Post by Taxigirl on Mar 14, 2006 9:47:54 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/4791894.stm
Shaun Maloney scored one and missed one from the spot as Celtic recovered from a terrible start to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 15 points.
Hibernian took the lead through Derek Riordan's superb 25-yard free-kick.
However, Maloney levelled from the spot and Steven McManus netted the eventual winner with a neat finish on the hour.
A minute later Hibs goalkeeper Simon Brown was sent off but substitute keeper Zbigniew Malkowski saved a second Maloney penalty before the end.
The match got under way in front of a decent crowd, despite the terrible winter conditions that threatened the tie, with an admirable turn-out from Celtic fans ensuring a roaring atmosphere.
And it was Celtic, without talismanic striker John Hartson because of a hamstring injury, who had the first chance of the match when his replacement Shunsuke Nakamura curled a free-kick narrowly wide.
However, that merely preceded a sustained spell of pressure from the hosts as Hibernian took control.
Ivan Sproule, in particular, was in dangerous form but it was Chris Killen who appeared to have given Hibs the lead until the intervention of the linesman's flag on seven minutes.
Derek Riordan flicked the ball on and Killen lifted the ball home from 12 yards, only for the officials to dubiously rule him offside.
However, the hosts did finally take the lead after 24 minutes when another weaving run from Sproule was brought to an end by Mark Wilson on the edge of the box and Riordan stepped up to curl a pearler into the top right-hand corner.
It was no more than Hibernian deserved and Celtic finally shuffled their pack 10 minutes later, Stilian Petrov dropping into a more orthodox midfield role to combat the hosts' 4-5-1 formation.
The change paid immediate dividends when Steven Whittaker was robbed in midfield by Roy Keane, the ball falling to Maloney, whose fine run clear was only stopped by Whittaker's scything tackle from behind.
The full-back somehow escaped with a yellow card but Maloney picked himself up to fire home from the spot for a barely-deserved equaliser in the 36th minute.
All of a sudden, the visitors' passing was finding its target and Keane almost put them ahead before half-time, only for Simon Brown to save his well-hit drive from 12 yards.
The second half kicked off with a completely different feel to it and all of Hibernian's hard work was undone on the hour mark.
With Celtic growing in confidence, Nakamura's tame corner found Zurawski and the Pole flicked on to McManus, who celebrated signing a new deal with the Bhoys with a neat finish for his seventh goal of the season.
And then, a minute later, Hibs were reduced to 10 men when home keeper Brown handled outside of the box with Zurawski racing clear, leaving referee Alan Freeland no choice but to give him a red card.
With the Bhoys looking to make their extra man count, Freeland handed them the golden opportunity to wrap up the victory when he gave them another penalty when Maloney was again felled by Whittaker.
The decision appeared to be spot on but Maloney was denied a second when substitute keeper Zbigniew Malkowski flung himself to his left to palm away the winger's effort.
The Pole also made fine saves from Petrov and then Zurawski in the closing stages to keep the hosts in it.
But, other than Steven Fletcher's failed attempt to prod in at the far post from Michael Stewart's cross-shot, Hibernian failed to trouble Celtic as the visitors held on for their 23rd win of the season.
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Hibernian: Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith, Murphy, Stewart, Thomson, Glass (Fletcher 69), Sproule, Killen (Dalglish 74), Riordan (Malkowski 62).
Subs Not Used: Hogg, Konde, McCluskey, Shields.
Sent Off: Simon Brown (61).
Booked: Whittaker, Thomson.
Goals: Riordan 24.
Celtic: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura (Pearson 80), Lennon, Keane, Maloney, Petrov, Zurawski.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Dublin, Thompson, Varga, Lawson, Wallace.
Goals: Maloney 36 pen, McManus 60.
Att: 16,985
Ref: A Freeland (Scotland).
Shaun Maloney scored one and missed one from the spot as Celtic recovered from a terrible start to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 15 points.
Hibernian took the lead through Derek Riordan's superb 25-yard free-kick.
However, Maloney levelled from the spot and Steven McManus netted the eventual winner with a neat finish on the hour.
A minute later Hibs goalkeeper Simon Brown was sent off but substitute keeper Zbigniew Malkowski saved a second Maloney penalty before the end.
The match got under way in front of a decent crowd, despite the terrible winter conditions that threatened the tie, with an admirable turn-out from Celtic fans ensuring a roaring atmosphere.
And it was Celtic, without talismanic striker John Hartson because of a hamstring injury, who had the first chance of the match when his replacement Shunsuke Nakamura curled a free-kick narrowly wide.
However, that merely preceded a sustained spell of pressure from the hosts as Hibernian took control.
Ivan Sproule, in particular, was in dangerous form but it was Chris Killen who appeared to have given Hibs the lead until the intervention of the linesman's flag on seven minutes.
Derek Riordan flicked the ball on and Killen lifted the ball home from 12 yards, only for the officials to dubiously rule him offside.
However, the hosts did finally take the lead after 24 minutes when another weaving run from Sproule was brought to an end by Mark Wilson on the edge of the box and Riordan stepped up to curl a pearler into the top right-hand corner.
It was no more than Hibernian deserved and Celtic finally shuffled their pack 10 minutes later, Stilian Petrov dropping into a more orthodox midfield role to combat the hosts' 4-5-1 formation.
The change paid immediate dividends when Steven Whittaker was robbed in midfield by Roy Keane, the ball falling to Maloney, whose fine run clear was only stopped by Whittaker's scything tackle from behind.
The full-back somehow escaped with a yellow card but Maloney picked himself up to fire home from the spot for a barely-deserved equaliser in the 36th minute.
All of a sudden, the visitors' passing was finding its target and Keane almost put them ahead before half-time, only for Simon Brown to save his well-hit drive from 12 yards.
The second half kicked off with a completely different feel to it and all of Hibernian's hard work was undone on the hour mark.
With Celtic growing in confidence, Nakamura's tame corner found Zurawski and the Pole flicked on to McManus, who celebrated signing a new deal with the Bhoys with a neat finish for his seventh goal of the season.
And then, a minute later, Hibs were reduced to 10 men when home keeper Brown handled outside of the box with Zurawski racing clear, leaving referee Alan Freeland no choice but to give him a red card.
With the Bhoys looking to make their extra man count, Freeland handed them the golden opportunity to wrap up the victory when he gave them another penalty when Maloney was again felled by Whittaker.
The decision appeared to be spot on but Maloney was denied a second when substitute keeper Zbigniew Malkowski flung himself to his left to palm away the winger's effort.
The Pole also made fine saves from Petrov and then Zurawski in the closing stages to keep the hosts in it.
But, other than Steven Fletcher's failed attempt to prod in at the far post from Michael Stewart's cross-shot, Hibernian failed to trouble Celtic as the visitors held on for their 23rd win of the season.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hibernian: Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith, Murphy, Stewart, Thomson, Glass (Fletcher 69), Sproule, Killen (Dalglish 74), Riordan (Malkowski 62).
Subs Not Used: Hogg, Konde, McCluskey, Shields.
Sent Off: Simon Brown (61).
Booked: Whittaker, Thomson.
Goals: Riordan 24.
Celtic: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura (Pearson 80), Lennon, Keane, Maloney, Petrov, Zurawski.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Dublin, Thompson, Varga, Lawson, Wallace.
Goals: Maloney 36 pen, McManus 60.
Att: 16,985
Ref: A Freeland (Scotland).