Ajeti wants to finish season on a high after Killie goal

Celtic striker Albian Ajeti is looking to finish the season on a high after getting back on the goal trail against Kilmarnock.

The 23-year-old Switzerland international has found himself out of Neil Lennon’s side in recent months following his £5m summer move from West Ham.

Ajeti was handed his first start since the League Cup defeat to Ross County on November 29 and made a telling contribution to the 4-0 Scottish Premiership win over Killie in Ayrshire.

After skipper Scott Brown headed Celtic into a first-half lead, Ajeti won a penalty converted by Odsonne Edouard when he was judged by referee Kevin Clancy to have been bundled to the ground inside the penalty area by Rugby Park keeper Colin Doyle.

After Edouard had grabbed a second, Ajeti rounded off a comfortable win with a minute to go by taking a Brown pass and driving in for his first goal since September and his sixth of the season.

Lennon said afterwards that the former FC Basel and St Gallen’s attacker’s “work ethic hasn’t been great” but Ajeti is now looking for more positivity.

“Overall, it was a good game and I’m happy with my goal to help the team get the win,” he told Celtic’s official website.

“I’ve been struggling over the last couple of months with my fitness and some injuries, but I’m happy I could be on the pitch and make my first start in a long time.

“Hopefully, I can keep my health and keep helping the team.”

Lennon was pleased with his side’s response to the 2-1 home defeat by St Mirren at the weekend.

He too, is looking for more of the same for the rest of the season.

He told Celtic’s YouTube channel: “That is our marker and we can’t drop off between now and the end of the season. We set a good level and I want more of that.

“It is a step in the right direction, we are not going to get carried away.”