Mark Viduka took his tally to eight goals in six games as Celtic kept up the
pressure on Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.
The Australian striker scored twice at Tynecastle in a thrilling encounter
that left Hearts battered and bruised and facing a nerve-jangling run-in as they
fight to avoid relegation.
Celtic made a blistering start in a match where points were crucial to both
sides, with Vidar Riseth and Regi Blinker both on target inside the first seven
minutes.
Norwegian star Riseth made an immediate impact after missing the Tennent's
Scottish Cup semi-final victory against Dundee United at the weekend.
Viduka won a corner after skipping away from Dave McPherson only for
goalkeeper Gilles Rousset to deflect the ball to safety.
Blinker swing the corner in from the right and Riseth rose superbly in the
second minute to flick a header into the corner.
Darren Jackson knocked a shot wide for Hearts after Colin Cameron had carved
out the opening but Celtic immediately went on the counter-attack and scored a
marvellous second after seven minutes.
Tosh McKinlay and Blinker played a neat one-two and Henrik Larsson delivered a
clever back-heel into the area, with Dutch midfielder Blinker on hand to smash
the ball beyond Rousset.
Larsson then headed over in a good position and McKinlay fired a fierce drive
into the crowd as Celtic kept up the pressure.
But Hearts retaliated in the 27th minute when Stephane Adam pulled a goal
back.
Darren Jackson rolled a free-kick into his path and the French striker's
effort took a wicked deflection beyond keeper Jonathan Gould.
Hearts' celebrations lasted only two minutes when Viduka restored Celtic's
two-goal cushion.
The big Australian broke the offside trap after Blinker played the ball
through for and netted his seventh goal for the club.
Hearts refused to lie down in a thrilling first half and Gould tipped a
powerful shot by Gary McSwegan over the top.
It was Gould's last act in the game as he was injured shortly afterwards
following a collision with McSwegan and Adam, giving Barry John Corr his debut.
The 19-year-old keeper proved his worth with a marvellous save from Cameron,
tipping away his goalbound shot.
Celtic almost added a fourth on the stroke of half-time only for Rousset to
scramble away a shot from Craig Burley with his legs.
Hearts started the second half the way the visitors had begun the first and
reduced the deficit to 3-2 in the 49th minute.
Adam grabbed his second goal of the game to throw the hosts a lifeline when
his shot beat Corr at the near post.
But the 16,000 fans packed into the ground hardly had time to draw breath
before Celtic restored their two-goal advantage for the second time in the
match.
Blinker picked out Paul Lambert and he released McKinlay on the left. The
full-back's cross was precise and Viduka prodded the ball home for his second
goal of the game in the 52nd minute.
Celtic keeper Corr made a fine save from McSwegan before Hearts suffered
another blow when Lock was hurt in the challenge by Blinker and was carried off
on a stretcher with Murray coming on.
Hearts continued to push forward and Jackson should have done better than to
send a soft shot into Corr's body when clear in the area.
The keeper was giving a good account of himself and blocked Adam's effort
after Hearts stopper Rousset got in the way of a Burley piledriver.
Teams
Hearts: Rousset, McPherson (James 45), Ritchie, Fulton, Adam,
Cameron, Jackson, Locke (Murray 63), McKinnon (Guerin 77),Pressley, McSwegan.
Subs Not Used: Severin, Strang.
Booked: Ritchie, Cameron, Jackson, Locke.
Goals: Adam 27, 48.
Celtic: Gould (Corr 42), Boyd, McNamara, Larsson, Burley,
Lambert, Annoni, McKinlay, Blinker, Riseth, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Brattbakk, Wieghorst, Marshall, Burchill.
Booked: Boyd.
Goals: Riseth 2, Blinker 7, Viduka 29, 52.
Att: 16,388
Ref: S Dougal (Burnside).
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