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The last time he travelled to Ibrox with his team, Neil Lennon did so in the knowledge he still had it all to prove as a manager capable of succeeding the big matches.

Having put those worries to bed with a comprehensive 2-0 victory, the Celtic manager returned to the home of Old Firm rivals Rangers this time around aiming to prove he has assembled a team good enough to win silverware this season.

He hasn’t had to look far this season to find his critics since taking over the hot seat in the summer and goes into every Old Firm showdown in the knowledge he is just one defeat or bad performance away from more questioning over his ability to handle the job.

And that is why, even though the spoils were shared in the Scottish Cup fifth round clash after a thrilling 2-2 draw, Lennon deserves to receive the recognition that has rarely adorned him before now.

Inheriting a squad which required major reconstruction in the summer, the Hoops boss has managed to make some astute purchases and unearthed some star turns such as Emilio Izaguirre, Beram Kayal and Gary Hooper.

Slowly but surely, improvements have been made and the team that dominated Rangers at Ibrox yesterday is unrecognisable from the one that suffered some major disappointments earlier in the campaign.

Questions were raised over the character of the side. Having come from behind twice, and coped with a major set-back in seeing their goalkeeper Fraser Forster sent off, it appears as though those were well and truly answered.

Of course, given the manager’s own infectious character, it is no surprise to see his side instilled with similar traits, but Lennon also proved there is so much more to his management style than just that.

He had massive decisions to make before and during the game and he got every single one spot on.

A weaker person might have felt pressured into sticking with Hooper and Anthony Stokes in attack given their highly impressive goalscoring form of late and knowing, if the result didn’t go his way, he’d have been slaughtered for making the change.

But Lennon went with what he believed would be the best system to combat Rangers’ 4-5-1 formation and, even in the heat of battle, managed to remain focused enough on what he was witnessing to make some calculated calls.

Unnoticed most likely by many, the game was only five minutes old when Lennon made his first tactical call of the game with his team already trailing and the width of the crossbar all that prevented the one-goal deficit becoming two.

Having started with Ki Sung-Yueng in an advanced midfield position, he quickly realised that wasn’t going to work and deployed the him in a deeper role with Kris Commons tucking in closer to Hooper.

It immediately paid dividends when the midfielder cancelled out Jamie Ness’s opener. Then, when having to deal with the loss of Forster, and falling behind for a second time when Steven Whittaker scored from the penalty spot, Lennon refused to panic.

He managed to hold out on introducing Georgios Samaras until the final half hour when there must have been a massive temptation to bring him on a lot earlier, and Lennon was rewarded for his patience through Scott Brown’s fantastic curling equaliser shortly afterwards.

Of course, nothing has been achieved as yet by the Northern Irishman. He is still in a situation where it looks as though he will have to win the championship this season to earn an extended deal.

You would imagine, however, the strides taken have not gone unnoticed in the boardroom and you wonder just how big a lift it would give the Celtic players were something to happen on that front earlier than most anticipate.

Lennon, for his part, was only interested in focusing on yesterday’s performance.

There wasn’t a failure in his team with the likes of Mark Wilson, Charlie Mulgrew, Brown, Kayal and Joe Ledley all playing superbly.

“I thought we were brilliant,” said the Celtic boss. “We got off to a bad start, but we reacted excellently by getting back on level terms and when we had settled into the game and enjoying a lot of possession we were careless and got caught out.

“Then, having went behind for a second time and been reduced to ten men, we picked ourselves up and I thought we totally controlled the second half and more than deserved our equaliser.

“So I couldn’t be happier with the way my players performed and I told them that when they came in at full-time.

“At the interval, I reminded them that there was no point in playing well in an Old Firm game and getting beat.

“Thankfully, that didn’t turn out to be the case and, on another day, we might have actually won the game with one or two chances we created towards the end.”

As he returned to work first thing this morning at the club’s Lennoxtown training base with a night to reflect on the events at Ibrox, Lennon knows he now has it all to do again with four Old Firm games still to come.

But for what he has achieved up until now, he deserves more respect than he has gained in some quarters.

By Darrell King

FOSTER Rash Had a ropey moment when Jelavic blocked his kick-out and it almost squirmed over the line. And totally mistimed his attempt to nick the ball away from Naismith at the penalty, earning a red card.

WILSON Willing Enjoying a real renaissance at the minute. Always willing, tried to get forward at every opportunity and great awareness to to set up Brown for goal.

MAJSTOROVIC Okay Couple of slack bits of play but overall nice and steady and dug in well considering just back from injury.

MULGREW Solid Growing into the centre-half position and his speed allows him to mop up danger. Confident performance.

IZAGUIRRE Positive Always wants to get forward and this game was no different. Whipped in some dangerous balls and came out tops in duel with Davis.

COMMONS Unlucky Scored a fine equaliser and was beginning to be a growing influence when manager cleverly moved him into a role off the front. But someone had to be sacrificed at keeper’s red and it was him.

KAYAL Gritty Steamed in and tried to get on the ball as much as possible. Not as effective as his performance in the January 2 win at Ibrox, though.

BROWN Excellent One of the skipper’s best displays in an Old Firm game that has so often found him wanting. Running spat with Diouf, but got the better of him with a sublime, swerving shot to make it 2-2.

KI Composed The fact he was pitched straight back in after more than a month away at the Asian Cup shows his importance to the team. Fine range of passing throughout and just the man you want when you are bossing a game.

LEDLEY Busy Got about the pitch and quietly efficient. That said, might not be guaranteed a starting slot with the competition around him all playing well.

HOOPER Tough shift Busy and willing, but at times looked a little bit lost without his partner Stokes. When Samaras came on he looked more like himself. A very clever striker.

Subs ZALUSKA Steady No chance with the penalty kick but would probably have expected to have been a lot busier when put on.

SAMARAS Denied Only a truly world-class top from Allan McGregor stropped the big Greek from being a match-winner. Also unlucky to be flagged off when clean through, when he was clearly onside.

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