UPDATE 2-Soccer-Celtic beat 10-man Hibs to surge 22 points clear

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By Kenny MacDonald

Celtic sprinted 22 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League after a second-half goal from Craig Beattie secured a 1-0 home win over Hibernian on Saturday.

Beattie headed the winner from an inviting 54th-minute cross by Aiden McGeady. Hibernian's misery piled up when Ivan Sproule was shown a red card with five minutes left for barging into Lee Naylor.

Celtic have 68 points from 27 games. Second-placed Rangers, who have 46 from 26, visit Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Manager Gordon Strachan criticised a yellow card given to Celtic midfielder Paul Hartley, who was cautioned by referee Stuart Dougal for returning to the pitch without a bandage on a leg wound.

"Paul Hartley got booked for bleeding from his knee," Strachan told BBC Radio. "Where are we going to stop?

"He (Dougal) wasn't happy with the injury as it didn't have a bandage on it but in 35 years in football I have never ever seen that happen."

In an early kick-off, substitute Michal Pospisil scored a late goal to give Hearts a 1-0 home victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Czech Republic striker Pospisil fired home from six metres after seizing on a cross from Andy Driver after 81 minutes.

The Hearts kick-off was brought forward to avoid a clash with a Scotland rugby international also taking place in Edinburgh.

Hearts are fourth on 44 points, one behind Aberdeen, 3-0 winners over bottom club Dunfermline Athletic.

Struggling St Mirren lost 1-0 at home to Dundee United after a goal from Barry Robson while Falkirk went down 2-1 at home to Motherwell.

((Editing by Tony Jimenez, London Sports Desk; Reuters Messaging: tony.jimenez.reuters.com@reuters.net;44 20 7542 0071))

Keywords: SOCCER EUROPE/SCOTLAND

[GLASGOW/Reuters/Finance.cz]