By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport

Jim Hamilton rescued a point for Hearts today and stunned 60,000 fans into silence at Parkhead.

The Tynecastle striker capped a marvellous performance by grabbing the equaliser eight minutes after the break.

Simon Donnelly had given Celtic the lead after 32 minutes but they could not improve on their advantage to the frustration of their huge support.

For the second time in a week they have failed to win at home and that is hardly championship form.

But Hearts emphasised this afternoon they have the potential to mount another title bid.

Norwegian international Vidar Riseth was handed his first start by Celtic.

The former Lask Linz midfielder joined the Glasgow giants this week for £1.5million.

Coach Jozef Venglos was hoping Riseth's presence would give them a lift following the 1-0 defeat by St Johnstone but the new boy had a quiet game.

Celtic were without skipper Tom Boyd, who has a hamstring injury, but Marc Reiper had recovered from a groin strain to return to the side.

Roddy McKenzie was again between the posts for Hearts as Gilles Rousset is recovering from a back injury.

Stevie Fulton was also missing with a hamstring injury and former Huddersfield midfielder Lee Makel given another run-out.

Makel made a name for himself inside the first minute by picking up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Riseth.

McKenzie looked shaky early on and his clearance from a Steve Pressley pass back came off Riseth, only to go wide of the post.

However Celtic were the team who looked short on confidence as Hearts carved out a series of good chances.

Neil McCann set up Hamilton and he fired in a fierce effort after 14 minutes that Gould did well to turn around the post.

Then the Scotland keeper came for a long free kick swept in by Pressley on the right but didn't make it.

Hamilton got there before him but could only steer a header wide of the post.

Hearts kept up the pressure and following a free kick from Makel, David Weir headed back across goal but there were no takers.

Celtic took the lead after 32 minutes with their first real attack of the game.

Harald Brattbakk released Henrik Larsson down the right and the Swedish striker skipped away from David Weir.

The ball broke to Donnelly inside the area and he thundered a shot beyond McKenzie, his effort taking a deflection off Paul Ritchie.

Celtic grew in confidence after making the breakthrough and McKenzie had to look lively when Brattbakk delivered a fierce 20-yard drive.

Hearts, however, almost pulled level three minutes before the break when Stephane Adam saw a well-struck effort go beyond Gould but beyond the far post as well.

Donnelly set up Brattbakk just after the break but he dragged a shot wide of the post before Craig Burley cracked another effort over the top.

Hearts stunned the huge crowd by pulling level eight minutes after the break.

McCann floated in a corner from the left and Hamilton's header was beaten away by Gould.

But the Tynecastle striker swept in the rebound with the Celtic keeper furious at his team-mates for not picking him up.

Celtic hit back with McKenzie beating away a shot from Henrik Larsson then Riseth sent a header over the top after a good run by Donnelly.

Teams:

Celtic: Gould, Mahe, Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk, Donnelly, Lambert, Hannah, Riseth (Burchill 83).

Subs Not Used: Jackson, McKinlay, Kerr, McBride.

Booked: Hannah.

Goals: Donnelly 32.

Hearts: McKenzie, Naysmith, Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie, McCann, Adam (McPherson 89), Hamilton, Locke, Makel (Murie 86), Pressley.

Subs Not Used: Hogarth, Horn, Holmes.

Booked: Salvatori.

Goals: Hamilton 53.

Att: 60,027

Ref: W Young (Clarkston).

Taken from sportinglife.com