Ross County suffered a 2-0 defeat by champions Celtic on the opening day of the season.
A Leigh Griffiths penalty and a Stefan Johansen strike gave the Hoops a two-goal advantage at the break, although Ronny Deila’s side were perhaps fortunate that goalkeeper Craig Gordon avoided a red card for denying Jackson Irvine a goalscoring opportunity.
The Staggies were much improved after the restart but were unable to get the goal that would have set up a nervy finale.
Celtic kitman and Lisbon Lion John Clark unfurled the league flag as the 2015-16 Scottish Premiership season got under way with the Hoops aiming for a fifth consecutive title.
Craig Curran was the preferred option in attack for County with last season’s top scorer Liam Boyce and new signing Brian Graham both left on the bench. Scott Fox, a summer acquisition from Partick Thistle, started in goal ahead of Stoke City loanee Dan Bachmann.
With one eye on Wednesday’s Champions League second leg match against FK Qarabag, Celtic also shuffled their pack with starts for Leigh Griffiths, Efe Ambrose, James Forrest and 18-year-old Kieran Tierney.
It was the worst possible start for County when captain Andrew Davies conceded a penalty for a careless foul on Griffiths and referee Willie Collum had no option but to point to the spot.
Griffiths slammed home the penalty with less than four minutes on the clock as the champions made a flying start to the new season.
The Celtic forward’s afternoon came to a premature end when, still feeling the effects of the penalty-winning challenge, he limped off after 19 minutes and was replaced by Stefan Scepovic.
A highly controversial moment four minutes later when, following a swift Staggies counter-attack, Jackson Irvine was brought down by Craig Gordon on the edge of the area but the Celtic goalkeeper escaped with only a yellow card.
Gary Mackay-Steven almost doubled Celtic’s advantage before the half hour mark but his effort was excellently clawed away by Fox.
But the home side did not have to wait much longer with Mackay-Steven rolling the ball calmly into the path of Johansen who ruthlessly fired beyond Fox.
The Staggies made a better start to the second period and almost pulled a goal back when Curran was thwarted by Gordon before Michael Gardyne tried his luck from distance with a powerful strike that flew wide.
County went even closer after 65 minutes when a Marcus Fraser found substitute Raffaele De Vita loitering with intent at the back post but his blistering shot was clawed away by Gordon.
Kris Commons drew an even better save from Fox before the tiring Curran made way for Boyce as the game ended without any further scoring.