SPL Sunday September 18th

Hibernian 0

Celtic 1

0:1 Petrov 14

Att: 9,903

MIB: Mike McCurry

Celtic:
Boruc Telfer Balde McManus Camara Petrov Lennon Nakamura Thompson Hartson Zurawski
subs
Pearson for Thompson 50
Beattie for Hartson 60
Maloney for Nakamura 73

This was an easier win than the scoreline suggests but we still had to squirm through some hairy moments before the three points - and clear second place in the table - were eventually safely on the bus back to Glasgow.

Resplendent in their new black away kits (a snip at forty quid - buy several when it hits the supertore in October) the players came out the traps as if they wanted to get things over in a hurry. When Petrov ran on to a through ball from Nakamura to slot it under the 'keeper's legs after just five minutes we sat back and waited for the deluge.

It might have come, too, had not the strikers decided they'd prefer to let Hibs stay in the match. With Celtic well in control and playing some nice stuff - as the team can do these days when they go a goal to the good - Zurawski, Nakamura and BBJ all missed great chances within the first 25 minutes.

Sensing they'd been given a reprieve while standing on the trapdoor the home team gradually clawed their way back into it. In fact Hibs had possibly the better of the second half and even had a few chances to equalise thanks partly to some schoolboy defending on the part of the Sieve. But big Artur Boruc once again showed us what we've been missing for at least a generation - a goalie who can save us at least ten points a season with crucial saves at vital times.

One stop in particular, when he tipped a Whittaker drive round the post, was superb. Shot stopping aside, his overall contribution to the defence gets better each game. Rab Douglas could save the odd shot now and again, and even Magnus Hedman managed to save a penalty in a Champions League match, but this big guy exudes confidence from every pore and all aspects of his game, including Rab's old nemesis, crosses, and Hedman's (everything else) are better than any Celtic we've seen for years. (That's his cue to have a nightmare next week, of course). Apart from all that, he goes berserk whenever he comes even close to letting one in. Sign him on a four year contract ASAP.

Ivan Sproule, terror of the huns a few weeks ago, was kept in check all afternoon by Paul Telfer, a man nearly twice his age, and his frustration eventually prompted him to have a kick at the Celtic player. Telfer wasn't going to stand this kind of behaviour from a whippersnapper and there ensued the kind of melee that footballers choreograph so well. Had Neil Lennon been the instigator God only knows what kind punishments would have been called down upon his ginger head.

Another three points and another clean sheet into the bargain.