Seconds out, but knockout blow arrives swiftly as Celtic pummel Hearts into submission

Stewart Fisher

GONE in 33 seconds.

Hearts' ongoing stand-off with HMRC sees the very club's existence called into question but their stay of execution in this game lasted less than a minute.

The Tynecastle club's players have proved expert at disregarding their dire financial circumstances this season and it briefly looked like we were in for more of the same when Andy Driver speared over an early corner, Andy Webster headed it back into the tumult, and Stephen Elliott glanced the ball towards goal from close range before wheeling away to take the adulation of the crowd. It was a moment when everything seemed possible, but let's just say the evening didn't pan out as the home side envisaged.

The ball then ricocheted from Joe Ledley's thigh and bounced clean behind the line, only for Fraser Forster to reprise his manoeuvre from December's Old Firm match and use one of those big hands of his to scoop the ball away. Fifa will have another look at goalline technology in next month's International Football Association Board meeting, and the season would no doubt look a lot different had Forster been denied his two most crucial saves of the season, but the sense of grievance in the home areas only increased when Celtic swept up the other end.

Only 33 seconds had elapsed by the time Scott Brown was standing in trademark, splayed-arm pose, having scored his fourth goal in four games, the Tynecastle stands quivering in disbelief. "It shows you what a big difference a minute can make," said Brown, who pleaded the fifth amendment as to whether the Hearts 'goal' had been over the line. "I think we went on from strength to strength. I think I have probably had my two best wins here under the gaffer, the 3-0 win here last May and then 4-0 tonight. I think we are getting to know each other better and better with every game and stronger and fitter. I haven't scored four goals in a row since I was 15."

Forster had made a more conventional save to defy Hearts a priceless point from the penalty spot at Celtic Park in December, and it soon transpired another hero of that last meeting was to have his say here. Victor Wanyama's goal that day was a contender for the best in Scotland all season long, but the manner in which he killed James Forrest's low cross-cum-shot, and swivelled to fire an unerring drive into Jamie MacDonald's top corner, may just run it close.

At this point you could only sympathise with the Tynecastle club's players given the efficiency of their opponents' finishing. They had tried manfully enough in the opening 20 minutes, especially considering the absence of the suspended Ian Black and injured David Templeton. But soon they started to conspire in their own downfall. MacDonald was the recipient of the ongoing dispute between the Tynecastle club and No.1 goalkeeper Marian Kello, the Slovakian who they attempted to ship out to Austria Vienna on deadline day, but both he and captain Marius Zaliukas would be culpable as Celtic made it three before half time.

Brown caught the Lithuanian dithering on the ball in a dangerous area and fed Georgios Samaras, whose cross eluded MacDonald too easily before being headed in by Ledley. The rout was almost reaching Tottenham Hotspur proportions when two Mulgrew crosses were almost diverted into their own net by members of the beleaguered Tynecastle rearguard. It was a symptom of the sheer frustration coursing through the home ranks when Webster was deservedly booked for a nasty whack at the heels of Gary Hooper.

Hooper would have the last laugh, not long into the second half, prodding the ball over the line from close range after Adrian Mrowiec and McDonald failed to prevent Wanyama getting on the end of Charlie Mulgrew's wicked delivery. What the watching Stuart Pearce, manager of Team GB at this summer's Olympic football team and, as of last night, current caretaker manager of England, made of it all is unclear. Perhaps he mused that battles against the HMRC can be won after all.

One other unavoidable conclusion was that after 13 consecutive league wins, 16 in all competitions domestically, and a four-point lead restored at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier Legaue, Celtic are starting to look unstoppable after what was arguably their best performance of the season.

Taken from the Herald