Last gasp winner sends Celtic top

Dutch defender Glenn Loovens grabbed a dramatic injury-time winner as Celtic came from behind to beat Hearts 2-1 to go top of the Scottish Premier League on Sunday.

His late header sent the home supporters wild as Celtic grabbed the three points to leapfrog Rangers at the summit of the league table.

Suso Santanta had given the visitors an early lead but Chris Killen headed his first competitive goal in two years to equalise in the second period.

The home side had hit the woodwork three times and had been denied a clear penalty and the victory looked beyond them until Loovens’ late intervention.

“It was a little bit of deja vu from the Dundee United game, where we also conceded an early goal and were left to chase the game,” said Celtic manager Tony Mowbray.

“I thought we played very well, even when we were down in the first half. The final ball let us down at times. But ultimately we got the victory we deserved.

“I have never questioned the players’ character. There was character there last week as well. We pushed and pushed against Dundee United too. On the back of the travelling and the heat from the game in Israel, it wasn’t an ideal start for us.”

The win sent Celtic above Rangers in the table, following their 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock.

But Mowbray played down the significance of that at this stage of the season.

“When we get past Christmas and after the New Year, if the season is still tight, then the significance of being top might be more pertinent. I don’t really see the significance of it at the moment.”

Mowbray made two changes to the side that lost in Thursday night’s Europa Cup clash against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Georgios Samaras failed to recover from a shin injury and was replaced by Killen, while skipper Stephen McManus was relegated to the bench which saw Australian striker Scott McDonald restored to the starting line-up.

But any hopes of a quick pick-me-up following the midweek loss were dashed after just five minutes when the visitors took a shock lead.

Spanish midfielder Santana picked up possession 25 yards from goal and as the home defence backed off he struck a low right-foot strike that beat Artur Boruc low to his right-hand post.

Winger Shaun Maloney tried to ease the tension around the stadium but his acrobatic volley from 16 yards was easily held by Janos Balogh.

The Hearts keeper was less secure on 16 minutes when he failed to collect Danny Fox’s right-wing corner.

The Polish shot-stopper was helped out by Gary Caldwell as the pair combined to deny Andy Driver. The English under-21 winger was given acres of space to run clear on the left-hand side and his first effort was superbly blocked by Boruc’s out-stretched hand, before Caldwell hacked away the loose ball as it rolled towards the goalline.

Mowbray’s men started the second-half brightly and had two great opportunities to equalise inside the first five minutes.

The Hearts defence failed to clear another Fox cross but Maloney’s toe-poke towards goal was cleared off the line by Goncalves. And within seconds, McDonald wriggled clear in the area but Balogh dived at his feet and blocked his effort

But the leveller duly arrived on 58 minutes. Killen’s 25-yard effort was turned away by Balogh but Maloney picked up the rebound on the left flank. He cut inside and his right-foot cross was powerfully headed home by Killen, who had made a brilliant run into the box after his initial effort.

McGeady then cracked a stunning left-foot effort against the bar from 25 yards as Celtic pressed for the winner. They were again thwarted by the woodwork on 72 minutes when McDonald’s 20-yard strike hit the post. Killen had a chance from the rebound but fluffed his strike before the Hearts defence hacked the ball clear.

David Obua nearly snatched a late winner for the visitors but his 25-yard drive fizzed narrowly past Boruc’s left-hand post.

There was late drama when referee Dougie McDonald refused to award the home side a deserved penalty after sub Niall McGinn appeared to be upended in the box by Lee Wallace.

But that was all forgotten in the third minute of injury time when Loovens leapt highest to nod home from four yards after the visitors had failed to clear Fox’s right-wing corner.