BACK IN THE GOAL ROUTINE
Hoops lay down a marker and won’t give up their championship title easily CELTIC 4 HEARTS 1
SCOTTISH champions Celtic took no time getting right back into their stride with a demolition of Hearts at Celtic Park. The managerless Jambos were ruthlessly swatted aside as the Hoops sent out a message to rivals Rangers and the rest of the chasing pack.
Leigh Griffiths opened the scoring in the first half, Scott Sinclair got his customary goal against Hearts before Griffiths’s second was added to by Callum Mcgregor who picked up the sponsors man of the match award.
Manager Brendan Rodgers said afterwards he was delighted with the afternoon’s work.
He added: “I thought the payers were outstanding in all elements of our game. We had to be patient as Hearts set up very well at the beginning of the game.
“It was disappointing that we were only 1-0 up at half-time. We scored four but we could have had a few more.”
THEY asked the crowd to count down from 10 as skipper Scott Brown pulled the cord on a new season.
They can starting counting back up the way to the same number any time they like.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Celtic unfurl the flag then unravel the opposition.
A double from Leigh Griffiths and goals from Scott Sinclair and Callum Mcgregor saw the six-in-a-row champions pick up exactly where they left off, grinding down determined opposition then burying them.
And despite conceding an uncharacteristic consolation to Isma Goncalves at the death as Hearts dug in for stand-in boss Jon Daly, they were at their relentless best after the break.
Griffiths, who took his tally for the club to 87, said: “We wanted to pick up from where we left off - not just me personally, but the team. Set a marker.
“Last season was great for us, but it’s a new season now and we want to set even more records. The sight of the Scotland striker in the starting line-up will have come as a relief to the Celtic support after a calf injury saw him only manage a sub appearance against Rosenberg in midweek.
And he insisted: “I’m feeling really good. Wednesday was about breaking me back in and this week we’ve got three games.
“So I got 60 minutes under my belt today and hopefully I can replicate that Tuesday/ Friday.”
In the 23rd minute, after Griffiths had walked through two tackles before seeing his powerful drive parried by keeper Jack Hamilton, Hearts skipper Christophe Berra nicked the ball away from Mcgregor as he set himself to knock the ball into the net.
The Hoops were gradually building momentum.
Griffiths drove wide from 16 yards after being set up by Sinclair but when Bitton sent him racing clear on goal with a long ball he had more success.
After Hamilton had blocked his first attempt, the Scotland striker shrugged off the attention of the keeper and backtracking defender Grzelak to roll the ball into the net.
Griffiths, James Forrest and Mcgregor had further efforts as the home side ended the first half in total control.
Hearts enjoyed a flurry of activity at the start of the second period but soon found themselves two behind.
Hughes failed to clear a Griffiths corner from the left, leaving Sinclair the easiest task of sliding the ball in from close range at the back post.
Hamilton saved from Mcgregor’s drive but was unable to do anything when the Hoops midfielder reached the byline to cross for Griffiths to head in from a couple of yards out.
Mcgregor got the goal his play deserved when he blazed a Sinclair pass high past hapless Hamilton from 20 yards.
Hearts pulled a goal back from Goncalves who had replaced Grzelak.