Kieran Phillips was at the double again for Ross County in the KDM Evolution Trophy as they beat Celtic 2-0 in Dingwall.

The League One leaders scored in either half to ease past the young Hoops, who did impress at times but in truth it was only the woodwork that prevented the Highlanders by winning by a more comfortable margin.

The visitors had the majority of the early possession, knocking the ball about well and making County chase after it.

However, it was the Staggies who took the lead against the run of play in the 12th minute.

Dean Cornelius had done well to bring the ball forward by 40 yards on the right touchline, cutting the ball back for Lewis Jamieson to deliver a cross to the back post.

Ricco Diack was there on the corner of the six-yard box to knock it down into the path of Phillips, whose strike may not have been the cleanest but still found the bottom corner.

Phillips came within a couple of inches of doubling his tally soon afterwards, with a cross this time coming in from the opposite flank for the English forward to head goalward – only to see it bounce off the top of the crossbar.

Celtic still posed a threat themselves though, with Sean McArdle posing problems for Josh Reid, going on a mazy run and setting up Shumiara Mhueka to shoot wide in the 25th minute.

County arguably should have made it 2-0 immediately afterwards, with Diack turning his marker on the right wing before cutting back to Phillips, who just pulled his low effort wide of the mark.

Jamieson then forced a good save out of Corey Shaw in the visiting goal, using quick footwork to beat his man and quickly letting fly with a powerfully struck shot that looked like it was bound for the roof of the net before Shaw tipped it over the bar.

That prompted a series of corners for the Staggies, culminating in Jack Turner going close with a shot from the edge of the box after one delivery was only half-cleared.

With the last act of the first half, the hosts then hit the bar again, with Jamieson turning his defender to gain a yard of space before hitting the woodwork.

It only took eight minutes of the second half for County, and Phillips, to claim a second.

A long ball forward was collected by Diack, who quickly laid it off for Adam Emslie to cross, and Phillips was unmarked in the middle to head into the bottom corner from close range.

Jamie Lindsay soon went close to making it three, taking aim with a snapshot from the edge of the box and clipping the outside of the post.

Celtic continued to fire warning shots, with Mhueka going on a good central run after evading Jack Turner’s challenge, but shooting wide of the mark.

Phillips remained on the hunt for his hat-trick, and he must have thought he had it when he connected sweetly with a volley 10 yards from goal, only to see Shaw stick out a strong hand to keep the ball out of the net with an excellent save.

He produced another excellent save minutes later, this time denying Diack who had been sent through one-on-one by Turner, deflected his near-post effort on to the woodwork.

Shaw had one more big moment in the 73rd minute, again denying Phillips whose header only a few yards out looked destined for the bottom corner from Emslie’s cross.

At the other end, Rhys Dargie forced Nick Suman into action in what was a rare shot on target for the Aussie to deal with amid all of Celtic’s good play.

As the clock ticked down, there was still time for the Staggies to hit the woodwork again, with Luke McCarvel this time seeing a head come back off the post.

With stoppage time fast approaching, Phillips will again have been left wondering how he did not come away with the match ball, seeing yet another close-range effort blocked by Shaw.

When the final whistle was blown though, the only frustration in the home camp will be that they did not add more goal to their tally for the season, but they can celebrate getting through to the last 16 of the competition.

The draw for the next round of the KDM Evolution Trophy will take place at noon on Thursday, November 5.