Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan scores on his first start

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for McCowan, who stepped up and netted amid the absence of the Parkhead side's injured captain Callum McGregor.

Goals from stand-in skipper Alistair Johnston and substitute Adam Idah helped Rodgers' men to a comfortable victory at Fir Park, a ground where Rodgers had dropped points three times and seen his side net stoppage-time winners three times during six visits.

MORE SPORT: Morton boss Dougie Imrie drops environment bombshell

Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller hit a post and the bar before McCowan opened the scoring with an 18-yard drive after opening up space for himself to shoot.

“I’m so happy for him,” Rodgers said. “As a Celtic supporter coming in, maybe there’s that enthusiasm first of all, but then that wears off.

“But he performs with great energy, a great passion for the game, and he has quality.

"Callum obviously wasn’t going to play, so the idea was to bring him in because he’s a goal threat, and I thought he was going to do really well.

“You see that in every game he plays. He looks like he can create goals or score a goal.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell felt the game hinged on some missed chances for his team and a break of the ball for McCowan.

“Celtic got the goal which I thought was a bit fortuitous," he said.

"I know you make your own luck in this game but there was a wee bit of a ricochet for McCowan to get through and then he finishes it well,” he said.

“Up until the point of the Celtic second goal, we felt we were well in the game. I felt we were in a place we needed to be and then the second goal is a killer blow.”

Former Notre Dame high school pupil McCowan got his dream move to Celtic earlier this season with a dramatic deadline day switch from Dundee.

The talented midfielder recently made his Champions League debut against Atalanta and was no doubt delighted to add to his growing goal tally for the Parkhead side.