Celtic 2 Hibernian 0:SO GORDON Strachan has his wish. For weeks the Celtic manager has expressed his prime desire of seeing the title race go to the season's final matches. It had seemed a forlorn hope at the start of April, but Celtic's impressive recent run means the destination of the SPL trophy will be decided on May 22nd - unless a highly unlikely set of results mean Strachan's team are champions before then anyway.
Rangers, four points behind their city rivals, are now under serious pressure to win their two matches in hand.
Goals from Stephen McManus and the prolific Scott McDonald ensured Celtic signed off from Parkhead for the season in winning touch; 58,000 supporters demonstrated their growing belief that the championship will be retained by hailing their heroes on a lap of honour.
If their late-season run proves to be in vain, the fans appear content to praise the way Celtic have rallied from what looked an irretrievable position.
"I think I'll manage to stay off the drink and my marriage will be okay," said Strachan, contemplating the drama which may await. "I've been involved in relegation battles, after all. I'm just happy the players have put themselves in a position where the last day is important."
This was a damaging result for Hibernian but one which will have been celebrated in Motherwell. Celtic's victory secures the Lanarkshire side third place in the SPL and Uefa Cup football next season. Celtic will look for the favour to be returned on Saturday when Rangers travel to Fir Park.
Hibs' frustrations boiled over in the closing stages as Martin Canning and Ian Murray were dismissed, Canning having received two bookings while Murray received a straight red card for a wild kick at Aiden McGeady.
In a more entertaining contest than could reasonably be expected at such a fraught stage of the season, McManus headed the home side in front eight minutes from the interval when he met a Shunsuke Nakamura corner.
McManus's central defensive partner, Gary Caldwell, had already seen an effort kicked from the goal-line by Rob Jones.
At the other end Artur Boruc saved well from Steven Fletcher.
Nakamura later crashed a sublime free-kick from 25 yards against the upright as Celtic, driven superbly from midfield by Paul Hartley and Barry Robson, went in search of a second goal.
McDonald should have supplied it within two minutes of the restart but his tame shot was blocked by Murray. But the Australian has shown eye-catching form in his debut season at Celtic and in due course supplied his 31st goal of the campaign with a back-post header after Clayton Donaldson could only flick Robson's curling free-kick into his path.
"It was a fitting end to the season here, a smashing game," added Strachan. "But trust me; results are the only thing that matter here."
CELTIC: Boruc, Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Hartley, Robson, McGeady, McDonald (Sheridan 90), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 78). Subs not used: Mark Brown, Scott Brown, Balde, Caddis, Donati. Booked: Nakamura, Hartley.
HIBERNIAN: McNeil, Hogg, Jones, Canning, Murray, Morais (Nish 88), Beuzelin, Rankin, Campbell (Donaldson 70), Shiels, Fletcher. Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Kerr, O'Brien, Gathuessi, Chisholm. Booked: Hogg, Canning, Shiels.
Referee: D McDonald (Scotland).
