Hibs ratings and report from Celtic as Easter Road side end SIXTEEN-YEAR wait for away victory over Hoops

Hibs made history with a stunning away win over 10-man Celtic, as David Gray’s men recorded their first away win over the Hoops since January 2010. And the visitors ended their 16-year wait for glory at Celtic Park in dramatic fashion, as on-loan Coventry midfielder Kai Andrews finished off a sweeping move to make it 2-1 with just three minutes of the 90 remaining.

January signing Felix Passlack’s first goal for the club, the wingback powering home a header from Nicky Cadden with 24 minutes on the clock, had put Hibs on course. But Benjamin Nygren’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time saw the reigning champions drag themselves back into the contest.

In a game that saw Celtic defender Auston Trusty sent off after a VAR review for violent conduct with just over 15 minutes remaining, the visitors then threw on substitutes in search of a priceless triumph. And it was Andrews, introduced just after the red card, who grabbed his moment with a first senior goal, smashing the ball past Kasper Schmeichel after a beautiful passing move.

Victory sees Hibs close the gap on fourth-placed Motherwell to five points. And keeps alive the Easter Road side’s hopes of guaranteed European football next season.

With Martin Boyle back in an otherwise unchanged starting XI, Hibs weathered an early storm before creating a couple of chances by way of a warning to their hosts. Boyle really should have done better with the chance that fell his way after under-fire Celtic goalie Kasper Schmeichel played the ball straight to Owen Elding after just six minutes.

Passlack and Cadden showed their understanding not long after, the former sending in a cross that saw the latter have a shot blocked. And the pair combined for the opener with roles reversed.

Boyle was thwarted one-on-one by Schmeichel just two minutes later, the centre forward delaying too long after a Cadden ball dropped over the head of Trusty and onto his right boot. The visitors really should have gone 2-0 up.

The home side squandered a couple of chances, the best falling to Tomas Cvancara, before finally drawing level just as the board went up to show three minutes of time added on. Kieran Tierney’s cross from the left found Nygren flying in ahead of a trailing Dan Barlaser to score with a stooping header.

Trusty saw red after video assistant referee Grant Irvine called ref Matthew McDermid over to review a swinging arm by the centre-half felled Jamie McGrath. There was more video intervention just seconds later as Celtic appealed for a penalty – only for VAR to decide that a home player HAD been fouled at a corner, but that the offence had taken outside of the penalty box.

It was all set up for someone. Andrews was that man. Cue celebrations in the away end, as visiting fans forgot about all outside considerations – such as what this meant to other clubs, for instance – and enjoyed the moment.