Red-hot Ronan Hale aims to remain on the Ross County goal trail after refusing to fall for Kasper Schmeichel’s mind games.
The Staggies striker notched number seven for the season in his third game on the bounce when he drilled a spot-kick beyond the Celtic keeper at the second attempt. Hale showed nerves of steel after Schmeichel saved his first effort but was caught creeping off his line. There was no mistake for the re-hit and the striker was thrilled to get the better of the Dane despite attempts to noise him up.
Schmeichel roughed up the penalty spot and then tried to talk the Northern Irish star out his spot-kick. But boyhood Hoops fan Hale shut out the wind-ups to bury his effort to cause Celts a major scare until the late fightback sealed the points for the Premiership champs.
The County hitman said: “I don’t know who did it (to the spot) but there was a lot of kicking around and there was a divot beside it. It was just all about getting a clean connection. Obviously there were some mind games going on, he was just talking about where I was going to put it and stuff.
“He (Schmeichel) guessed right the first time but the second time I think he just stood in the middle and it’s gone in the corner. So, thank God he did. It’s a 50-50 chance he can get his hand on it or it’s going in. Thankfully the second time I did it.
“Obviously, it’s not nice to miss. Once I’d seen the opportunity that he was giving another one, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to take it. Luckily, I scored it.”
Hale is flying and came close to a sensational second at the weekend when he tried to lob Schmeichel from 40 yards. He won’t let defeat on Sunday dent his self-belief.
The former Cliftonville ace said: “For strikers it’s obviously scoring, it’s all about confidence. Luckily the last three games I’ve scored but it’s more about my overall play. I just love scoring goals. Obviously, scoring on Sunday breeds confidence. I was unlucky not to get a second one in the second half on Sunday.”