Scott Sinclair signed for Celtic yesterday and scored on his debut, from the bench, to ensure the Glasgow side started off their league campaign with a win. The ink was still drying on Sinclair's new four-year deal with the Scottish Premiership champions when he scored the late winner in the 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle. His transfer from Aston Villa was announced in the morning and he started the game watching from the dugout as new team-mate James Forrest put the visitors into the lead in the eighth minute of a typically feisty encounter between these two teams. Gorgie midfielder Jamie Walker won and converted a penalty in the 36th minute and the second half continued to ebb and flow before Sinclair replaced Stuart Armstrong just after the hour mark. In the 81st minute he showed why Brendan Rodgers had signed him when he tucked away a Leigh Griffiths cross for a dream debut. With Rangers drawing 1-1 with Hamilton at Ibrox on Saturday and Aberdeen playing out a snooze-fest of a goalless draw with St Johnstone earlier on Sunday Celtic took the chance to put immediate pressure on their realistic title challengers, thanks to their newest recruit.
It was a confident start by Hearts but they fell behind following a swift Celtic break where Callum McGregor was challenged inside the box by defender Igor Rossi. The ball fell invitingly to Forrest, who smartly sent his shot past the hands of Gorgie keeper Jack Hamilton. However, Armstrong appeared to be offside and in his line of vision. Hearts worked themselves back into the game and should have equalised in the 23rd minute when Callum Paterson delivered a fine cross from the right to evade Celtic keeper Craig Gordon and find former Hoops striker Tony Watt.
But from only a couple of yards Watt - a loanee from Charlton - somehow missed the target with his header. Back came Celtic and Griffiths was wayward with a chip before Hamilton made a decent save from Forrest's deflected drive. However, Hearts drew level in controversial circumstances when referee John Beaton adjudged Parkhead left-back Kieran Tierney to have fouled Walker in the box and after Craig Gordon was booked for delaying the spot-kick, the midfielder sent the former 'keeper Gorgie the wrong way with his shot. Celtic responded and after striker Moussa Dembele had an effort blocked, Griffiths' follow-up shot was headed off the line by Rossi before Hamilton gathered. There was no let-up in tempo although the wind continued to play havoc with long passes. Hearts finished the half stronger, drawing two saves from Gordon, the second one especially impressive from a powerful drive.
Paterson became the sixth Jambo to be shown the yellow card, joining Rossi, Walker, Arnaud Djoum, Conor Sammon and Watt, when he tripped Dembele 20 yards from goal. Griffiths' free-kick struck the wall for a fruitless corner. In the 68th minute, after Forrest sprung Celtic on a swift counter-attack, Hearts defender John Souttar threw himself to block a Dembele shot. There was a Hearts penalty claim when substitute Robbie Muirhead, on for Watt, was challenged by Kolo Toure but this time it was ignored by Beaton. However, moments later there was even more drama as Griffiths raced down the left before sending in a cross which Sinclair flicked past Hamilton to the delight of both the former England Under-21 player and the travelling fans behind the goal.