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  • Rankin (55), Nish (69)
  • Date:2008-12-07
  • Kick-off:14:00
  • Venue:Easter Road Stadium
  • Attendance:14289
  • Referee:Thomson, C

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

85mins

Steven Thicot is replaced by Ross Chisholm.

82mins

Alan O'Brien is replaced by Lewis Stevenson.

82mins

Yves Makaba-Makalamby is booked for timewasting.

71mins

Paul Hartley is being taken off, Aiden McGeady has come on in his place.

69mins

Goal!! Colin Nish scores for Hibernian.

56mins

Cillian Sheridan is replaced by Georgios Samaras.

55mins

Goal!! John Rankin scores for Hibernian.

51mins

The referee has booked Gary Caldwell.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by C Thomson

0mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.


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Match Report

On the back of 12 successive league wins, Celtic must have been confident of making it 13 against an inconsistent Hibs side at Easter Road, but it was not to be.

A howler by Artur Boruc and a Colin Nish goal deservedly gave the home side the points.

It was a cagey start to the match as both sides took their time to settle into the game. Steven Thicot for Hibs and Celtic's Shaun Maloney both passed up half-chances in the early stages, but there was little in the way of goalmouth action.

As the half wore on, Hibs looked very nervy in possession and kept giving the ball away in their defensive third, and only a last-ditch challenge by Ian Murray prevented Cillian Sheridan capitalising on one such error.

Just before the half-hour mark, the side from the capital created the first clear-cut chance of the match. John Rankin played an expertly weighted throughball to Steven Fletcher but, although he rounded the onrushing Boruc, he lacked composure as he fired wide.

At the other end Maloney did well to create himself an opening but, just as he opened up his body to shoot, Rob Jones flew in with a terrific challenge and the ball went wide.

The deadlock was broken ten minutes into the second half when Boruc continued his run of mistakes at Easter Road. After a couple of glaring errors at the same ground last season he was again at fault for Hibs' opener.

Rankin picked the ball up just inside the Celtic half and, seeing nothing on ahead of him, sent a speculative effort at goal from 35 yards. The ball headed straight at the big Pole but it inexplicably slipped by him and into the net.

Celtic went close a couple of times on the hour mark, with Scott McDonald heading over the bar and Andreas Hinkel dragging a shot wide after cutting inside.

After Maloney had again gone close for Celtic, Hibs made it 2-0 in the 69th minute. Speed merchant Alan O'Brien was sent clear and, although Boruc forced him wide, he was able to cross for Rankin to set up Nish for a simple tap-in.

Celtic forced a flurry of corner late on, but were reduced to long-range efforts, none of which troubled Yves Ma-Kalambay in the Hibs goal.

Hibernian

Celtic

Corners

212

Fouls

1012

Goal attempts

1116

Shots off target

36

Offsides

42

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