Celtic 1 Hearts 0Perhaps it was the fear of tempting fate that ensured Gordon Strachan had earlier resisted the temptation to label a Scottish Premier League title win as the most significant moment of his career, but the Celtic manager will no doubt be a proud man this morning after his team sealed his first championship as a manager by virtue of an early John Hartson strike.
The margin of this title victory might yet increase, but Strachan's side now lead second-placed Hearts by 20 points and have secured the trophy with six games to play - impressive statistics in one of Scottish football's more unpredictable seasons of recent times.
Hearts' record of only two wins from their previous 28 visits to Glasgow's east end did not augur well for the Tynecastle club, nor did the absence of their defensive duo Steven Pressley and Jose Goncalves through injury.
Rudi Skacel, the Edinburgh side's top scorer, was a surprise omission from the starting XI under the gaze of club owner Vladimir Romanov, with Lithuanian winger Saulius Mikoliunas brought in as a replacement.
It was fitting Celtic were handed the opportunity to seal the championship against Hearts, given the previous meeting between the two, in which Strachan's side staged a late fightback to win 3-2, is regarded as the turning point in this league season. Their task last night, to submit a final blow to the hopes of their nearest challengers, was considered a more simple one.
Among the 59,699 spectators were Celtic's rarely seen majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the club's former captain Jackie MacNamara, fuelling speculation the Wolves player is keen to return to Parkead in the summer.
The vast majority of the crowd were on their feet after just four minutes when Hartson, restored to the side in place of Dion Dublin, half-volleyed the game's opening goal past Craig Gordon, straight from goalkeeper Artur Boruc's kick-out - the perfect way for the Welshman to celebrate his 31st birthday.
CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura (Pearson 58), Petrov, Lennon, Maloney (McGeady 82), Zurawski, Hartson (Dublin 69). Subs not used: Marshall, Thompson, Varga, Wallace. Booked: Hartson, Telfer. Goals: Hartson 4.
HEARTS: Gordon, Neilson, Webster, Berra, Fyssas, Cesnauskis, Hartley, Brellier (Elliot 85), Mikoliunas (Skacel 62), Bednar, Jankauskas (Pospisil 54). Subs not used: Banks, Tall, Aguiar, Petras. Booked: Fyssas, Brellier, Elliot.
Referee: D McDonald (Scotland).
