O'Dea leads fightback to preserve home record

Scottish Premier League: Champions Celtic bounced back from two goals down to avoid their first home league defeat of the season…

Scottish Premier League:Champions Celtic bounced back from two goals down to avoid their first home league defeat of the season yesterday as they earned a late 2-2 draw with Dundee United.

David Robertson fired United in front with a goal on 17 minutes and Trinidad and Tobago striker Collin Samuel made it 2-0 just before the hour.

But Celtic surged back with two goals in two minutes from 19-year-old Dubliner Darren O'Dea on 78 minutes and then Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.

Fourth-placed Hearts beat 10-man Hibernian 3-2 in an exciting Edinburgh derby with Lithuanian forward Saulius Mikoliunas netting the winner.

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Paul Hartley put Hearts ahead after just two minutes with a fine low shot before striker Edgaras Jankauskas forced in a six-metre shot to put the hosts 2-0 up after 49 minutes.

Hibernian stormed back with Chris Killen heading home a corner on 54 minutes and Dean Shiels levelled seven minutes later with a penalty.

However, his celebrations quickly turned sour as he was sent off for clashing with goalkeeper Craig Gordon which sparked a brief melee.

Mikoliunas had the final say, crashing in a rising shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top right corner after 69 minutes for what proved the winner.

Aberdeen moved into second place on the table after a 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock. Third-placed Rangers play at Inverness Caley Thistle tonight.

CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde (O'Dea 39), McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Sno, Gravesen, McGeady (Riordan 61), Zurawski, Jarosik (Miller 56). Subs Not Used: Marshall, Conroy, Beattie, Pearson. Goals: O'Dea 78, Nakamura 80.

DUNDEE UNITED: Stillie, Conway, Kenneth, Mair (Proctor 85), Duff, McCracken, Kerr, Smith (Cameron 84), Robertson, Robson, Samuel. Subs not used: McLean, Archibald, Easton, Goodwillie, Watson. Booked: Robertson, Kerr, Robson. Goals: Robertson 17, Samuel 58.

Att: 57,343.

Referee: B Winter (Scotland).