Petrov's late strike gives Celtic the spoils

Hibernian 0 Celtic 1

Celtic ground out a vital win last night at Easter Road to allow them to enter Saturday's encounter with Rangers still one point clear of their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Stilian Petrov grabbed the winner in the 76th minute, striding on to a pass from John Hartson and beating goalkeeper Nick Colgan.

The Welsh striker had done nothing of note all evening, looking strangely subdued without Henrik Larsson alongside him. Celtic had stuttered and it looked as if it would enter the Glasgow derby trailing Rangers.

Celtic had to approach the task with the unusual situation of their prolific goal-scorer Larsson missing. It was the first time this season that the talismanic Swede had failed to appear in a league game and Celtic certainly felt his absence in the first half when they failed to register a single shot on target.

Apart from the 26-goal striker, Chris Sutton also failed to make the team. His robust qualities would have been an asset to the champions in an opening 45 minutes which was peppered with late challenges as Hibernian gave their visitors a torrid time.

The home side would have been ahead after 21 minutes had Alan Thompson not appeared on the goal-line with a clearing header to deny a glancing effort by Derek Townsley, from a corner by John O'Neil.

Ian Murray was booked for several biting tackles on Paul Lambert, though Tom McManus was lucky to escape punishment after a spiteful lunge at Bobo Balde, long after the ball had gone.

Murray signalled his intent with shots from the edge of the box on either side of the interval but on each occasion goalkeeper Robert Douglas was equal to them.

In a frustrating second half Hibernian's offside trap continually caught out the champions. When it didn't Hartson was guilty of some glaring misses, notably when he missed from point-blank range in the 65th minute after David Fernandez had set him up.

Worse was to follow, just five minutes later, as Hartson raced in on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. However, the Welshman tried an ambitious lob from 30 yards and it sailed over the bar to his team-mates' fury.

Hibernian thought they had snatched an equaliser in stoppage time when Tom McManus rose to meet a cross from Craig James, but the header was just fractionally too high. The relief on the faces of the Celtic team was all to visible at the end.

Hibernian (3-5-2) Colgan; Smith, Fenwick, Zambernardi; Orman (Reid, 89), O'Neil, Wiss (Brebner, 72), Murray (Jack, 72), James; McManus, Townsley. Substitutes not used: Caig (gk), Doumbe, Reid.

Celtic (3-5-2) Douglas; Valgaeren, Balde, Laursen; Sylla (McNamara, 75), Lambert, Lennon, Petrov, Thompson (Guppy, 62); Fernandez (Maloney, 70), Hartson. Substitutes not used: Gould (gk), Crainey, McCurry.

Referee: Michael McCurry (Scotland).