Two goals does not make a season and Chris Killen knows he will have to work hard to secure a regular first team place at Parkhead.

Chris Killen may have scored a couple of goals down under but that does not mean he has worked his way into manager Tony Mowbray's plans for the SPL. The New Zealand international scored twice in a 3-0 win over Brisbane Roar as Celtic started their pre-season preparations with a friendly in Australia. Scott McDonald - wearing the captain's armband in the absence of injured skipper Stephen McManus - Georgios Samaras and new signing Marc-Antoine Fortune were all in action as Mowbray assessed the players he inherited from Gordon Strachan this summer in action. Killen - who recently featured in the FIFA Confederations Cup campaign - took the opportunity to impress with two goals in three minutes, before Koki Mizuno made sure of the first win of the Mowbray reign. Killen has so far failed to hold down a regular first team place at Celtic, spending the second half of last season on loan at Norwich, and he is taking nothing for granted under the new regime.

He said: "Being at such a big club, there is competition for places all around the field. We've got four good strikers at the club and there are plenty more coming through. You've got to keep on your toes, work hard and keep your head down." The arrival of Fortune, who played under Mowbray at West Brom while on loan from Nancy last season, last week means competition for places up front is set to be even tougher. But Mowbray sees no reason why Killen cannot enjoy a successful season if he continues to produce the kind of form he displayed in Brisbane. Mowbray said: "I know Chris Killen can score goals. He's physically very, very strong and a team player. If he carries on in the same vein as he did today, will he have a future? Yes. Everyone has got an opportunity, the strikers ultimately get judged by the goals they score and their general team play and I think Chris is good at all of those things. He knows he's got a fight on his hands to get the minutes on the pitch to be able to do the damage. He's a good lad and a good professional. The best teams have competition for places and Chris Killen will hopefully intensify that competition for our club."

Roar skipper, and former Rangers defender, Craig Moore was also impressed with the Killen's performance. He said: "For the first couple of goals maybe it was down to us giving away possession in our half. But the quality they then showed to go on and take those opportunities was quite impressive. I think the difference was Celtic took their chances and we didn't. Both teams would have taken a lot out of the experience."
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