KEEP THE FAITH

Manager knows hard work can and will deliver an upturn in fortunes for his Celtic side

- PAUL CUDDIHY

A DIFFICULT run of form for Celtic continued on Sunday with a 2-0 defeat to Ross County in the Betfred League Cup.

The result saw Celtic eliminated from a tournament they had won for the past four years, while it also brought an end to an impressive run of results in domestic cup competitions which had seen the team win 35 cup ties in a row going back to August 2016.

That delivered seven cups, with the potential for an eighth later this month when last season’s Scottish Cup final is played at Hampden against Hearts.

The current run of success has seen the team win 11 trophies in a row, but in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s defeat to Ross County, there was a sense of everything that had gone before being forgotten amidst the anger and disappointment of the shock result.

The hurt of the result was keenly felt within the Celtic dressing room amongst the players and management who had set their sights on a place in the last eight of the competition.

And while the defeat means that the run of form the team is currently on now reads two wins in the last 10 games, following a run of eight consecutive victories, there remains a strong determination to turn things around and get back to winning ways.

Speaking after the game on Sunday, Neil Lennon acknowledged that the run of form the team is on at the moment is not up to the high standards that have been set at the club.

But he believes that the group of players who delivered nine league titles in a row have the quality and character to turn things around.