16 yards, a controlled left-foot strike which cut across the ball and sent it arrowing towards the inside of the far post. Balcombe was helpless as it flashed into his net via the upright. It already felt like damage limitation for the Paisley men. Maeda might well have gone to ground after being clipped by Shaun Rooney but stayed on his feet to work Balcombe again. Saints were devoid of all creativity. Their best chance came when Cameron Carter-Vickers tried to win a ball he didn’t need to, but Liam Scales was on his toes to ensure Jonah Ayunga didn’t convert a dangerous cross. The flow of traffic remained in the direction of Balcombe’s goal after the interval. Richard Taylor, Saints’ best player by a distance, produced an excellent sliding block to prevent Forrest working the keeper. Kasper Schmeichel was finally called into action at the other end although he was always right behind Jaden Brown’s strike. Only some impressive last-gasp defending ensured the score was only two until the 71st minute. Alex Iacovitti put his body on the line to prevent the fresh legs of Nicolas Kuhn from hitting the target after a trademark mazy run. Johnston then sent Furuhashi on his way with a gem of a pass. The forward did all he could. Balcombe produced an outstanding stop with his legs. Johnston was clearly in the mood to claim a rare goal. Taylor’s heroic block prevented him netting at the start of the second period, but he would not be denied for long. The victory was Celtic's third league win of the season. They will host Rangers in the Old Firm next week It was a good day for Rodgers in every respect. With the points now safe, he was able to protect some of his mainstays ahead of the first derby game Kuhn’s advance into the box saw a gang of black and white jerseys try to crowd him out. He still picked out Johnston who thumped the ball high not the net without breaking stride. It was a good day for Rodgers in every respect. With the points now safe, he was able to protect some of his mainstays ahead of the first derby game of the season next Sunday. Odin Holm, who became something of a forgotten man last year, was given some much-needed minutes while Francis Turley, an 18-year-old Northern Irish central midfielder, made his competitive debut. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group