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Celtic were away at East Lothian to play Livingston who are currently fighting for survival in the SPL. The last time Celtic played Livingston away they won 4-2 and were 4-0 up before the half hour mark! Celtic were hoping for the same sort of performance tonight.
Celtic really didn't create many chances in the first half, Livingston playing defensively coping well with the Celtic attacking up until the 41st minute when the Livingston defenders looked asleep after a daflection off Livi's McNamee, meaning Hartson buried the ball into the corner.
On the 54th minute Bellamy's pace took him towards the Livingston keeper and the keeper, Roddy McKenzie made a great stop to deny the Welshman.
Halfway through the second period, Jason Dair made a fantasic attempt for a Livingston equalizer. His top corner bound shot was tipped over by young Celtic goalie, David Marshall.
Hartson got his second on the 75th minute with a powerful header from an Alan Thompson corner.
Just over ten minutes later, Celtic were awarded a penalty after a clumsy tackle by a Livingston defender.
Hartson snatched the ball off Alan Thompson, Celtic's usual penalty taker to send Roddy McKenzie the wrong way.
There was still more to come from Celtic and in Stoppage time, centre-back, Stanislav Varga tapped in at the back post from a Thompson cross to make it 4-0 which it ended at.
LIVINGSTON 0-4 CELTIC
.......................Hartson 41, 75, 86 (penalty)
.......................Varga 90
Attendance: 8,750 at Almondvale, Livingston.
![[IMG]](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41031000/jpg/_41031299_hartsonceleb203b.jpg)
Celtic really didn't create many chances in the first half, Livingston playing defensively coping well with the Celtic attacking up until the 41st minute when the Livingston defenders looked asleep after a daflection off Livi's McNamee, meaning Hartson buried the ball into the corner.
On the 54th minute Bellamy's pace took him towards the Livingston keeper and the keeper, Roddy McKenzie made a great stop to deny the Welshman.
Halfway through the second period, Jason Dair made a fantasic attempt for a Livingston equalizer. His top corner bound shot was tipped over by young Celtic goalie, David Marshall.
Hartson got his second on the 75th minute with a powerful header from an Alan Thompson corner.
Just over ten minutes later, Celtic were awarded a penalty after a clumsy tackle by a Livingston defender.
Hartson snatched the ball off Alan Thompson, Celtic's usual penalty taker to send Roddy McKenzie the wrong way.
There was still more to come from Celtic and in Stoppage time, centre-back, Stanislav Varga tapped in at the back post from a Thompson cross to make it 4-0 which it ended at.
LIVINGSTON 0-4 CELTIC
.......................Hartson 41, 75, 86 (penalty)
.......................Varga 90
Attendance: 8,750 at Almondvale, Livingston.
Celtic defeated Hearts 2-1 at Hampden Park this afternoon in the Scottish Cup Semi Final.
The Scottish Champions were looking to get revenge following last week's 2-0 loss at the hands of the Edinburgh side in the SPL and within 3 minutes, Chris Sutton had made it 1-0.
The Englishman rose above the Hearts defenders to meet Alan Thompson's cross and fire the Hoops into the lead.
The scoreline stayed at 1-0 into the second half with Celtic dominating the match.
And on 48 minutes, they were two goals in front.
Craig Bellamy turned and shot low past Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon's near post.
Hearts tried to get back into the game and their efforts paid off when substitute Deividas Cesnuaskis scored a magnificent lob over David Marshall with unhder 20 minutes remaining.
But the Jambos couldn't get find the goal to force a replay and it will be Celtic who face Dundee United in the Scottish Cup Final next month after they fought back from a goal down to beat Hibs 2-1 yesterday.
The occasion was marred before kick off when sections of the Hearts support failed to show respect to the passing of Pope John Paul II and forced referee Stuart Dougal to cut the minute silence short.
Craig Bellamy was awarded with the Man of the Match in which around 39,000 attended.
The Scottish Champions were looking to get revenge following last week's 2-0 loss at the hands of the Edinburgh side in the SPL and within 3 minutes, Chris Sutton had made it 1-0.
The Englishman rose above the Hearts defenders to meet Alan Thompson's cross and fire the Hoops into the lead.
The scoreline stayed at 1-0 into the second half with Celtic dominating the match.
And on 48 minutes, they were two goals in front.
Craig Bellamy turned and shot low past Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon's near post.
Hearts tried to get back into the game and their efforts paid off when substitute Deividas Cesnuaskis scored a magnificent lob over David Marshall with unhder 20 minutes remaining.
But the Jambos couldn't get find the goal to force a replay and it will be Celtic who face Dundee United in the Scottish Cup Final next month after they fought back from a goal down to beat Hibs 2-1 yesterday.
The occasion was marred before kick off when sections of the Hearts support failed to show respect to the passing of Pope John Paul II and forced referee Stuart Dougal to cut the minute silence short.
Craig Bellamy was awarded with the Man of the Match in which around 39,000 attended.
Blackburn consider Bellamy swoop
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is willing to offer Craig Bellamy a permanent escape route from Newcastle.
The 25-year-old Wales striker joined Celtic on loan in January until the end of the season following his fall-out with Magpies boss Graeme Souness.
However, former Wales manager Hughes is hoping to raise the £5m needed to land Bellamy but faces opposition from the Glasgow giants.
He said: "I made an enquiry in January and it's something I'll look at again."
Hughes told The Sun newspaper: "It is Newcastle's decision whether they want to keep Craig, but he is a player I obviously know well from my time as Wales manager.
"A striker is something for the summer and the sooner we can secure our Premiership status, the sooner we can plan for the future.
"We will look at a number of players in the summer."
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who is understood to be in talks with Newcastle to make Bellamy's move permanent, said: "Craig has been a huge success and everyone at Celtic is delighted with him.
"He has fitted in brilliantly and we have no complaints about him on or off the park. The board know the fans would love him to stay - we want him to stay too."
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is willing to offer Craig Bellamy a permanent escape route from Newcastle.
The 25-year-old Wales striker joined Celtic on loan in January until the end of the season following his fall-out with Magpies boss Graeme Souness.
However, former Wales manager Hughes is hoping to raise the £5m needed to land Bellamy but faces opposition from the Glasgow giants.
He said: "I made an enquiry in January and it's something I'll look at again."
Hughes told The Sun newspaper: "It is Newcastle's decision whether they want to keep Craig, but he is a player I obviously know well from my time as Wales manager.
"A striker is something for the summer and the sooner we can secure our Premiership status, the sooner we can plan for the future.
"We will look at a number of players in the summer."
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who is understood to be in talks with Newcastle to make Bellamy's move permanent, said: "Craig has been a huge success and everyone at Celtic is delighted with him.
"He has fitted in brilliantly and we have no complaints about him on or off the park. The board know the fans would love him to stay - we want him to stay too."
There was a slight change to the Celtic team today, Chris Sutton who is out because of injury was replaced by teenage sensation, Aiden McGeady. This was the only change in the starting 11.
Celtic started well and early on and Slovakian Centre back, Stanislav Varga was brought down in the box by Andy Todd for a penalty claim, only to be waved away by Brines.
But a few minutes later after a Bellamy foul, a free-kick taken by Alan Thompson was tapped in from close range by recently out of form, Hartson.
Bellamy then blasted high over the bar from a great lay off by McGeady.
For the rest of the first half, Celtic didn't create many chances making it quite dull.
Celtic came out better for the second half and 15 minutes into the second half, young McGeady made it 2. He beat Derek Stillie to the bottom corner from 25 yards.
A quickly taken corner by McGeady, which stunned Dunfermline,found Bellamy tapped on to his fellow welshman Hartson who tapped in from close range for his 24th League goal of the season.
McNamara nearly got a third for Celtic, but his shot rebounded off the post to Craig Bellamy and his cross was volleyed in by Bulgarian Captain, Stilian Petrov.
Dunfermline then had no hope and Stilian Petrov got a second after his first shot was blocked, he rebounded into the Pars goal to then make it 5-0 to Celtic.
Celtic weren't stopping and were unlucky with further chances from Hartson, Bellamy and Dianbobo Balde before getting a sixth goal on the last minute by sub, Craig Beattie. Fellow substitute, Ross Wallace dummied Greg Ross and crossed for Beattie to head in.
Match on Saturday 12th March 2005, wrote on Tuesday 15th March 2005.
CELTIC............6-0 DUNFERMLINE
Hartson, 9, 69
McGeady, 61
Petrov, 72, 75
Beattie, 89
ATTENDANCE 58,908
Celtic started well and early on and Slovakian Centre back, Stanislav Varga was brought down in the box by Andy Todd for a penalty claim, only to be waved away by Brines.
But a few minutes later after a Bellamy foul, a free-kick taken by Alan Thompson was tapped in from close range by recently out of form, Hartson.
Bellamy then blasted high over the bar from a great lay off by McGeady.
For the rest of the first half, Celtic didn't create many chances making it quite dull.
Celtic came out better for the second half and 15 minutes into the second half, young McGeady made it 2. He beat Derek Stillie to the bottom corner from 25 yards.
A quickly taken corner by McGeady, which stunned Dunfermline,found Bellamy tapped on to his fellow welshman Hartson who tapped in from close range for his 24th League goal of the season.
McNamara nearly got a third for Celtic, but his shot rebounded off the post to Craig Bellamy and his cross was volleyed in by Bulgarian Captain, Stilian Petrov.
Dunfermline then had no hope and Stilian Petrov got a second after his first shot was blocked, he rebounded into the Pars goal to then make it 5-0 to Celtic.
Celtic weren't stopping and were unlucky with further chances from Hartson, Bellamy and Dianbobo Balde before getting a sixth goal on the last minute by sub, Craig Beattie. Fellow substitute, Ross Wallace dummied Greg Ross and crossed for Beattie to head in.
Match on Saturday 12th March 2005, wrote on Tuesday 15th March 2005.
CELTIC............6-0 DUNFERMLINE
Hartson, 9, 69
McGeady, 61
Petrov, 72, 75
Beattie, 89
ATTENDANCE 58,908
Celtic needed the victory today as Rangers had dropped points against Inverness after ex-Celt Brian Prunty netted on 93 minutes.
Celtic sent out a usual 442 lineup, with Bellamy a striker and Sutton in Midfield.
Celtic started well and stunned the Hibees with an early goal, a Chris Sutton cross which John Hartson failed to get onto the end of was tapped in by Stilian Petrov.
Just after the goal, new signing Craig Bellamy's shot was unlucky and forced a corner.
Hibs after Celtic being all over them, started to threaten Celtic, and Robert Douglas was going up for high balls, knocking away a David Murphy cross.
Their spell was short lived though, and on 31 minutes Celtic found another breakthrough, yet again, Chris Sutton was causing problems in the Hibernian defence he crossed to Craig Bellamy who knocked the ball onto his fellow Welshman, John Harson to net his 22nd of the season.
Unfortunately Sutton limped off after pulling a hamstring while crossing for the goal, the Englisman's likely to be out for the next six weeks. Aiden McGeady replaced him.
Just before half-time, Dianbobo Balde was lucky to be let off the hook when his disappointingly short backpass was touched away by Robert Douglas and was safely cleared away by Stanislav Varga.
Young Irish International, McGeady was as usual, causing bother in the Hibees defence and his cross was just missed by Slovakian centre-half, Stanislav Varga.
Bellamy had a good chance on 62 minutes, which he hit miles over the bar.
Bellamy's big breakthrough came on the 70 minute mark when he smartly finished a through ball by Alan Thompson.
Celtic knew all the hard work was done and for the last twenty minutes just mostly concentrated on keeping hold of their lead, until Stoppage time when Frenchman, Guillaume Beuzelin netted a consolation.
Match on Sunday 6th March 2005
HIBERNIAN 1-3 CELTIC
......................PETROV, 4
......................HARTSON, 31...
Celtic sent out a usual 442 lineup, with Bellamy a striker and Sutton in Midfield.
Celtic started well and stunned the Hibees with an early goal, a Chris Sutton cross which John Hartson failed to get onto the end of was tapped in by Stilian Petrov.
Just after the goal, new signing Craig Bellamy's shot was unlucky and forced a corner.
Hibs after Celtic being all over them, started to threaten Celtic, and Robert Douglas was going up for high balls, knocking away a David Murphy cross.
Their spell was short lived though, and on 31 minutes Celtic found another breakthrough, yet again, Chris Sutton was causing problems in the Hibernian defence he crossed to Craig Bellamy who knocked the ball onto his fellow Welshman, John Harson to net his 22nd of the season.
Unfortunately Sutton limped off after pulling a hamstring while crossing for the goal, the Englisman's likely to be out for the next six weeks. Aiden McGeady replaced him.
Just before half-time, Dianbobo Balde was lucky to be let off the hook when his disappointingly short backpass was touched away by Robert Douglas and was safely cleared away by Stanislav Varga.
Young Irish International, McGeady was as usual, causing bother in the Hibees defence and his cross was just missed by Slovakian centre-half, Stanislav Varga.
Bellamy had a good chance on 62 minutes, which he hit miles over the bar.
Bellamy's big breakthrough came on the 70 minute mark when he smartly finished a through ball by Alan Thompson.
Celtic knew all the hard work was done and for the last twenty minutes just mostly concentrated on keeping hold of their lead, until Stoppage time when Frenchman, Guillaume Beuzelin netted a consolation.
Match on Sunday 6th March 2005
HIBERNIAN 1-3 CELTIC
......................PETROV, 4
......................HARTSON, 31...
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