Hibs 0 - 2 Celtic: Hibs fail to take their chances to punish Celtic

MIXU Paatelainen tasted defeat for only the second time as Hibs manager as SPL champions Celtic kept up the presssure on leaders Rangers with a 2-0 win at Easter Road, bringing the Edinburgh side's run of four successive victories to an end.

It was Celtic's first win in three attempts at the Edinburgh ground although Hibs would be kicking themselves for failing to test Celtic's nerve by taking one of the three first-half chances to open the scoring and so test their visitors' nerve.

Defender Lee Naylor broke the deadlock after 64 minutes before substitute Georgios Samaras doubled Celtic's lead as he headed home Aiden McGeady's cross ten minutes later.

After weathering an early Celtic onslaught Hibs passed up a glorious opportunity to open the scoring in what was virtually their first attack of the game, strikers Colin Nish and Steven Fletcher combining to leave John Rankin with a free run in on goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

But as Rankin cut in from the right Boruc, the villain of the piece when Celtic lost at Easter Road in September, stood his ground, blocking the midfielder's shot with his legs. Rankin took the resulting corner, puttng the ball beyond the back post for Ian Murray to nod it back across goal. Celtic skipper Stephen McManus headed it clear only to see the ball drop at the feet of Abdel Zarabi. Unfortunately the Algergian internationalist couldn't get full power on his shot which was taken off the line by Naylor.

Hibs did have the ball in the net in the ninth minute as Nish got his head to Rankin's free-kick only to see the offside flag raised against him.

Hibs were dealt a blow in the 16th minute when influential French star Guillaume Beuzelin, who had been left limping heavily after a tussle with Aiden McGeady, was forced to quit, his place taken by Ross Chisholm.

Celtic striker Scott McDonald went down looking for a penalty under the challenge of Zarabi but to no avail before Scott Brown reacted angrily to the presence of the left-back as he got off a low shot which was easily held by Andy McNeil who, despite the Glasgow side's possession had hardly been troubled in the opening 45 minutes.

Indeed, Hibs had another chance to take the lead when Martin Canning got his head to Brian Kerr's corner only to glance the ball wide when, he himself would admit, he should have found the target. The Celtic fans behind Boruc's goal were becoming anxious and their nerves weren't helped by a low ball from Rankin which flashed across the danger area with no Hibs player able to cash in.

Former Hibs star Scott Brown was presented with a terrific chance to open the scoring for Celtic three minutes after the restart when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink cut the ball back into his path but he was too casual with his shot which was cleared by Canning.

At the other end Nish went close with an angled drive which beat the outstrechted right hand of the diving Boruc only to fly inches wide of the far post.

A moment's hesitation in the Hibs defence gave Brown a sight of goal but McNeil was well positioned to deal with his low shot. The momentum was beginning to swing in Celtic's direction but, again, Gordon Strachan's side found themselves struggling to create worthwhile openings, Massimo Donati and McGeady both resorting to long-range efforts which flew high over McNeil's bar.

But Celtic made the pressure tell to devastating effect in the 63rd minute when Naylor was allowed to run half the length of the pitch unchallenged before enjoying a huge slice of luck when his pass, intended for McDonald, was blocked, the ball falling kindly for him to lash it beyond the helpless McNeil.

Brown had the chance to double Celtic's lead but McNeil superbly beat away his rising effort. But substitute Samaras, who had only been on the pitch two minutes, rose to nod home McGeady's pinpoint cross in the 74th minute, leaving Hibs with an uphill battle to even salvage a point.

But Canning went close to throwing Hibs a lifeline as he met Rankin's corner only to see his header crash off the crossbaar.

Hibs: McNeil, Gathuessi, Hogg, Canning, Zarabi, Kerr (Zemmama 74), Beuzelin (Chisholm 16), Murray, Rankin, Nish, Fletcher. Subs not used: Grof, Morais, Campbell, Hanlon.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (Robson 85), S Brown, Donati (Hartley 82), McGeady, Venegoor of Hesslink (Samaras 72), McDonald, Subs not used: M Brown, O'Dea, Sno, Riordan.

Referee: Iain Brines.