Celtic keep title race alive as Motherwell do them a favour

Celtic kept their faint hopes of the title alive on Wednesday when they reduced the gap at the top to eight points with a 2-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead as leaders Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by Motherwell.

The league leaders left it late to secure a point at Fir Park when Kris Boyd pounced to slam home Sasa Papac’s cross after a Tom Hately free-kick had given Motherwell a first-half lead.

At Parkhead Celtic could not find a way past a stubborn Hearts defence in the first-half with Robbie Keane, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Scott Brown all denied by keeper Marian Kello.

However, it took just four minutes of the second-half for the Hoops to find an opener through Glenn Loovens, who fired in from Diomansy Kamara’s corner.

Fortune had been restored to the starting line-up and he repaid his manager’s faith when he slotted home the second less than 60 seconds later to leave Hearts winless since Jim Jefferies return for a second spell as manager.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray said that the performance was not important only the end result.

“At this stage we’ve got to win football matches,” Celtic manager Tony Mowbray said.

“I think once we scored the two early goals it opened the game up and due respect to Hearts we could have scored a few more.”

Jefferies said he consoled himself with the thought that his side could have been at the end of a real thrashing had he got them to play a more open game.

“It was about getting a side out set out to contain them a bit,” Jefferies said.

“In the end it could have been five or six and been a real confidence breaker.”

Keane was making his home debut for the Hoops and had a chance to open the lead after just seven minutes after beating the off-side trap.

The Irish international skipper latched on to a long ball and raced into the box but blasted his effort into the side netting.

Hearts, with lone striker Christian Nade, were struggling to make changes but Josh Thomson had to be brave to block a vicious volley from the edge of the box by Ryan Stevenson.

Kello twice denied Celtic as they missed a golden chance to take the lead in the 26th minute.

Kamara released Brown in the box but his attempted chip shop was blocked by Kello and when the rebound eventually fell for Fortune his fierce drive was deflected over by the Lithuanian keeper.

McGeady was the provider as he picked out Keane’s run in the box but the on-loan Spurs striker sent a soft shot straight to Kello and the danger was cleared.

Michael Stewart’s wayward shot was nearly directed past Artur Boruc by Paul Mulrooney in a rare attacking move by Hearts. Kamara fired over from range before McGeady was booked for booting the ball away when the whistle went for half-time as frustrations began to show.

Celtic came out fired up for the second-half and despite all the impressive talent in their forward line-up it was a defender who shot them into a 49th minute lead.

Loovens allowed Kamara’s corner to bounce between his legs before he swivelled and lashed home a left-foot drive from inside the six-yard box. Less than 60 seconds later Fortune doubled Celtic’s advantage.

McGeady burst through the Hearts defence at pace before playing a perfectly weighted pass for Fortune who tucked it away low past Kello.

Elsewhere Hibernian scored a last minute goal to draw 2-2 with Aberdeen, Hamilton defeated Dundee United 2-0, Kilmarnock won 1-0 away to Falkirk and St Johnstone and St Mirren ended 1-1.