2010-04-04: Hibernian 0-1 Celtic, SPL

Trivia

• Unchanged, Celtic ten pts behind Huns, but they've a game in hand.
• Boruc not playing due to family stuff.
• Robbie Keane, 12 goals in 12 games, 8th in league.

Review

A Robbie Keane penalty helped Celtic edge out Hibernian in a fast-paced encounter at Easter Road. Hibs should have been 2-0 up after the first ten mins or so, but we clung on and took control. We weren't as competent as should have been and it took till the 30th minute to get a shot on target. We had a fair penalty appeal turned down from handball, but took the lead after McGeady took a high kick from a Hibee player. Robbie Keane scored from the spot. Hibs had one real chance from Riordan, but did little else enough and were quite the more aggressive side with too many fouls and yellow cards.

3pts for us, and a good boost for Lennon.

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Hibernian 0 – 1 Celtic

BBC

By Martin Conaghan

A Robbie Keane penalty helped Celtic edge out Hibernian in a fast-paced encounter at Easter Road.

Keane netted the 12th goal of his loan spell, confidently converting from the spot in the 62nd-minute.

Anthony Stokes had perhaps been harshly penalised for a challenge on Aiden McGeady and a spot-kick was the result.

Derek Riordan was denied by the Celtic crossbar in the 69th minute, but the hosts failed to find the target and Celtic secured the points.

The victory helps Celtic maintain pressure on Rangers at the top of the table, although, with a 10-point advantage and a game in hand, the Ibrox side look unlikely to be toppled.

Hibs have now lost valuable ground on Dundee United and lie in fourth place, trailing the Taysiders by five points, having played a game more.

Lukasz Zaluska returned to Celtic goal after Artur Boruc was left out due to a family bereavement, while John Hughes dropped Lewis Stevenson to the bench and Chris Hogg was left out altogether as Anthony Stokes and Darren McCormack came in.

Riordan's fourth-minute free-kick tested Zaluska in the Celtic goal when Ian Murray nodded down a searching ball into the danger area.

The pressure from Hibs continued when John Rankin found Stokes down the right and the former Arsenal man blasted in a shot that Zaluska parried wide.

Celtic replied at the other end when McGeady fed Marc-Antoine Fortune inside the Hibs penalty area, but Souleymane Bamba made the block and the Frenchman was denied.

Josh Thompson blazed a shot over the bar after Georgios Samaras had nodded down a Lee Naylor corner.

Celtic appeared to be denied a penalty in the 17th minute when Murray handled the ball under pressure from Keane, but neither referee Charlie Richmond nor his assistant on the sideline spotted the infringement, despite the Irishman's protests.

With 20 minutes played, Scott Brown fired over the bar after a Naylor corner was cleared, then Celtic keeper Zaluska made a double save from a Riordan free-kick sent in from the edge of the area.

Samaras rifled in a 20-yard shot in the 34th minute that Graham Stack held well, then the keeper comfortably gathered a Naylor corner with the last touch of the first half.

There was no let-up in the pace after the re-start and Samaras fluffed a chance to shoot for goal from the centre of the Hibernian penalty area after Fortune crossed in from the right.

Colin Nish fired a tame effort at Zaluska as the hour mark approached, then Fortune warmed the hands of Stack at the other end.

Stack was again called into action in the 61st minute when Naylor curved in a tempting direct free-kick as the visitors enjoyed a brief spell of pressure.

One minute later, Stokes was punished for a dangerous challenge on McGeady in the Hibs penalty area and Robbie Keane stepped up to convert the resulting penalty kick with confidence.

Riordan struck the Celtic crossbar in the 69th minute with a thundering half-volley as the hosts attempted to restore parity, then Murray completely miss-hit a sterling opportunity from 10 yards out.

Keane attempted a bold effort from a tight angle in the 75th minute, but Stack was positioned well to deny.

With about five minutes remaining, Darren McCormack sent in an over-ambitious volley from 25 yards, but it sailed over the bar.

Celtic's Morten Rasmussen should have done better with a right-foot strike from the edge of the Hibs penalty area in the last few minutes of the game, but the visitors held out and interim manager Neil Lennon maintained his 100% record in charge of the Glasgow side.