Hoops beat Hearts to go back on top

11 September 2010 17:22
Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.[LNB] The game turned in the 28th minute when, seconds after Gorgie midfielder Suso Santana had hit the post with a drive, James Forrest opened the scoring by knocking in a Daryl Murphy cross from close range.[LNB]Hearts boss Jim Jefferies was sent to the stand by referee Willie Collum immediately after for complaining about an offside in the lead-up to the goal but Shaun Maloney grabbed a clinching second before the break and in the dying stages Paddy McCourt, on for Anthony Stokes, scored a wonderful third.[LNB]Stokes was making his Celtic debut - the 22-year-old Irishman, signed from Hibernian just before the transfer window closed, replaced Georgios Samaras to line up in attack alongside former Sunderland team-mate Murphy.[LNB]Tynecastle boss Jefferies was without left-back Lee Wallace, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury playing for Scotland against Liechtenstein at Hampden in midweek.[LNB]Ruben Palazuelos replaced Craig Thomson, who started on the bench.[LNB]Before kick-off there was an enthusiastic minute's applause to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of legendary Celtic manager Jock Stein.[LNB]In the 10th minute, Stokes finished off a passage of play by driving just wide of the post from distance.[LNB]But the visitors responded and in the 18th minute, Kevin Kyle's header from a David Templeton corner was well saved at the back post by Celtic keeper Fraser Forster, who moments later had to tip Ryan Stevenson's attempted lob over the bar.[LNB]In the 27th minute Suso Santana was set up 25 yards from goal by Stevenson and although his low drive beat Forster, it rebounded off the keeper's right-hand post - and then Celtic raced up the park to grab the opener.[LNB]Maloney sent Murphy running down the right and into the penalty area and, when his ball came across the six-yard box, Forrest was on hand at the back post to bundle the ball into the net.[LNB]Hearts boss Jefferies was then sent to the stand for complaining that there should have been an offside in the lead-up to the goal.[LNB]But there was no controversy around Celtic's second goal a minute from the break when Maloney was sent clear by Stokes, the Scotland international rounding Marian Kello before slotting into the net.[LNB]It looked a long way back for the Edinburgh side and they should have been 3-0 down in the 50th minute when a clever Stokes flick released Murphy, but Kello guessed correctly as the Irishman drove into the box and saved at his feet.[LNB]Then, in the 57th minute, Maloney had at least two chances to grab his second goal following a Forrest cross from the right into a packed Hearts box, but Kello pounced on the loose ball.[LNB]Moments later Hearts had a claim for a penalty when Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre clashed with Templeton at the edge of the box but it was declined by referee Collum.[LNB]In the 71st minute Celtic substitute Samaras, on for Murphy, shot just over the bar and then had the ball in the net minutes later only to be ruled offside.[LNB]The home side continually threatened to add to the lead and Kello made a fantastic save from Samaras after Maloney had set him up eight yards out.[LNB]The Greece striker was again foiled by the Hearts keeper a minute from time, but Celtic substitute Paddy McCourt, on for Stokes, scored a wonderful solo goal right at the end to make it 3-0.

Source: Team_Talk