The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Ahead in Front at the Pinnacle After Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Sees Off The Glasgow Giants

A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with credible shot of breaking Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.

Turning Point in the After the Break

A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray fouling Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that the captain tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.

The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.

The Visitors' Fightback

The away side responded positively from an early setback. Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney cutback for level terms.

Solid Backline

The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It is becoming increasingly difficult the buzz.

• Full report coming soon.