Celtic strikers Georgios Samaras and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink ended their goal droughts in Celtic's 4-0 win over Hamilton at Parkhead on Saturday to move them six points clear in Scotland. With Rangers not playing Falkirk until Sunday, the champions knew they could pile the pressure on their rivals and it took just four minutes for Samaras to score his first in three months when he chipped Sean Murdoch before Aiden McGeady doubled Celtic's lead.
A great individual goal from Samaras made it three before Vennegoor of Hesselink tapped in the fourth to get on the score sheet for the first time since September and seal the win for the Hoops. Celtic looked the hungrier side from the start in their first match at Parkhead since February and Irish international McGeady was soon terrorising the Hamilton defence down the left-wing.
It took just four minutes for the Hoops to take the lead with striker Samaras scoring his first league goal in three months. Andreas Hinkel played a neat pass to the Greek international who skipped past Martin Canning to chip advancing keeper Sean Murdoch. Hamilton's Joel Thomas tried his luck when the ball broke to him at the edge of the box in the 12th minute but his effort never troubled Artur Boruc as it trundled past the post.
Irishman McGeady doubled Celtic's lead in the 22nd minute after great vision from Shunsuke Nakamura. The Japanese international sent a lofted ball over the top of the Hamilton defence to beat the offside trap and McGeady took a touch before sending an angled shot into the bottom corner of the net. McGeady should have had his second in the 30th minute after great work on the half-way line by Samaras sent him clear but his effort was blocked by Murdoch at the edge of the box after the keeper had rushed out to meet him.