Scottish Premier League/Falkirk - 0 Celtic - 3: Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League on goal difference, and in the process warmed up perfectly for the forthcoming league and cup double-header with Rangers, with a victory over Falkirk that was every bit as comprehensive as the scoreline indicates.
Alex McLeish takes his Rangers side across Glasgow on Wednesday to face a Celtic team who appear in fine fettle after going unbeaten since the last Old Firm match at Ibrox in August. McLeish is once again a man under pressure after Saturday's goalless draw with Aberdeen, and his side are now 12 points behind both Hearts and their city rivals.
Celtic's continued run of form will do nothing to ease Rangers' pain and after this win the leaders' manager, Gordon Strachan, purred: "I was very pleased with the performance. I couldn't have asked for any more. Games like that make the manager's job easy."
Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady and John Hartson were the scorers at a windswept Falkirk Stadium as Celtic ensured Hearts' stay at the top of the league lasted for less than 24 hours.
The visitors' preparations were dealt a blow by the late withdrawal of Chris Sutton, who suffered a hamstring injury during training, and McGeady was handed a rare start in place of the 32-year-old, but Strachan will hope to have the former Blackburn and Chelsea striker back for Wednesday's Scottish League Cup clash. "We'd love him to be fit, he's a huge player for us," said Strachan.
Falkirk had given as good as they got for an opening 40 minutes in which neat passing and clear-cut chances were at a premium, but Maloney was on hand to pick up Mo Camara's driven ball to open the scoring from six yards.
McGeady was then afforded too much time and space by the Falkirk defence and the Republic of Ireland international coolly buried the ball low past the despairing Matt Glennon to double Celtic's advantage.
The second half was a tame affair, brightened up only by Hartson's goal, his 100th for Celtic and the team's 12th in three matches, which was a typical predator's finish after Glennon had acrobatically saved a shot from Maloney.
Hartson has now scored two goals in as many games after briefly dropping out of the team amid personal problems last month.
The view over the nearby Grangemouth oil refinery is not as spectacular as at some of the venues in Europe where he has notched goals since his move to Glasgow, but Hartson did not seem to care as he left the field to a standing ovation minutes later.
The Wales striker became the 28th player in the Parkhead club's 117-year history to score a century.
"It's not been easy for John over the past couple of months, so we're all delighted for him," said Strachan after the game.
Guardian Service
FALKIRK: Glennon; Lawrie, Scally, Milne, Ireland, Latapy (McBreen 70), Steven Thomson, Moutinho (Lima 57), O'Donnell (O'Neil 68), Gow, Duffy. Subs Not Used: Ferguson, McPherson, McStay, Twaddle. Booked: Duffy, Milne.
CELTIC: Boruc; Telfer, Camara, Balde, McManus, Petrov (Pearson 75), Lennon, Nakamura, McGeady, Maloney (Virgo 83), Hartson (Wallace 83). Subs Not Used: Marshall, Varga, Lawson, Agathe. Booked: Petrov. Goals: Maloney 41, McGeady 42, Hartson 69.
Attendance: 6,459.
Referee: C Murray (Scotland).
Meanwhile, Rangers manager Alex McLeish insists his players have the guts to drag themselves back into the title race. The Scottish champions stuttered to their third consecutive league draw on Saturday when they were forced to settle for a goalless stalemate with Aberdeen.
While the Rangers players trudged off the pitch to the sound of jeers from their own supporters again, the jubilant band of Aberdeen fans celebrated as though they had finally ended their 14-year wait for a win at Ibrox.
Rangers now trail Hearts by 12 points and, on current form, there appears to be no way back. Not so, claims McLeish, who remains adamant his players have what it takes to fight their way back into the reckoning.
He said: "I'd rather things were a little bit better, certainly in picking up points, and being further up the table, but I just can't fault the players' commitment. I don't think there is anyone hiding.
"The transfer window is coming up and we are well aware of the rules before the start but you have to be trusting and confident with the guys you've got and I believe these guys are good enough to turn the corner for us."
