Source: Team_Talk
Hooper: Bhoys must go on a run
Celtic striker Gary Hooper has targeted a winning run to make up for their Old Firm defeat.[LNB] Hooper helped Celtic bounce back from last weekend's Ibrox loss when his early goal set them on their way to a 2-0 Scottish Communities League Cup win over Ross County at a rain-soaked Dingwall.[LNB]Rangers later lost at Falkirk to make Celtic favourites for the trophy, but the Hoops still trail their rivals by four points in the Scottish Premier League.[LNB]Manager Neil Lennon described their win at Victoria Park merely as a "small step in the right direction" after being angered by his players' second-half collapse at Ibrox as they threw away a lead to lose 4-2.[LNB]Celtic next host Inverness on Saturday and Hooper said: "We have to make it up to him (Lennon) by winning games like we did on Wednesday night.[LNB]"We've got to keep winning games, getting clean sheets and scoring goals.[LNB]"The gaffer can't ask for much more, well that's what he asked for.[LNB]"Wednesday night was a good response, we played really well under the conditions.[LNB]"We had to start well, press them and get an early goal, which we did. We settled down and passed it, it was a nice pitch to play on, and I thought it was a good, solid performance.[LNB]"They came at us, I thought they were a good team, they passed it well. But we stepped it up.[LNB]"I'm used to that sort of ground from my non-league days. Some of the lads aren't but they dealt with it well.[LNB]"We had to step it up after Sunday. It was a good response, a clean sheet and we dealt with coming to a hard place."[LNB]Lennon and his players were hit with a wave of criticism after Sunday and Hooper admits all they can do is respond on the pitch.[LNB]"It's very tough but we had a good game to get it out of our minds, to start winning again," he said.[LNB]"We have another big game on Saturday, so the games are coming thick and fast, so it's all about recovering and winning again.[LNB]"Last season we lost the first Old Firm game and we kicked on from that."[LNB]Celtic exorcised some demons on Wednesday by beating the team that knocked them out of the 2010 Scottish Cup and they have another score to settle on Saturday.[LNB]Inverness effectively ended Celtic's title challenge last season with a 3-2 win in May.[LNB]Hooper said: "If we play like we did on Wednesday, press them high and keep solid everywhere, we can score goals at home.[LNB]"I think it will be a good game, hopefully a full crowd with the fans behind us again, and we can start winning again."
