Roman Bednar struck twice in the capital, with the winner coming from a Neil Lennon error, after Stilian Petrov had possibly scored his last-ever Bhoys goal to draw his team level.

A lacklustre first half saw Hearts create the better chances with Bednar glancing a Bruno Aguiar free kick just wide.

On 27 minutes, Bednar should have given the hosts the lead after he was picked out unmarked from a corner, but the Czech striker failed to connect cleanly with his attempt.

Jiri Jarosik flicked a Celtic set-piece across the face of goal, while Shunsuke Nakamura was wildly off target from 25 yards.

The biggest drama of the first period arrived just before the break when Celtic boss Gordon Strachan and Hearts coach John McGlynn were sent to the stands.

In the second half, The Jambos continued to apply the pressure with Julien Brellier firing over and Bednar nodding a wonderful Aguiar cross wide.

Bednar finally found his range on 49 minutes after giving the Bhoys defence the slip to latch on to Michal Pospisil's pass before placing his shot in off the far post.

Celtic keeper Artur Boruc was then pressed into a sprawling low save to keep out a well-struck volley from Brellier.

Hearts were denied a valid second goal on 62 minutes when Bednar sprinted clear of the defence, rounded Boruc and finished confidently. However, the linesman's flag had gone up, albeit incorrectly, and the goal was chalked off.

The hosts were left to curse that decision three minutes later when the title holders levelled after a rapid counter-attack.

Nakamura fed Kenny Miller, who helped the ball on to Aiden McGeady to play in Petrov and the Bulgarian struck a superb first-time shot into the net.

Justice was done three minutes from time, though, after Bednar intercepted Lennon's back-pass from the halfway line, flicked the ball past the onrushing Boruc and slid the ball into an empty net.

Hearts nearly scored a third in injury time, but Aguiar's thumping drive from distance crashed back off the crossbar.