AT the end of the drought, came the deluge.

Celtic hadn’t won at Easter Road on league duty in eight years before this game, then packed about eight years’ worth of chances into the opening half hour. The rain over Leith was torrential in those early knockings, but that was nothing compared to the flood of goals that had the contest – as it was - almost over bar the shouting.

Quickfire goals from Anthony Ralston, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kyogo Furuhashi had Ange Postecoglou’s men three to the good and cruising, and in truth, it should have been more as Tom Rogic weaved a spell over the mesmerised Hibees.

No matter how slick the attacking play was though, this Celtic defence will always give you a chance at the other end, and a counter from Martin Boyle – though Ryan Porteous was also claiming it – acted momentarily like a dose of smelling salts for the punch-drunk hosts.

Hibs were better after the break in fairness, and had they got a second, you just never know. Celtic by this time had lost Rogic to a potential hamstring injury, and with him went much of the attacking fluidity that had proved too hot for Hibs to handle. Nir Bitton had come on with Callum McGregor moving further forward, but the shift disrupted Celtic’s rhythm.

In the end, they still saw the game out comfortably enough for their fifth win in a row despite some Hibs pressure in the last 20 minutes, with Jack Ross’s men showing some belated flickers of life as they slumped to a fourth defeat on the bounce.

Ross had decided to shake things up, making four changes from the side that lost to Aberdeen on Saturday. Porteus was back from suspension after his red card at Ibrox, while Josh Doig, Alex Gogic and Jamie Murphy were also given the nod to start.

Visiting manager Postecoglou decided to let Mikey Johnston off the leash from the start after a couple of impressive cameos from the bench since his return from injury, restoring Furuhashi to his central attacking role at the expense of weekend goalscorer Giorgos Giakoumakis and shifting Jota to the right.

Before the match, a moment of silence was held in memory of former Rangers manager Walter Smith, and it was observed impeccably by the vast majority inside the stadium. The handful of morons who attempted to disturb the tribute in the away end were quickly shouted down by those around them.

When the actual football got under way, Celtic started like a train.

The names of Gogic and Rogic may sound poetic when put together, but there was little rhyme nor reason to the Hibs man tripping the Celtic midfielder to give David Turnbull the chance to whip the ball in from a dangerous position on the right. He duly found Ralston with the freedom of Edinburgh at the back post to nod home from close range.

The hosts almost hit back immediately, as a clever pass by  Boyle split the Celtic defence in two and presented Joe Newell with a glorious opportunity, but he delayed just enough to allow Joe Hart to spread himself and save from point-blank range with his right leg.

The theme of calamitous defending continued up the other end though as Celtic made Hibs pay for that miss. A near-post corner was swung in low by Turnbull, and as Porteous hesitated, Carter-Vickers simply helped the ball across Matt Macey with a clipped side-foot volley that found the opposite corner of the net.

It was bedlam in the Celtic end already, but all hell broke loose as news filtered through that Aberdeen had also gone 2-0 up at Ibrox, and that Scott Brown of all people had notched the second. Cries of ‘Broony, Broony’ rang out over Easter Road, not for the first time.

It should have been three as a cross from Jota was dummied by Johnston to give Turnbull a clear sight of goal, but he tried to beat Macey at his near post and blazed over. It had been quite the opening 20 minutes.

How Celtic didn’t have another after a fine passing move between Furuhashi, Johnston and Turnbull only they will know. The one-touch play made the Hibs defence look like training dummies, with the final pass from Johnston just a touch too heavy, allowing Macey to dive at Furuhashi’s feet and do enough to put him off.

It looked a matter of time though before the third would arrive, and on the half hour, it duly came.

Rogic danced through two challenges with ease before a third saw the ball break kindly for Jota, who popped the ball across the six-yard box where Furuhashi waited to tap home.

Turnbull then played in Furuhashi only for Macey to deny the forward this time from close range, but it was beyond embarrassing how easily Celtic were picking holes in the Hibs backline.

Still, Celtic still aren’t too hot at defending set-pieces themselves, as evidenced as Hibs pulled an unlikely goal back. A Newell corner from the right was attacked by Porteous and Boyle, with the attacker looking to just get the final touch and help the ball into the net.

Game on? Dream on.

What was of more concern to Celtic at this stage was the unplayable Rogic pulling up clutching his hamstring. No chances were taken as the Australian was withdrawn, but he’d already wreaked enough havoc for one evening.

Hibs at least came out fighting at the start of the second period, though Porteous again diced with danger as he thundered into a challenge on McGregor on the edge of his own area. This time, he got away with a caution, and Turnbull’s effort from the free-kick was deflected wide.

Hibs almost gave themselves some renewed hope as Murphy was denied by Hart spreading himself well when in on goal, but with that save went any hope of an unlikely comeback. Celtic march on.