Riordan strike not enough

25 September 2010 18:00
Celtic moved three points clear of Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a 2-1 home win over Hibernian that should have been more comfortable. Captain Scott Brown, who returned after injury, gave the Hoops a fifth-minute lead. The game was settling down when Brown broke forward from midfield and worked a one-two with Anthony Stokes, a recent signing from Easter Road, before volleying past goalkeeper Mark Brown from 16 yards, his first goal since March. Glenn Loovens doubled the advantage just after the break when he headed in a Shaun Maloney corner from the right, the ball adjudged to have gone over the line despite the best efforts of John Rankin to clear. Before that, the visitors, now with one win in nine this season, had failed to lay glove on the Parkhead side. Former Celtic striker Derek Riordan pulled a goal back with a delightful chip to set up a nervy end to the game but Neil Lennon's men held on to their lead to leapfrog their Old Firm rivals who play at Aberdeen on Sunday.

Source: PA