Samaras strike breaks Hearts

Georgios Samaras scored the vital goal
as Celtic returned to the top of the
Scottish Premier League with a 1-0
victory over Hearts.
Samaras drilled the ball under
substitute keeper Peter Enckelman
from just inside the box after the
Hearts defence was opened up by a
wonderfully weighted pass from Kris
Commons on 34 minutes.
Jamie MacDonald advanced to block a
Charlie Mulgrew shot inside the box
after he played a one-two with
Commons before the Hearts keeper
was carried off following a clash of
heads with the Celtic defender as the
pair challenged for an Emilio Izaguirre
cross.
Hearts almost opened the scoring in
controversial circumstances when
Andy Driver appeared to bundle Kelvin
Wilson over on the goal-line and cut
the ball back for Callum Paterson who
scooped wide from eight yards - the
Celtic defender was booked for
remonstrating with referee Craig
Thomson over the challenge.
Commons then delivered a deep chip
from the left side of the penalty area
and Samaras cushioned his volley
against the post shortly before the duo
linked again to better effect.
Ryan Stevenson crashed a drive inches
wide from 25 yards and Fraser Forster
tipped a fierce shot from Mehdi Taouil
over the bar, while Gary Hooper was a
foot away from turning a low delivery
from Commons over the line at the
other end.
Commons continued to pose a threat
and he lifted an angled drive from six
yards over the bar after wriggling past
Ryan McGowan inside the box two
minutes before the Celtic winger
delivered another superb cross for
Samaras to head inches over the
target.
Samaras turned provider with a square
pass that spun to James Forrest and
his half-volley was held by Enckelman,
who then pushed a swerving
Commons drive round the post.
In injury time Samaras broke forward
and found Miku in the right side of the
penalty area and the substitute's low
return zipped past the big Greek across
the six-yard box, before Driver caused
a scare for the home fans when he
dragged a low shot wide after a slack
play from Efe Ambrose.