Celtic's recent bout of travel sickness worsened at Hearts as Stephane Adam's double ensured a fourth league away defeat of the season for the Scottish title-holders.

French striker Adam earned the Tynecastle outfit victory with well-taken strikes after 37 and 49 minutes before a belated Celtic flurry sparked by Phil O'Donnell's 74th minute effort.

Celtic had hoped to reduce the gap on both leaders Rangers and Kilmarnock, but their record remains only one league success away from Parkhead this term.

Hearts have been unable to win at all away, but in Edinburgh they remain a force and this triumph was a repeat scoreline of their opening weekend televised win over Rangers.

If Celtic had shown the passion that marked their finish to the game at its outset the outcome might have been different.

Celtic had aimed to put the Marko Viduka saga behind them as Harald Brattbakk took the place on the bench that would have been the absent Australian striker's.

Both teams welcomed their first choice keepers back to the fold, Gilles Rousset returning for Hearts after a virus, while Jonathan Gould was fit to start having recovered from knee ligament damage.

Hearts surprisingly found no place for Neil McCann at once sparking speculation the winger might be set for a move though the official reason was a stomach bug.

After 11 minutes, Gould was forced to backpedal and push over a swirling Adam cross that arched towards his goal and needed saving.

Hearts came close again after 16 minutes when David Weir's cross was chested down expertly by Jim Hamilton who swept his half-volley narrowly wide of the mark.

The match lacked a genuine flow due to a flurry of free kicks, but Hamilton almost enlivened proceedings when he came close to converting an Adam cross only to divert the ball wide of goal.

On the half-hour, Thomas Flogel's vision released Stevie Fulton but Gould, though initially slow to react, was able to race out of his goal and gather.

Celtic's next attack, by way of a response, saw Simon Donnelly carry possession across the face of the area before finding Larsson whose snap shot was charged down by Paul Ritchie.

Dave McPherson's 36th minute volley almost gave Hearts the lead, but Gould was equal to the task with a flying save recovering in time to claim Vincent Guerin's rebound.

Yet a minute later, Hearts were ahead when Guerin's drilled cross was met by a low Adam diving header beyond Gould's reach for a telling French connection.

Guerin incurred a reaction from the Celtic fans by celebrating the goal at the wrong end and the travelling support were then angered by a fierce Hamilton challenge on Paul Lambert.

Lubomir Moravcik tested Rousset with a powerful 18-yard drive three minutes before the interval, then blasted over a further chance on the eve of the break.

After 49 minutes Hearts moved two ahead when Hamilton was given time and space to measure a cross from the right for Adam to net his second via a near post flick.

Alan Stubbs' shot from distance prompted Rousset into a solid stop three minutes later as Celtic tried to rebuild.

Adam was denied a memorable hat-trick through an angled drive by Gould's outstretched arm after 57 minutes as Hearts remained dominant.

The injured Moravcik was replaced by Mark Burchill on the hour mark, and home keeper Rousset needed to be alert moments later to a Mahe cross shot.

Celtic pulled the score back to 2-1 after 74 minutes when Larsson's skill on the left created an opening that O'Donnell converted emphatically from eight yards.

Celtic were now in control of proceedings at last, twice Riseth crosses eluding his colleagues, then the in-form O'Donnell sending a well-struck effort inches over the top.

With just six minutes remaining, Rousset was again the Hearts hero with a stunning save to deny Mahe's point blank volley as Celtic surged forward in numbers.

In injury time, Celtic were denied a penalty claim when Flogel appeared to handle an O'Donnell cross but nothing was given meaning for the unhappy visitors defeat was the end result.

Teams

Hearts: Rousset, McPherson, Naysmith, Weir, Ritchie, Fulton, Adam (Juanjo 86), Hamilton (Holmes 80), Flogel, Murray, Guerin (Locke 83).

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, McKinnon.

Booked: Hamilton.

Goals: Adam 37, 49.

Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe, Stubbs, Larsson, O'Donnell, Donnelly, Lambert, Moravcik (Burchill 60), Riseth, Mjallby.

Subs Not Used: Brattbakk, Hannah, Annoni, McCondichie.

Booked: Larsson, Stubbs.

Goals: O'Donnell 74.

Att: 17,334

Ref: M McCurrie (Glasgow).