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Quick Review

Hearts made a rousing start and could have been ahead inside the first couple of minutes. Douglas allowed Joe Hamill's corner to slip from his grasp and John Hartson had to make a timely intervention to prevent Andy Webster from knocking the ball into an empty net. Hartley then saw a shot deflected wide as Celtic's defence creaked, before Graeme Weir's shot from 25 yards was comfortably kept out by Douglas.
Hearts paid for their inability to finish chances after 25 minutes. Neilson allowed Bellamy's cross from the right to slip under his foot and when the ball fell to Thompson, the midfielder's drive deflected off Neilson to leave Craig Gordon helpless. Celtic were denied a second when Gordon came off his line smartly to foil Hartson after Bellamy had caused confusion in the Hearts area.
Celtic came close to a second goal 11 minutes into the second half when Thompson's wicked delivery came off the head of Steven Pressley, but the ball flew just wide. But Hearts drew level with 19 minutes remaining. Neilson made amends for his part in Celtic's opener by showing great determination to eventually get the ball through to Hartley, who swivelled to fire past Douglas.
Celtic's pressure paid off when Beattie ran on to Petrov's pass to rifle a low shot past Gordon.
Pressley was ordered off the final minute of the game as he went down in the box under Beattie's challenge. Referee Willie Young ruled he had dived and showed him a second yellow card.

Trivia

Future Celt, Steven Pressley, was sent off in the last minute for diving in the box, and trying to win his team a controversial penalty.
Paul Hartley was also in their line up.

Teams

Hearts:-
Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Wallace, Mikoliunas (McGeown 72), MacFarlane (Simmons 72), Hartley, Hamill, Miller, Weir (Thorarinsson 81).

Subs not used:- Moilanen, Wyness, Stewart, Sives.

Goal:- Hartley 71.

Sent Off:- Pressley (90).

Booked:- Mikoliunas, Hartley, Pressley.



Celtic:-
Douglas, Agathe, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson, Bellamy, Hartson (Beattie 66).

Subs not used:- Marshall, Valgaeren, Lambert, Laursen, Maloney, McGeady.

Goals:- Thompson 25, Beattie 77.

Booked:- Sutton, Balde, Thompson, Bellamy.

Att:- 15,927

Ref:- W Young.

Articles

• Match Report (BBC)
  
• Manager Interview (BBC) - O'Neill relieved by crucial win.
• Pressley abides by ref's decision.
  

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