Celtic blitzed into the lead after an incredible opening two minutes of tonight’s SPL encounter at Tynecastle and went on to record one of their most impressive performances in years.
Hearts were miles behind the visitors in every department but could have taken the lead after a minute when Andy Webster was left unattended at a corner kick and his downward header was met inside the six yard box by Stephen Elliot who knocked the ball goal-ward. Joe Ledley intercepted on the line but the ball bounced net-side. As Elliot prepared to celebrate the left hand of Fraser Forster appeared from nowhere to remove any possibility of the officials having sight of the ball. Comments on Celtic Quick News suggest it looked a goal at the time and replays did little to contradict that view.
If the never-give-up spirit is alive inside Fraser Forster his captain was no less focussed tonight. Georgios Samaras cleared the ball out of the box and Scott Brown turned defence into attack with a deft flick on the middle of the field. Brown fed James Forrest who whipped in a cross that rebounded off Samaras, now inside the Hearts box to Scott Brown, who had jetted into the area. The captain steadied before shooting low past MacDonald in the Hearts goal.
The game was only two minutes old but we already knew we were in for a night to remember.
Full of confidence Scott Brown tried a decent effort from 30 yards that went narrowly over but Celtic were not to be denied a second for long. On 20 minutes Charlie Mulgrew’s deep corner was knocked back in by Forrest to Victor Wanyama, who turned and scooped the ball high into the net.
Celtic were motoring and looked streets ahead of their hosts as the reverential home support looked on.
By now Hearts looked more likely to score into their own goal. On three occasions in the opening 30 minutes MacDonald had to scramble across his goal under pressure from his own team. Zaliukas came closest to knocking the ball into his own net but his ‘clearance’ went narrowly wide.
Just after the 30 minute mark Scott Brown robbed Zaliukas as he took the ball out of defence and fed Samaras. Georgios hit the bye-line and send in a deep cross which hung at the back post just long enough for Joe Ledley to stretch and nod home. Celtic were 0-3 up and already guaranteed to move four points clear at the top of the table.
The fourth goal came on 60 minutes after one of the finest moves of the game saw Matthews feed Hooper and the striker tee-up Joe Ledley whose shot hit the post and was turned behind. Mulgrew’s resultant corner was met by Victor Wanyama and could have bounced over the line but Gary Hooper was on hand to clear up any doubt to hit the roof of the net from a distance no farther than 6 inches.
Late on Kelvin Wilson cleared out of the Celtic box to Samaras who was 40 yards from his own goal. The Greek international ran 50 yards before testing MacDonald from distance.
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Neil Lennon,
It’s rumoured you occasionally lurk.
I just want to say…
Thank You
JQB
Oh Celtic we love you….
Whats this about a new red white and blue flying over Ibrox??
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New Tesco Store Opening Here Soon
Árd Macha
I saw a few bhoys earlier predicting 4-0, and I honestly saw the same score line in ma head, when you shut yer eyes and see the score after the game, but I didn’t have the baws to stick a few bob on it, I swithered for ages and plumped for more than 2.5 goals, even then I thought I was taking a huge gamble which I was.
All’s well that ends well :>))))))))
Most people were pretty negative regarding Scott Browns new deal
WOW
What a great move by Neil Lennon
Scott Brown is unstoppable just now
His goal was phenomenal
Loving the pleasant sleep Celtic are giving me each night..
The joy of waking to a glorious Celtic headline each morning is fantastic..
I love thumping Hearts..this became magnified in the Jefferies era and i recall they celebrated a late Quitongo goal on the pitch.. The lack of condemnation on The attack of Neil epitomised all that is ugly with them..
Tonight belongs to Celtic and Neil Lennon..
HH
….PFayr says:
8 February, 2012 at 22:54
Since tonights a night of the great unexpected – we will let this one slip on by!!
big Vic
some eejit in the pub of course said he wanted too much time on the ball to get a shot on target…
he wasn’t saying that about 5 minutes later…. its all about opinions and I know mines means he haw….
GL2…
no probs cause our mate vmhan is talking to himself on the last article…
he is probably going for 15 posts in a row o))
That was wonderful…….every man showed astounding determination……how right was NEIL about Forster and Brown…..!!!
And our fans……….You’ve never lived ‘tll you’re sitting beside shall we say a non-Celtic supporter watching the game and the fans belt out “THERE WILL BE NO HUNS IN SCOTLAND” …….I’m sitting there just managing and no more to keep my face straight………it’s no easy, honest………thought a wis gonnae burst oot laffing ……LOL
That was THE important game, and we passed the test with flying colours……..I no longer listen to the radio during games, but I’ll bet they MAJORED on ‘the goal that never was’……looks like were starting to get fairness (probably because they know we’re the only hope for Scottish Football) …..the linesman couldn’t see the ball, and therefore correctly couldn’t give a goal…….be in no doubt, he would have last season, or the previous 2 seasons….
Hail Hail to the best Club in the World………Manager, Fans, Board EVERYBODY connected to Celtic………GREAT NIGHT
PFayr says:
8 February, 2012 at 22:38
CCE
not overly gracious
and not the time
just my opinion …of course
i disagree with your opinion those two clowns deserve every bit of ridicule on here they are a disgrace to the celtic supporters IMO
i think Broony’s goal tonight goes straight into my all time list of top Celtic goals.
chortle. chortle…
Memo to Celtic Board..
There is no doubt now(although the title is not ours yet)……
We have a manager and coaching staff that are taking us where we want to be….
Lock em in!
Superb night, Celtic were brilliant, my boyhood love beat the smog monsters (Haway Lads!). Over the moon!
.
Woke up at Half Time..
Took Wee Ghirl to School..
Went to Beach..
Best School run Ever..JCGE..
Summa
PS..BlantyreTim and VHman..Check out FB for My MOTM Special Photo..(Guess Who Got it..? lol)
From twitter, hope this isn’t true!
Andy M @ Scotzine @scotzine
Rumours that Celtic buses are being attacked by Hearts fans smashing windows – no confirmation of this yet…
1st goal – the skill brown showed in the middle of the park by flickin the ball around the hearts player was sheer celtic class!!
SFTB,
Even a broken clock is right twice a day !!
that it the most incredible performance ive seen this season tho there have been many
HUNS
GetItRightUpYe
i dont think it was a goal
or a hand ball
ball played him
13 premier league wins in a row. Awesome consistency by Neil Lennon and the bhoys.
That winning record has only been beaten three times according to Radio Scotland – by Celtic, Celtic and Celtic!
Long way still to go to match the 25 in Martin’s time. But would you bet agains this side?
paulsatim is neil lennon says:
8 February, 2012 at 22:38
according to FF, “no huns in scotland ” = ethnic cleansing!!!!!!
Are Huns -of the Scots / Irish variety now considered as a distinct cultural entity? I think most rational observers would consider them an embarrassment to any civilised society. Somewhat akin to Nazi brown shirts.
Fascinating to hear Lennon say after the game that Brown is now playing pain free for the first time in over a year. Are we now seeing the box to box goalscoring midfielder we paid £4.4m for? He was superb tonight.
The poster comparing it to Larsson in the snow hits the nail on the head. A real sense that a great team was born tonight. Onwards and upwards!
stebhoy says:
8 February, 2012 at 23:00
1st goal – the skill brown showed in the middle of the park by flickin the ball around the hearts player was sheer celtic class!!
awesome m8
oops
I’ve been shared, is that the same as being taken away by aliens?
Better not tell Mrs BT, she is pretty protective of me BTW… o)))
God bless KTF
That was a real TEAM performance.
Sure, we got out of jail with the Heart’s goal which was not allowed, correctly actually. With the post and all the bodies in the way there was no way the linseman could have seen it unless he was off the pitch behind the goal line, where he shouldn’t be.
A goalkeeper in the six yard box.
Two CB’s in the penalty area, both of whom knew how to clear their lines.
The other eight? They were everywhere, all over the place, but in a very supportive and disciplined way. Defending from the front all evening, attacking from the rear and midfielders who covered the entire pitch. No headless chickens, for everyone who moved into a “strange” position there was always a colleague anticipating and filling in.
Sammi and Hoops ran them ragged and created so many opportunities for the excellent support which was always there.
Best of all, this seems to be a well-knit, disciplined, team who are really enjoying themselves and in total harmony.
What’s not to enjoy?
I know the next defeat, whenever that comes, shall be viewed as disaster as usual. That won’t matter if it comes in August!
I know I am a funny combination of realist (through experience) and optimist (by nature re. Celtic), but I have great belief in the outcome of this and the coming seasons and that has nothing to do with that other lot. If we can keep the nucleus of this group together for the next 2/3 years we can achieve success, they can enjoy themselves, win medals, win adoration and increase their sell-on value.
They enhance their careers, we make some serious money on our investments and they have Celtic in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
Cheers
Alex
share
That was such an impressive performance tonight every player was excellent
even more impressive for me was the “look” of the players at the final whistle,
no major celebration but a real look of determination and focus about them all,
i swear i could sense the attitude of “one game at a time”
brilliant bhoys brilliant
Re the baw over the line shenanigans……
Taking into account parallax error, operator error, non assignable errors and throw in the fact that if the linesman or ref seen the ball and the line together they would have given a goal , they never did (they were both un- sighted) nae goal.
I’d defo take goal line technology though as it limits the chance of operator error by the MIB, the less decisions they make the better IMO.
TAL
V
.
Paul67..
Thought you Might have Named today..St Martin42 Day..
Celebrations all Round..
001Bhoy
forster 10
matthews 10
rogne 10
k wilson 10
charlie 12
ledley 15
wanyama 16
broon 18
forrest 10
sammy 18
hoops 15
Another Alex From Govan
Great stuff, brother. Well said.
EWO, thanks for the reply :-)
Outstanding tonight especially Broonie.
Lenny is making this team special, very young team but got the winning habit.
SffS
Celtic Champs Elect says:
8 February, 2012 at 22:58
I am afraid I agree with Pf ayr,
not the Celtic way to hold grudges,
remember when you were giving James Forrest
big licks,so what ,you’re not always right
neither is anyone else on the blog.
Let it go and enjoy the moment.
Hail hail
Its unusual for me to post at this time but I just had to log on in my inebriated state to celebrate Celtic the winning of the SPL.
Get out the champagne, the Guinness, whatever to toast CELTIC…….SPL Champions.
Just to make it a perfect evening , while I write I’m listening to the celebration of 50 years od the Dubliners on radio 2….good night my brothers in CELTIC….
Happy Birthday Mr M Brennan.
I thought that the energy level of the team tonight was first class
not one failure on the park
I think that a special mention must go to Charlie Mulgrew, when he came back to us, I have to admit I was a bit baffled
but charlie is one of the most improved players I have ever saw
All credit to Lenny for the signing of Charlie Bhoy
Rumours on the internet that raingers have bid for a Chad Hogan…
American guy apparently.
Lubo.
Someone is going to get a right tanking from this team and I hope it’s Mother well or some other bankrupt outfit.
The shape is improving weekly and captain gallus is leading the charge.
Big Fraser has become a wall.
JF is a sparkplug.
Sammi is a swashbuckling hero.
Victor is a one man army slapping around pesky hun villains.
Hooper is super.
And the sieve has been welded shut.
The coaches have found the formula.
ItaliaBhoy says:
8 February, 2012 at 22:52
And Kayal to hopefully return in a couple of months ;-)
BT – sounds good. A low-life CQN section meeting is well overdue….reporting for duty sir!
TET – as GL2 said, even better if both hit the feckin net and were ignored. Don’t kid yourself, we would have went mental about both decisions if it was the other way round. Two goals…and feck the Huns and Minis! :-)
T4