Hartson settles Celtic nerves after scare

Celtic 4 Inverness CT

Celtic exorcised the ghost of Inverness Caledonian Thistle as they gained a slice of revenge for their Parkhead night of infamy 32 months ago.

This time there were no demonstrations, no bloodletting, as John Hartson's double ensured progress to the quarter-finals of the CIS Insurance Cup, though Inverness's two fine goals provided an echo of their capability to shock.

Almost 4,000 made the long trip down from the Highlands to see if Inverness could eclipse their historic Scottish Cup defeat of Celtic here in 2000, which cost John Barnes his job, and Mark Viduka – who refused to come out for the second half after a dressing-room row – his reputation.

Martin O'Neill had vowed to give the First Division side a taste of the real Celtic, but with numerous key players rested – including Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton – there was a chance for goal-hungry players such as Shaun Maloney and Hartson to enjoy a rare start.

When Maloney put Celtic ahead after just four minutes, meeting a low cross from Didier Agathe, it seemed as if any fears would be unfounded. However, five minutes later Paul Ritchie shook Parkhead with a thunderous equaliser, drilling a fierce 25-yard shot past Robert Douglas.

Was lightning about to strike twice? Celtic removed that notion by regaining the lead in the 19th minute, when David Fernandez delivered a cross which Hartson dived in to head past Mark Brown.

Alan Thompson increased the lead to 3-1, bending a free-kick around the wall after Maloney had been fouled, and the teenager set up Hartson's second on the hour with a fine chip to the back post which the Welshman buried with his right boot. There was some consolation for Inverness in the 72nd minute when Dennis Wyness reduced the deficit.

Celtic (3-5-2): Douglas; Boyd (Miller, 76), Baldé (Kennedy, 62), Crainey; Agathe (Wallace, 67), Healy, Thompson, Maloney, Smith; Hartson, Fernandez. Substitutes not used: Sylla, Gould (gk).

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (3-5-2): Brown; Munro, Mann, Golabek; Tokely, Hart, McBain, Duncan, Robson (Christie, 71); Ritchie (Keogh, 78), Wyness. Substitutes: McCaffrey, Low, Ridgers (gk).

Referee: M McCurry.