CELTIC 5 Christophe Berra 9 (OG), Massimo Donati 22, Scott Brown 61, Jan Vennegor of Hesselink 62 (PEN), Shunsuke Nakamura 79

HEARTS 0

HEARTS' miserable start to the season continued on Saturday with a comprehensive defeat during which Neil McCann was stretchered off with a potentially serious injury.

The Tynecastle side were rarely a match for their hosts, conceding two goals inside the first 22 minutes and another three in the second half. Former Hibs midfielder Scott Brown was at the heart of the torment, scoring one and creating another as he orchestrated midfield proceedings.

McCann went down late in the game after tackling Scott McDonald and was stretchered from the field. He will be assessed over the weekend by the Hearts medical staff, but of equal concern to coaches at Riccarton will be how to halt this dismal run of form. This defeat was the team's heaviest since Vladimir Romanov's takeover, and emphasised the need for urgent reinforcements and possibly a change of tactics before the transfer window closes.

Christophe Berra's own goal was supplemented by Massimo Donati's second in two games for Celtic. After the interval Brown, a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink penalty and a Shunsuke Nakamura goal rounded off a disappointing afternoon for the visitors.

Celtic were unchanged for the afternoon but Hearts began with four alterations following last week's 1-1 draw with Gretna. Ruben Palazuelos and Andrius Velicka found themselves dropped and replaced by Larry Kingston and Calum Elliot respectively. Jose Goncalves deputised for Lee Wallace, who had a head knock, and Eggert Jonsson was replaced by Saulius Mikoliunas after failing to attain full fitness.

Despite Hearts showing some early attacking promise Celtic moved ahead on nine minutes. McDonald manoeuvred clear of Marius Zaliukas inside the penalty area, his cross was struck by Namakura but took a cruel deflection off the face of Berra to loop into Steve Banks' top corner. The Edinburgh side were entitled to feel aggrieved at conceding but continued to probe their opponents with Kestutis Ivaskevicius linking midfield to attack in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Elliot, the loan striker, often found himself lacking support and therefore couldn't properly utilise some decent crosses swinging in from the right flank. When Celtic came forward, the pace of Aiden McGeady and Nakamura caused endless problems along with McDonald's off-the-ball running. Had the final ball been more direct, they could have doubled their side's advantage before the 22nd minute.

As it was, an incisive run by Donati, primarily a holding midfielder, brought the second goal. The Italian benefited from Michael Stewart's slip on the 18-yard line to enter the penalty area, jink past Berra and slide a comfortable shot low into the right corner of the net.

Hearts' reply was a stinging Larry Kingston shot on the run which careered back off the Celtic upright. The Ghanaian was in place to follow up but saw his second effort deflected for a corner.

In the visitors' technical area, Stephen Frail could only bow his head at the misfortune which seems to linger over his side. Like most inside Celtic Park, he knew one Hearts goal at that stage would give a different complexion to the match. Gordon Strachan, by contrast, was looking relaxed as he watched his midfield assume dominance.

Banks was required to save twice from McDonald, first with the legs and then the hands as the diminutive Australian evaded markers all too easily. Vennegoor of Hesselink also had a header cleared off the goal line by Kingston.

Before the interval, Ivaskevicius sprinted clear of two Celtic defenders on the edge of the home penalty area but Artur Boruc was quickly off his line to deny the Lithuanian.

It was glaringly evident, as the teams retreated, that Hearts required changes to attain any foothold in this match, and the second period began with three substitutions as Neil McCann, Christos Karipidis and Andy Driver were all introduced.

McCann slotted in at left-back with Karipidis in the centre of defence and Driver wide left, but the alterations were no hindrace to Celtic.

Any hint that Frail's side may fashion a comeback was dispelled just after the hour when the hosts struck twice in two minutes. McGeady out-foxed both Robbie Neilson and Saulius Mikoliunas on the left and, finally finding a decent delivery, crossed to Vennegoor of Hesselink at the back post. The Dutchman's downward header was stroked home at the back post by the unmarked Scott Brown.

Sixty seconds later, Nakamura skinned both McCann and Zaliukas near the goal line and was tripped by the Lithuanian for a stonewall penalty which Vennegoor of Hesselink converted comfortably. Zaliukas complained, but in truth referee Iain Brines had no choice with the award.

The game was over as a contest, but Brown was in the mood for rubbing salt into wounds. On 79 minutes, he dispossessed Michael Stewart, his former Hibs team-mate, to surge forward and supply Nakamura with the ball. All the Japanese had to do was nonchalantly flick the ball past Banks with the outside of his left boot for the fifth goal.

Hearts' misery was compunded six minutes from time when McCann went down after challenging McDonald near the centre circle. The winger lay in a crumpled heap on the ground signalling his inability to continue, and he was soon removed by stretcher past a concerned looking away dugout.

The Tynecastle side finished with ten men, having used all three substitutes, although the numbers rarely seemed to match up all afternoon amid Celtic's rampant display.

Celtic (4-4-2): Boruc; Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Nakamura, Brown, Donati, McGeady; Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald. Subs: Brown, Zurawski, Hartley, Killen 69 (for Killen), Riordan 69 (for McGeady), Sno, O'Dea.

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Banks; Neilson, Zaliukas, Berra, Goncalves; Mikoliunas, Kingston, Stewart, Ksanavicius; Ivaskevicius; Elliot. Subs: Kurskis, Karipidis 46 (for Goncalves), Pospisil, Cesnauskis, Driver 46 (for Ivaskevicius), Divine, McCann 46 (for Kingston).

Attendance: 57,300

Referee: Iain Brines

Taken from the Scotsman