Celtic 3 - 2 Hibernian: Late Celtic comeback secures three points

CELTIC came from behind to leave Rangers' inevitable SPL party on ice with substitute Morten Rasmussen claiming the winner in a five-goal thriller just three minutes from time.

• Celtic's Robbie Keane (right) and Kevin McBride battle for the ball

Robbie Keane had given the home side a fourth minute lead only for Derek Rirodan and Anthony Stokes, from the penalty spot, to silence the home crowd as Hibs, themselves seeking precious points in the race for a place in next season's Europa League, eased themselves into the lead.

But just as it looked as if Hibs might repeat their win at this venue earlier in the season, Marc Antoine-Fortune clipped home from close-range before Rasmussen claimed victory in dramatic fashion.

• SPL in pictures: Saturday 17 April

Hibs hopes of easing a brutal run of just two wins in 13 outings suffered an shattering blow as Celtic took the lead with barely four minutes on the clock, Aiden McGeady getting past Darren McCormack all too easily before delivering a low cross which found Robbie Keane totally unmarked to slide the ball beyond the helpless Graham Stack.

But John Hughes' players stunned another paltry Celtic Park crowd by equalising just two minutes later, Sol Bamba striding out from the back to feed Stokes who was allowed an unchecked run as he found Riordan who met the ball first time to drill his 16th goal of the season low and into the far corner of the net from 20 yards.

Colin Nish should have added to that goal in the tenth minute when Stokes clever ball across the face of goal left him with what looked like an easy tap-in but somehow the striker conrived to totally miss his kick.

It was Celtic, though, who carved out the greater number of openings, Paul Hanlon twice stepping in to deny Keane and then Marc Antoine Fortune before Keane shattered Hibs offside trap with a superb pass to Niall McGinn, leaving the winger with only Stack to beat. He was unable to do so, however, the Hibs goalkeeper managing to deflect his close-range shot wide via the combination of his left boot and hand.

Stack again had to look lively to hold a deflected shot from Landry N'Guemo as Celtic turned the screw with Fortune heading over after a McGeady cross had left him with the goal gaping before Ian Murray stepped in to hammer clear another low cross from the Republic of Ireland winger which had just eluded countryman Keane.

Boruc, though, was at full-stretch to get a hand to a low angled drive from Stokes, pushing the ball to his right and to safety with no Hibs player in the vicinity.

Celtic went within inches of restoring their lead six minutes after the interval, Fortune twisting and turning Bamba only to see his shot come off the outside of the near post and go wide.

But it was Hibs who took the lead via the penalty spot two minutes later as referee Stephen Finnie adjudged Celtic defender Josh Thompson guilty of a high boot on Stokes as he attempted to clear a McCormack cross which had been nodded back into the danger area by Nish.

It was the exact same situation Stokes found himself in a fortnight ago at Easter Road when he was similarly penalised as he caught McGeady in attempting a clearance, the Hibs striker stepping up to claim his 20th goal of the season.

Neil Lennon's players were clearly shocked to find themselves behind and the home crowd, small as it was, were not slow to let them know what they thought although Stack did well to get down to push away a vicious low shot from substitute Andreas Hinkel with Bamba sliding in to complete the job before Fortune could reach the rebound.

Again Celtic were enjoying the majority of possession without being able to carve out a clear-cut opportunity with Bamba and Hanlon standing firm in the centre of defence although Stack had to look on anxiously as an effort from former Hibs star Scott Brown crept past the post although the goalkeeper was in better position to beat away a rising drive from Rasmussen who had been introduced at the expense of McGinn five minutes earlier.

A precisely placed cut-back from Fortune again found Keane in space, but once more the on-loan Spurs hitman was off-target. But just as it looked as if Hibs might hold on for a notable Celtic Park double, the Hoops equalised with only ten minutes remaining, McGeady's low cross finding Keane who saw his effort blocked by Stack only for the ball to fall to Fortune to knock into the empty net.

The home crowd suddenly came alive, Rasmussen drilling a low shot inches wide as Celtic sensed a winner which came three minutes from time as Rasmussen got the merest of touches on Fortune's low ball to the near post to beat Stack.

Celtic: Boruc, Wilson, Thompson, O'Dea (Hinkel 59), Naylor, McGinn

(Rasmussen 73), Brown, N'Guemo, McGeady, Keane, Fortune. Subs not

used: Zaluska, Crosas, Ki, Braafheid, Samaras.

Hibs: Stack, McCormack, Bamba, Hanlon, Murray, Wwotherspoon, McBride,

Rankin, Stokes, Nish (Benjelloun 80), Riordan (Galbraith 71). Subs not

used: Smith, Thicot, Stevenson, Byrne, McCann.

Referee: Stephen Finnie.