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Hibs stun Bhoys at Parkhead

Image: Galbraith: Dramatic winner

Celtic suffered a first SPL defeat at Parkhead this season as Hibernian snatched a last-gasp 2-1 win.

Galbraith hits last-gasp winner to leave Bhoys 10 points adrift

Celtic suffered a first SPL defeat at Parkhead this season as substitute Danny Galbraith struck in stoppage-time to earn Hibernian a 2-1 win. The hosts enjoyed a dream start when Marc-Antoine Fortune scored after just five minutes, but Hibs were level on 26 minutes through Anthony Stokes. And Hibs ensured it was a miserable evening for their former manager Tony Mowbray after Galbraith's last-gasp winner left Celtic 10 points adrift of leaders Rangers. Celtic boss Mowbray made one change to the side which beat St Johnstone 4-1 on Sunday, left-back Paul Caddis coming in for Glenn Loovens who sustained a facial injury in Perth, with Darren O'Dea moving into the centre of defence to partner 18-year-old Josh Thompson. In the fifth minute, after Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady won a corner on the left, Fortune headed the home side into the lead. When Caddis' whipped-in cross came over, the Hoops striker, who notched a double at St Johnstone, reacted first at the front post to head past Hibs goalkeeper Graeme Smith and in off the crossbar. The visitors went to pieces for the next few minutes as Celtic threatened to increase their lead, Fortune going close with another couple of headed efforts. The first time the visitors really threatened was midway through the first half when Stokes tried his luck from 30 yards but the ball sped straight to Artur Boruc.

Surprising U-turn

The game, though, was to take a sudden and surprising U-turn. In the 26th minute, after Boruc had pulled off a fine save to prevent Thompson scoring an own goal with a header, Hibs drew level from the resultant corner. Derek Riordan crossed from the left and Stokes nipped in ahead of Boruc to flick his header into the net. With Celtic rattled and the home fans growling in frustration at how the game had turned, the former Sunderland player drove just wide from distance. Celtic regained the upper hand but Hibs had sorted out their defence. In the final minute of the half, though, after Hibs skipper Chris Hogg had fouled Caddis 30 yards out, the ball ended up in the net from Marc Crosas' free-kick but referee Iain Brines ruled it out for an infringement. The first half ended with Celtic striker Georgios Samaras picking up a booking for a late challenge on Smith - a decision which prompted the Hoops fans to jeer the official as the teams trooped off. Within a minute of the second half starting, McGeady ran onto a Fortune pass but screwed his shot just wide of the target. Then, as the home side increased the pressure, Samaras missed his kick altogether in front of goal from Niall McGinn's volley back into the danger area before Smith made a good save from McGeady's curling effort from the edge of the box. Korean midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng replaced McGinn on the hour mark, seconds after the Northern Ireland international had a close-range volley brilliantly blocked by Smith. Five minutes later Lewis Stevenson and Galbraith came on for Riordan and Nish, as the visitors tried to get a foothold in the game again.
Samaras sitter
But it was Samaras who missed a sitter when he headed Caddis' cross high over the bar from just six yards out, the Greece international rewarded for his mistake by being immediately replaced by Morten Rasmussen who made his debut. Paddy McCourt replaced Zheng Zhi and soon after, as Celtic pounded the Hibs box, his corner was headed over by O'Dea at the near post. In the 82nd minute, as Hibs broke, midfielder Liam Miller appeared to be pushed to the ground by O'Dea inside the Celtic box but referee Brines ignored penalty claims. As tension grew inside Celtic Park, Hogg sliced his shot wide of the target from Galbraith's corner. But in a sensational finale, with seconds remaining, Hibs broke and Galbraith slotted past Boruc for the winner.

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