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Brilliant Hearts dominate Celtic in 2-0 win

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Despite Sunday`s fine win at Easter Road, I reckoned Hearts needed to put in a better performance if they were going to get a decent result against an in-form Celtic team. Well, that same message seems to have been drilled into the players by Jim Jefferies too, because tonight`s performance was quite simply superb.

Hearts almost took the lead through Stephen Elliott, when he headed against the bar after David Templeton had hit a wayward volley in his direction. However the opening goal came on the half-hour mark, when Skacel played a short free-kick to Ian Black who unleashed a decent shot from 25 yards which Majstorovic got his head to – only for the ball to curl over keeper Forster into the net.

Hooper was rather unluckily booked for “simulation” when he stumbled while attempting to dribble round Marian Kello, who clearly made no contact with the Celtic man. His booking was earned in retrospect though, due to a much bolder dive which refree Thomson rightly ignored.

Hooper then had a golden chance to equalise when Zaliukas tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick- not realising that his Celtic opponent managed to flick the ball back to a team-mate who set up the chance for Hooper. The impressive Kello made an instinctive save.

10 minutes into the second half, Joe Ledley made a ridiculous lunge at Ian Black (studs up), going straight through him to get the ball. Ledley and the Celtic bench were astonished to see referee Thomson waving a red card – but the TV pictures show quite clearly that the tackle was extremely rash and dangerous. The reaction of Lennon seemed in keeping with the current controversies which Celtic seem to be at the centre of these days. Incredibly, he later claimed that Ledley`s tackle didn`t even merit a free-kick !!!

Minutes later, Hearts were 2-0 ahead. Mrowiec showed dogged determination to win the ball in midfield, and released Rudi Skacel on the left. He played a perfect ball behind the Celtic back-line to David Templeton running in from the right – and the youngster side-footed the ball with extreme composure past the keeper.

Substitute Ryan Stevenson (on for Black) was clumsy in his own box when going for a bouncing ball, which clearly hit his arm – however referee Thomson waved “play on”. This incensed the Celtic bench again, to the extent that Lennon was sent to the stand.

Celtic substitute McGinn managed to hit the post in the closing minutes, although Kello had his shot from a narrow angle covered. Another couple of excellent saves on the goal-line by our keeper from close-range scrambles suggested that this was indeed going to be our night.
Hearts enjoyed the majority of possession, and used the ball very well. They created most of the scoring chances, and every single player was quite simply superb – 10 out of 10 for all of them !!

It`s not often that an Old Firm team gets a red card and 5 yellows, when we suffer only 2 yellows. Will Celtic “seek clarification” on this, I wonder ??

Something just feels right about this current Hearts squad. It could be the emergence of Templeton, the return of Skacel, the physical presence of Kyle, the return of Zaliukas, or the non-stop style of Stephen Elliott. Maybe all of those, plus a “togetherness” work ethic instilled by JJ ? The team looks to have a real cutting edge to their attack now – long may it continue.

The 3-0 defeat by Kilmarnock hurt at the time, but their subsequent results have shown that it was no fluke, so we can perhaps forgive Hearts for just having an off-day.

Congratulations to Hibs also for a fine 3-0 away win at Ibrox, when few pundits and fans would have given tuppence for their chances. You have to wonder if Mr Riordan being absent actually helped Colin Calderwood`s game-plan. Motherwell continue to steam ahead, beating St.Johnstone 4-0, while St. Mirren surprisingly won 2-1 at Tannadice.

All these results allowed Hearts to move into 4th place in the SPL with 20 points from 12 matches – which would yield an admirable 60 points if that ratio were to be continued.

Well done, Hearts !!

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7 comments

  • StockportJambo says:

    That’ll do.

  • dicksonium says:

    An outstanding performance by Hearts who in my opinion were very similar to the game on Sunday where we done what we had to to win the game. I felt Hearts were very comfortable in all positions on the park. I will say that I thought the midfield dropped a bit too deep in the second half and invited Celtic on top of us a little but it was nothing we couldn’t handle. Again a GREAT performance by Templeton lets hope he can continue in this vain for the rest of the season. Felt Rudi looked a little tired by the end but still a cracking performance.

    I honestly think Celtic could have had a further sending off. Some of their challenges were just plain wreckless and clearly not going for the ball. Samaras was just one of them. Glad to see Lennon sent to the stand. He is a horrible, horrible man who really should be handed a ban for his antics over the last few weeks. Again he is going to ask for clarification on the referees decisions in the match. The man has no humility, grace or composure and Celtic and their fans should see him for the wee thug he really is and look for a manager (cringe saying this but I will) worthy of their club. Well done Hearts for being professional throughout the game and not lowering yourselves to the level of the opposition.

  • Specs Haver says:

    Fair comments there, Dicksonium. As a player, Lennon was a hot-head, but was a pretty good midfielder too. One minute, a good cop, next minute a bad cop. He’s continuing that dual personality as a manager – sometimes he seems quite composed and fair in his interviews, then other times he goes into “victim mode” (like last night). It must be getting tiresome even for some fair-minded Celtic fans – although there’s probably a substantial element of their support who want to concentrate on the perceived conspiracy that they are convinced exists (despite their team having been the beneficiary of loads of game-changing decisions against non-OF teams in recent years). All they seem to base the perceived bias on is that they think Rangers get even more help than they do – to hell with the rest of us !!

  • MrH says:

    A most enjoyable evening. We seem to have become a pretty decent side to watch in recent weeks haven’t we? What a difference it makes to have someone with a bit of charisma (Skacel) in the side. It’s rubbing off on everyone and great to see some of the younger boys’ confidence increasing. More of the same please lads!

  • MrH says:

    PS great night for Scottish football all round actually. Both Old Firm sides being comprehensively beaten is healthy….credit also to the job Craig Brown is doing at Motherwell. Now with just a little more self belief……..

  • wishaw bhoy says:

    Well I have no wish to discuss the “finer” points of our encounter boys of which there are many …. just to say that you thoroughly deserved your victory on the night which to an extent has been overlooked ,, a massive 6 points from two highly charged games for Hearts and a potential springboard to greater things …… well done ………!!!!

  • DavidT_CFC says:

    Hearts were the better team hands down and regardless of the decisions they deserved the victory but the decisions have been shocking against Celtic recently, but I think many Hearts fans rightly so can feel agrieved that once again the decisions dominate the headlines!! the headlines deserve to read “Hearts comprehensively outplay and win against Celtic”

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