Bruno's bolt shocks Bhoys' bid

Moira Gordon at Tynecastle
Hearts 1

Aguiar 32

Celtic 1

Vennegoor of Hesselink 1
WHILE Celtic and Rangers struggle to snare this league title, the real point to ponder is just how much closer to them Hearts would have been if they had only had a bit more to offer up front or even found this kind of form earlier in the campaign.

In two of their three meetings this term there has been nothing between these teams and this one was a match that sizzled right from the outset. The opening foray forward by Celtic was rewarded with a goal and the crowd inside the ground and watching on television were rewarded with a cracker as a result. Whether it had been the pre-match game-plan or not, Csaba Laszlo's men had to go on the attack themselves in a bid to seek out a leveller at the very least.

Against a backdrop of noise and passion in the packed Tynecastle Stadium, the contest was as close as it was combative and as fast as it was furious. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a philanthropic aspect to it. The first goal, after all, was gifted to the guests by goalkeeper Janos Balogh.

It was Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's third goal in eight days. The pressure had been exerted straight from the kick-off and no-one in the home ranks was decisive enough in clearing the danger. The insipid half-clearance from Andrew Driver went only as far as the unmarked Andreas Hinkel, encroaching deep into Hearts half and when the full-back played the ball back into the box, the big Dutchman volleyed it goalwards.

It was poor marking from Hearts but that is not where their generosity ended. Balogh, going down in stages, looked like he would get a hand to it as it crept inside the post but he allowed it to bounce over his gloves and into the net. The celebrations were spookily delayed as even the Celtic players and fans seemed to find it hard to believe the effort had been able to find its way into the net.

The Celtic team which took to the field had been reshuffled since the midweek victory over Falkirk. The injured Darren O'Dea was replaced by Lee Naylor, while Glenn Loovens dropped in at centre-back, allowing Gary Caldwell to take on the defensive midfield role. Marc Crosas slipped to the bench as a consequence, as did Shunsuke Nakamura, replaced by Willo Flood.

Hearts preferred the more settled option, sticking with the starting XI who had given them such a convincing triumph over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle last weekend.

They'd had to fight back from a goal down in that one too. It was not a situation that pleased the Hearts gaffer, who veered from merely animated to wildly apoplectic on the sidelines. A lot of that had much to do with refereeing decisions he disagreed with. And there were a few of them. Michael Stewart had even claimed for a penalty in the opening 45 minutes but few in the ground lent their voice to his appeal.

Before the match, Hearts had maintained that there was no longer any fear in facing either of the Old Firm and having been nudged awake by that 28th-second goal, they soon perked up and found themselves threatening at the other end. Calum Elliot was the Hearts targetman, with Aguiar offering assistance with his runs from deep and David Obua and Driver charged with the dual roles of harnessing Aiden McGeady and Flood, while also making their own breenging darts forward. Driver was the more able in that respect.

In the seventh minute, Elliot's header dipped just over Artur Boruc's bar and set the tone for match. Hearts would continue to set up camp but rarely would they force a save from the Celtic keeper. There was pressure, just little precision when it came to the final ball or shot.

Celtic themselves were restricted to long-range skelps, or set-piece chances. The best came in the 21st minute when Stephen McManus rose to head a Lee Naylor cross against the crossbar. But, in a manic half which had all the passion and a decent quality of passing as well, Hearts got the equaliser their input deserved. Hard-working and organised, they fought back from the early disappointment and regained their composure and when Stewart was blocked on the edge of the box by Caldwell, Bruno Aguiar sent in a shot with pace and pin-point accuracy that beat the wall and Boruc. It also took him to the top of the Hearts' scoring charts for this term, with six. It underlines just how difficult the goals have been for the team to come by.

Struggling more at the back than they would have liked, Celtic altered their line-up at half-time. Manager Gordon Strachan said that McManus has insisted on starting but, looking only 50% fit, he opted to substitute him for his own good. It saw Caldwell move back one and Crosas was introduced. It offered Celtic a more attacking look.

That was enhanced further when Nakamura replaced Flood. Celtic had the momentum at that stage but still nothing could separate the sides. Zaliukas tried to finish after a unlikely parade upfield but Loovens blocked, while the Hearts defender had to do likewise at the other end to halt the progress of a Nakamura effort. In between, the ball dropped to Driver at the back post following a mis-headed clearance from Loovens, but his volley went over.

With a final throw of the dice, Celtic pitched in Koki Mizuno and it was his zippy effort from a Naylor long throw in the 89th minute that prompted a collective holding of breath.

It meant they left Tynecastle with just a point. Against a Hearts team this well organised and committed, however, few teams would have managed that. Two points dropped or one point gained? Only the final league standings will reveal that.

We've more ice than the Titanic, quips Strachan

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan withdrew captain Stephen McManus at half-time yesterday then claimed the defender can be too brave for his own good.

Although his side could only claim one point from the match at Tynecastle, which he described as "frantic but good fun", he said he was relatively happy with the play. "I was pleased with a lot of things we did – once we got our back four sorted out, once we got Mick (McManus] off the pitch, because he is too brave for his own good. A 90% or even 80% Mick is fine but 50% or less is not really good enough. I felt sorry for him but I do believe he has to say, 'Enough is enough, the pain is too much'. Once we got that sorted out, it was fine."

McManus had been doubtful before the match, struggling with the same ankle injury which kept him out of the recent Scotland match against Holland.

"We kept asking and he kept saying he was fine. That's when I had to make a decision for his own good and our good. We had to be strong with him at half-time," said the Celtic manager.

Strachan revealed that Scott Brown and a couple of others were also struggling with knocks. "Let's just say there is a lot of ice in that dressing room. It's like the dining room on the Titantic at the moment!"

Janos Balogh could have expected an icy reception from his team-mates after his blunder gifted Celtic their goal. His manager Csaba Laszlo was annoyed at how often his team are presenting openings to the opposition. "It doesn't matter if it's Christmas Day or Mother's Day, we hand out gifts. Now it's Easter, we gave away a huge egg after 30 seconds.

"If you think about how many times we have given a gift to the opponents, it would drive you crazy."

But taking points off the Old Firm for the fourth time in six matches this term has given him hope that they can close the gap on the Glasgow pair next season. "If we can keep these players together and get two or three new players then I think it could be a very interesting league next year."

MAN OF THE MATCH

While Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was a consideration not only because of his goal but also his defensive qualities, the likely contenders were in the Hearts midfield and central defence. His sublime score from a free-kick gives Bruno Aguiar the edge.

QUICK FACT

Celtic are one of only two teams, the other Kilmarnock, to have won at Tynecastle on league duty this term. The Gorgie side have now gone 11 games unbeaten at home.

TALKING POINT

Just how close Hearts could have run the Old Firm this season if they had only had a more prolific scorer and found the same form away from home as they have at Tynecastle.

Taken from the Scotsman