Celtic 5 Hearts 0

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Martin O'Neill had claimed Scotland's "third-force" had bridged the gap to Glasgow's big two - but after dishing out Hearts' second Old Firm massacre of the season it was clear to see that the ocean-size divide was still as depressingly wide as ever.

He insisted that Rangers' 4-0 win over Craig Levein's men was a freak result and having clinched a place in the second round of the UEFA Cup, Celtic expected a tough test.

But even though Celtic were set to face Anderlecht in their latest Champions League Group A game in Brussels on Tuesday and without the likes of Chris Sutton, Paul Lambert, Joos Valgaeren and Johan Mjallby, Hearts were clearly out of their depth at Parkhead.

Liam Miller enhanced his growing reputation with a double while Stanislav Varga, Henrik Larsson and even Hearts' very own Phil Stamp found the net for Celtic.

The confident Hoops moved four points clear of Rangers in the Bank of Scotland Premier League, but they needed no help after their comfortable win at Ibrox a fortnight ago.

The writing was on the wall from as early as the second minute when Larsson burst past two men and clipped an audacious effort against the upright from a tight angle.

Ibrox goal hero John Hartson was also in the mood despite Wales' defeat last weekend, but he was stretching as he headed Alan Thompson's cross over the top from six yards.

But the Edinburgh side could only hold out for 10 minutes as Celtic's pressure paid off with the opener from highly-rated youngster Miller.

Tepi Moilanen could only parry Hartson's shot after a great flowing move involving Thompson and Petrov and the ball broke to the midfielder to fire into the roof of the net.

Hearts were in shock and they fell further behind just two minutes later in bizarre circumstances.

Hartson flicked on Varga's throw-in and Stamp headed brilliantly past his own goalkeeper and into the corner of the net from 12 yards.

After the uncertainty of Hartson's Ibrox goal this was as clear-cut as they come - much to the embarrassment of the Englishman.

The attacking was relentless and it would have been worse for Hearts had Moilanen not superbly tipped over Miller's drive and Bobo Balde not headed Thompson's corner wide.

The home side were threatening to kill the game off as Levein gestured angrily for his players to move up the pitch and not sit so deep.

But there was little they could do as Hartson headed Thompson's chip back into the path of Stilian Petrov and he blazed just past the post from the edge of the box.

Hearts already looked desperate for the match to end, but Mark de Vries could have given the visitors a much-needed lift after their first purposeful attack.

The Dutchman wriggled free from the attentions of the Celtic defence, but with Magnus Hedman to beat he screwed his right-foot shot past the post from 13 yards.

Hearts' desperation and frustration showed in the 29th minute when Andy Webster's only option was to pull down Larsson which earned him the first yellow card of the game.

The onslaught continued as Larsson again clipped the crossbar with a speculative effort from a tight angle.

Didier Agathe also went close in the 35th minute with a shot into the side-netting under the challenge of Patrick Kisnorbo before Larsson killed the game off just a minute later when he beat the offside trap to prod the ball past the on-rushing Moilanen.

The Swede would have made it four just two minutes later when Thompson sent him through, but the Finnish goalkeeper rushed off his line to block his effort.

Moilanen, however, could do nothing to prevent Varga from getting in the act four minutes before the break as his defence let him head Thompson's corner home from close range.

O'Neill, as expected, started to rest his players ahead of the trip to Belgium and he brought on Shaun Maloney for Petrov at half-time.

The youngster was immediately involved in the build-up to Celtic's fifth of the afternoon.

Maloney clipped the ball back to Hartson from the byline and he directed the ball into the danger area where Miller arrived to prod the ball home from close range.

The Scotland Under-21 star should have won a penalty in the 53rd minute when Paul Hartley - on for Stamp - fouled him in the box, but Clark stunned the crowd by waving play on.

Hartson was just inches from adding his own name to the scoresheet a minute later when he was picked out by Thompson, but watched as his header flew just wide.

O'Neill brought off Thompson, who had recovered from a hamstring injury, for Michael Gray on the hour before Scott Severin was booked for kicking the ball into the crowd.

Larsson could have increased Celtic's lead three minutes later, but Moilanen showed he was still fighting a solo effort by directing his effort wide.

Celtic continued to bombard the Hearts defence with Larsson again going close, but Levein's drowning side were eventually put out of their misery by Clark's final whistle.

Teams:

Celtic Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga (Kennedy 68), Agathe, Lennon, Miller, Petrov (Maloney 45), Thompson (Gray 60), Larsson, Hartson.

Subs Not Used: Douglas, Sylla.

Goals: Miller 9, Stamp 12 og, Larsson 36, Varga 42, Miller 50.

Hearts Moilanen, Maybury, Pressley, Webster (McKenna 45), Kisnorbo, MacFarlane, Stamp (Hartley 45), Severin, Valois, de Vries (Simmons 66), Weir.

Subs Not Used: Gordon, Wyness.

Booked: Webster, Maybury, Severin.

Att: 59,560

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com