Celtic 3 Hearts 0

Martin O'Neill's two new signings - Henri Camara and Juninho - and John Hartson struck at Parkhead to move the champions eight points clear in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Camara pounced to lift the frustration which had descended from an organised Hearts defence before the break and the Brazilian bagged his first goal for his new club before the Welsh international sealed the points and a flattering scoreline.

That was the perfect preparation for their must-win Champions League Group F clash against Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek and O'Neill would also have been happy to see the timely return of influential star Jackie McNamara after being sidelined with an ankle injury.

Teenage goalkeeper David Marshall was also in top form as he brilliantly kept out a second-half penalty from Scotland team-mate Steven Pressley before Hartson's header.

Under-fire national coach Berti Vogts has been in the headlines of late and as expected his goalkeeper Craig Gordon was the busier early on.

He had to punch away Camara's back header in the fifth minute from Stilian Petrov's corner - but the Senegalese international's time would come later in the half.

Hearts looked organised and even when Camara threatened to spring clear from Stanislav Varga's long ball, Steven Pressley recovered to make a vital challenge.

The men from the capital frustrated the home side for a fair time and Pressley was booked in the 18th minute for pulling Camara back.

The on-loan striker had the ball in the back of the net in the 20th minute when he stooped to head Petrov's cross into the bottom corner but the linesman flagged for offside.

The visitors wanted a penalty moments later when Graham Weir went down in the box under the challenge of emergency defender Chris Sutton - who was in with Bobo Balde injured - but the Englishman made amends for his hesitancy with a perfectly-timed tackle.

The home side had Marshall to thank in the 24th minute when he pushed Paul Hartley's low drive past the upright from Alan Maybury's pass.

Varga was fortunate not to be booked in the 29th minute when he dumped Hartley on the ground with a crude challenge but that was the only thing going Celtic's way.

Maybury was not so lucky and he copped for a booking after bringing down Didier Agathe in full flow.

Patrick Kisnorbo got back to head behind with Camara poised to pounce in the 34th minute which summed up the first-half for the champions.

Gordon needed to be alert in the 40th minute after Celtic's best move of the game as Varga and Didier Agathe combined to find Hartson but his shot was saved by the young goalkeeper.

But Camara gave the Scottish international no chance four minutes before the break when he empathetically volleyed Hartson's knock-down into the top corner of the net from eight yards.

Robbie Neilson was booked in the late stages of the half for a terrible tackle on Wallace to reflect how the complexion of the game had quickly changed.

Craig Levein made a change before nipping off at the break to watch Feyenoord with Kevin McKenna coming on for Weir to play in an unfamiliar forward role.

Camara was close to getting on the end of Hartson's flick-on in the 47th minute but the ball ran through to a relieved Gordon.

Celtic went in search of the killer second goal as Ross Wallace chipped the ball onto the roof of the net followed some sustained pressure.

But the home fans and Juninho were rejoicing in the 56th minute when the Brazilian exchanged passes with Hartson before side-footing the ball past Gordon to register his first goal for the club.

Levein's number two Peter Houston brought Dennis Wyness on for Michael Stewart in the 66th minute but Hearts were awarded a controversial penalty in the 69th minute.

The linesman judged that McNamara had handled the ball in the area but justice seemed to be done when Marshall flung himself to his right to turn Pressley's spot kick around the post.

The champions went up the other end and Hartson saw his effort come back off the woodwork and Hearts somehow survive a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Marshall again showed why so many feel he is should be Scotland's number one when he kept out McKenna's low drive in the 75th minute.

Juninho should have scored a second when he was played through by Agathe but shot straight at Gordon before Hartson got his name on the scoresheet.

He stopped to head Wallace's cross past the exposed goalkeeper before he and Juninho made way for Paul Lambert and Momo Sylla.

O'Neill could afford to make more changes with the points in the bag and he opted to bring on Aiden McGeady for Petrov with Wednesday's game in mind.

Teams

Celtic Marshall, Agathe, Varga, Sutton, McNamara, Lennon, Petrov (McGeady 85), Wallace, Juninho Paulista (Sylla 82), Camara, Hartson (Lambert 82).

Subs Not Used: Hedman, Pearson, McManus, Cuthbert.

Goals: Camara 41, Juninho Paulista 57, Hartson 82.

Hearts Gordon, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, Neilson, Kisnorbo, Stamp (Hamill 85), Hartley, Stewart (Wyness 67), McAllister, Weir (McKenna 45).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane, Berra, Elliot.

Booked: Pressley, Maybury, Neilson.

Att: 58,869

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com