celts storm to dramatic win

Gregor Kyle
WILD weather buffeted Glasgow as Celtic stormed to a thrilling 4-2 win over Hibernian. What is usually an entertaining contest against the Edinburgh club lived up to pre-match expectations, with Stephen McManus and Cillian Sheridan putting Celtic two ahead in the first half.

Two goals from Steven Fletcher on either side of the interval ensured that Gordon Strachan’s men had to fight for the win though, with Glenn Loovens and Scott Brown scoring late on to seal the three points.

Celtic returned to league business after Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League defeat to Manchester United in the most testing of conditions, with storm warnings across the city and the pitch buffeted by driving wind and rain.

They were also faced by a Hibs side lined up in an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation, with former Celt Derek Riordan partnering Colin Nish and Steven Fletcher in attack and with the team’s European endeavours in mind, the visitors were clearly determined to give it a go.

Gordon Strachan was, meanwhile, forced to mix and match, with injuries continuing to impact on his squad and Paul Hartley returned to the centre of midfield while the 19-year-old Cillian Sheridan was handed his first start for the club.

Despite the inclement weather what followed was an entertaining half, with both sides attempting to play through the swirling rain which seemed to hang like a mist above the park, almost concealing the upper tiers.

The attempts on goal from both sides in the opening half hour were largely speculative, with Shaun Maloney firing a couple of shots off target and a Riordan free kick collected by Artur Boruc.

The Hibs’ striker’s next attempt, a deflected snapshot from 25 yards out forced an even better save from his former team-mate, with Boruc somehow changing the direction of his run to touch the shot round the post.

Meanwhile, Barry Robson saw a near-post header from a corner deflected wide and Gordon Strachan’s men certainly enjoyed the better of the exchanges in terms of possession and chances.

Then followed the most glorious of chances for Colin Nish, with the striker just six yards out when he failed to control a clever through ball from Fletcher that would have set him up for a simple finish.

Seconds later, Celtic had raced up the park and won a corner which was duly dispatched by club captain, Stephen McManus.

Shunsuke Nakamura’s delivery for the goal initially appeared to be a poor one, spinning low towards the near post, but the Hibs defence missed it and McManus capitalised, edging in front of Sol Bamba and striking it sweetly on the volley.

Three minutes later Celtic again capitalised on some slack play at the back from Hibs to add a second and this time it was new Bhoy Sheridan who rounded off a cutting counter-attack with aplomb.

A ball out of defence by McManus was cleverly flicked on to the 19-year-old by the heel of Scott McDonald, but he still had everything to do, racing away from a flat-footed Rob Jones, rounding the keeper and then slotting the ball home from a tight angle.

With Celtic turning the screw it looked like the champions would race further into the lead, but a lucky break of the ball with minutes remaining in the half kept Hibs in it.

Fletcher was due the credit for the strike, cutting in from the left and driving the ball at goal with pace and power, but had it not taken a deflection off the back of Nish it appeared to have been covered by Boruc.

As it transpired, Celtic’s woes were to worsen after the interval and after goalscorer McManus was replaced by Glenn Loovens, Hibs fought their way back into the game and levelled through Fletcher.

Celtic perhaps had reason to feel aggrieved with the way in which Hibs broke forward, with the referee failing to spot a foul on Sheridan.

The visiting side then took full advantage, breaking down Celtic’s left flank, with Nish driving in a cross at waist-height, which was rifled home by Fletcher at the back post.

What followed was an open affair, punctuated by a shout for a penalty after Shaun Maloney was brought down by Lewis Stevenson just outside the box.

The referee saw nothing wrong with the left-back’s challenge, but later booked McDonald for a tackle on van Zanten and also Riordan for a slide tackle from behind on Maloney.

With play intensifying and Hibs fighting for every ball, it was Celtic who edged in front, with Loovens heading home his fourth goal straight from a corner.

The opportunity arose after Yves Ma Kalambay palmed a Barry Robson free kick round the post and with Paul Hartley swinging in a ball to the back post, the big Dutchman climbed and squeezed home his header.

This break gave Celtic the added impetus they needed and six minutes later Scott Brown stepped up at the edge of the box and hammered a low shot into the bottom corner to end the game as a contest.

There were further half chances for Celtic, with Paddy McCourt coming on as a late substitute and seeing a shot deflected wide.

So ended an intense, exciting affair that had the hardy thousands who braved the wind and rain on the edge of their seats.

Scottish Premier League
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Celtic Park, Glasgow
CELTIC… 4
(McManus 33, Sheridan 36, Loovens 76, S Brown 82)
HIBERNIAN… 2
(Fletcher 41, 50)
WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH: Andreas Hinkel
CELTIC (4-4-2) Boruc; Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus (Loovens 46), Robson; Nakamura (McGeady 63), Hartley, S Brown, Maloney; Sheridan, McDonald (McCourt 88).
Subs: M Brown, O’Dea, Donati, McGowan.
HIBS (4-3-3) Ma Kalambay; van Zanten, Bamba, Jones, Stevenson; Shiels, Rankin, Murray; Riordan, Nish, Fletcher.
Subs: McNeil, Hogg, Yantorno, Keenan, Thicot, Chisholm, Pinau.
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