A Stilian Petrov goal was all that was needed for Celtic to reclaim their commanding 11-point lead at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table.

Both Hearts and the Bhoys emerged battered and bruised following a physical battle at Tynecastle where both sides had decent chances to score but only Petrov succeeded in finding the back of the net.

Hearts' off-field problems have overshadowed their actions on the pitch in recent weeks and the visit of Celtic was their first game since last week's stormy AGM at Tynecastle.

Chief executive Chris Robinson used the meeting to tell shareholders why he believes the club must sell their current ground and take up tenancy at Murrayfield at the end of the season to ease their crippling £17million debt.

The move has aroused supporters' ire and home fans used the opportunity to display their unhappiness by holding up 'Robinson out now' banners before kick-off.

But, once the game was underway, there was plenty of action to make even Robinson's staunchest opponents concentrate on the football and put their grievances to one side for 90 minutes.

Hearts had an early chance when Dennis Wyness played the ball into the box to set up Phil Stamp. The midfielder was only a few yards out but he did not connect properly and goalkeeper Rob Douglas managed to scramble the ball to safety.

The game took an ugly turn a minute later when Douglas was hit by a coin from the crowd and then Celtic striker John Hartson was fortunate to escape a red card. He appeared to elbow Andy Webster in an off-the-ball incident but escaped with a booking.

The breakthrough came after 27 minutes when Henrik Larsson fed the ball through to Petrov who bulleted a shot through goalkeeper Craig Gordon's legs and into the back of the net from just inside the 18-yard area.

The Tynecastle side were unlucky six minutes before the break when Stamp squared across the face of goal but Mark de Vries - standing on the six-yard line - missed the ball completely and a great opportunity was lost.

The Celtic supporters screamed for a penalty shortly after the restart when Chris Sutton went down in the area under pressure from Steven Pressley but referee Kenny Clark was not interested in the claims.

Celtic had another more realistic claim for a penalty when Patrick Kisnorbo handled in the area but again the Parkhead side were denied a spot kick.

But Lady Luck was not smiling on Hearts either when Stamp set up de Vries for a shot at goal only for the big Dutchman to drive the ball just inches wide of the post from the same position Petrov had netted in the first half.

Hearts had another chance to draw level when Wyness played the ball through to de Vries but the danger was cleared by Bobo Balde before the Jambos striker could pull the trigger.

Celtic could have put the win beyond doubt with two minutes to go when Larsson fed the ball through to substitute Craig Beattie and he only had Gordon to beat but the Hearts goalkeeper managed to block the effort.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, Severin, Stamp, Kisnorbo, Wyness, Hartley (McKenna 86), de Vries, Sloan (Weir 82).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane, Neilson.

Booked: Sloan, de Vries, Stamp, Webster, Maybury.

Celtic Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Pearson, Sutton, Hartson (Beattie 81), Larsson, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Varga.

Subs Not Used: Hedman, Lambert, Maloney, Crainey.

Booked: Hartson, Petrov, Sutton, Pearson, Beattie.

Goals: Petrov 27.

Att: 13,753

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).