Celtic 0 - 0 Hibernian: Hoops continue to lose ground on Rangers

HIBS restored a measure of pride following their midweek mauling by Celtic as they battled their way to a point - a goal-less draw putting another dent in the Glasgow side’s SPL title hopes.

After watching his side crash at the hands of Celtic only days ago, Hibs boss Colin Calderwood made four changes for the trip to Glasgow.

Graham Stack returned in place of Mark Brown in goal while new dad Sean O’Hanlon came in for skipper Ian Murray who had failed to shake off a groin injury sustained during Wednesday night’s 4-1 defeat as Victor Palsson and Ivan Sproule made way for Lewis Stevenson and Danny Galbraith respectively.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon contented himself with just one change, Charlie Mulgrew returning in central defence at the expense of Daniel Majstorovic.

If the Celtic fans were expecting an early rush of goals following that devastating second half blitz at Easter Road in midweek then they would have been sorely disappointed as the Glasgow side made a slow start which suited Hibs as it allowed them to settle into the match.

Indeed, the only moments of note in that spell were a through ball from Isaiah Osbourne which had Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster racing from his area to head clear before Leigh Griffiths could get to it and an Anthony Stokes shot which Stack held at the second attempt.

It wasn’t until the half-hour mark that the fans were awakened from their slumbers, Stokes cutting in from theleft to rattle a low shot off the legs of Stack while five minutes later the former Hibs star played his part in giving his fellow striker Gary Hooper his first sight of goal.

But with only Stack to beat Hooper saw his shot clip the outside of the goalkeeper’s left hand post and go behind.

Although they’d gone into this match 13 points behind SPL leaders and arch-rivals Rangers there was a lack of urgency about Celtic’s play, Lennon’s side appearing to expect something to happen rather than try to force the issue which, again, played in Hibs’ favour.

As a consequence the home fans were becoming a little anxious although James Forrest almost calmed their nerves with a low shot which Stack did well to push aside.

Hibs downfall a few days ago was conceding that equaliser less than two minutes into the second half, but they didn’t make the same mistake this time round and, in fact, it was the Edinburgh club which created the first chances, Galbraith sending a free-kick straight at Forster while Griffiths sent a similar opportunity just wide before a deflected Galbraith effort looped over.

But Celtic went even closer with 64 minutes gone, Forrest cutting in from the right to deliver a left foot shot which clipped the top of Stack’s bar.

Celtic: Forster, M Wilson, Rogne, Mulgrew, Matthews, Forest, Kayal (Wanyama 71), Ledley, Ki (McCourt 71), Stokes, Hooper (Samaras 83). Subs not used: Zaluska, Cha, El Kaddouri, Majstorovic.

Hibs: Stack, Wotherspoon, O’Hanlon, Stephens, Hanlon, Galbraith, Osbourne, Galbraith, Agogo (Sproule 78), O’Connor (Thornhill 78), Griffiths (Palsson 90). Subs not used: Brown, Welsh, Sodje, Scott.

Referee: Calum Murray.