End of season finishes in defeat for Hearts at Tynecastle

Hearts went down 2-1 to Celtic today in the last game of the season at Tynecastle.

Goals from Robbie Keane and Zheng Zhi either side of a Marius Zaliukas equaliser was enough to give Celtic all three points.

Hearts welcomed back David Obua and Laryea Kingston after both players, who were so influential in last weekend's win over Hibs, missed the vital midweek clash with Dundee United through suspension. Also coming into the fold were Jason and Craig Thomson as Lee Wallace missed out through injury and Ruben Palazuelos, Suso Santana and Ian Black were rested due to possible suspensions that would carry through into the start of next season.

A surprisingly vocal away support was the only thing of note to report in the first twenty minutes of the game as this meaningless end of season fixture fully lived up to its' billing.

On 23 minutes the away side took the lead and almost expectantly it was Robbie Keane scoring in what is likely to be his last game for Celtic.

Hearts conceded possession too easily in the midfield allowing Aiden McGeady to slip the ball through for Keane. The Irish internationalist was all alone after a slip by Marius Zaliukas and he kept his cool to stroke the ball past Jamie MacDonald for a 1-0 lead.

Moments later Marc Antoine Fortune produced a powerful drive from an indirect free-kick that was well saved by MacDonald as Celtic were threatening to run away with this one.

From a Hearts perspective the game came to life on 35 minutes when David Obua edged a yard on his marker inside the penalty area and his looping header was destined to creep inside the far post until the fingertips of Lukasz Zaluska denied the Ugandan.

Zaluska may have denied the home players on that occasion but the chance awoke the Hearts crowd and they were in full voice two minutes later when Hearts equalised through captain Marius Zaliukas.

Calum Elliot's persistence on the right wing was rewarded when he won a free-kick for Hearts, through a foul by Darren O'Dea, right on the edge of the penalty area. Craig Thomson's low delivery into the penalty area was turned in on the half volley by Hearts' Lithuanian skipper.

The game now had some life to it and was beginning to resemble most encounters between Hearts and Celtic at Tynecastle as opposed to a dull end of season fixture.

Two minutes before the end of the first half David Obua again threatened Celtic with his head as he rose highest to meet a David Templeton cross from the left. There was plenty of power in the header to beat Zaluska but this time he lacked the accuracy as the ball flashed wide of goal.

The second half started in similar fashion to the end of the first with both teams creating opportunities for themselves within minutes of the restart. First David Templeton shot wide of the far post after finding himself in some space on the left side of the penalty area. Then at the other end Robbie Keane was allowed too much space through the centre of the park but his shot dropped just over the top left hand corner of the crossbar.

Five minutes into the half Celtic thought they had retaken the lead when Edson Braafheid expertly dispatched a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner of the net. However the away fan's celebrations were cut short as referee Craig Thomson spotted an infringement and awarded a free-kick to Hearts. Much to the annoyance of Neil Lennon, Celtic's interim manager.

On 59 minutes Celtic were back in front with a goal of undeniable quality from midfielder Zheng Zhi. The Chinese internationalist found himself on the end of a cross from the left as he flicked the ball over the head of his marker with his first touch and guided the ball into the top corner of the net with his second.

With 20 minutes of the game remaining Hearts carved open an opportunity through Ryan Stevenson on the counter attack. A clever through ball on the left met the run of Calum Elliot who then tried to square the ball across goal to Stevenson but the bulky midfielder was put under pressure from the retreating Celtic defence and in the end could only flick a tame effort goalwards with his left foot that was comfortably held by Zaluska.

Just over five minutes later Craig Thomson looked to have brought the home side level but his stabbed shot from just inside the penalty area was cleared off the line by Josh Thompson. Moments later Stevenson headed over whilst off balance after he found some space in the centre of the penalty area as the frequency in Hearts' chances was beginning to quicken as they looked for a deserved equaliser.

That illusive goal did not arrive and despite giving a good account of themselves, Hearts will have to wait until next season to pick up their first points against the Old Firm since the return of Jim Jefferies to Tynecastle.

Hearts: MacDonald; J Thomson, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Jonsson; C Thomson (Novikovas 83), Kingston (Smith 85), Stevenson, Templeton; Elliot (Robinson 75), Obua. Subs not used: Lyness, Kucharski, Glen, Mulrooney.

Celtic: Zaluska; Hinkel, Thompson, O'Dea, Braafheid; Wilson, Brown, Zhi, McGeady (Forrest 90); Fortune (Rasmussen 67), Keane (McGowan 90). Subs not used: Cervi, Crosas, Caddis, McGinn

Referee: Craig Thomson

Top man: David Obua

Hearts World