Neil Lennon has said that he was "ecstatic" after a dramatic late goal ensured he started his second stint as Celtic boss with a 2-1 win over Hearts.

Lennon was in the dugout just 24 hours after being confirmed as Brendan Rodgers' successor until the end of the season.

He saw his team take the lead through James Forrest but Celtic were pegged back by ten-man Hearts when Oliver Bozanic levelled from the penalty spot. In injury time Edouard, brought on by Lennon as they chased the win, scored from close range to give his new manager the perfect start.

"I'm ecstatic," Lennon said. "It's a great win at a difficult place under the circumstances.

"We should have made more of the game. We were a goal up at half-time, but we've got to stop the sloppiness playing the ball from the back.

"We shot ourselves in the foot and what we did was give Hearts something to hold onto when we should have been in total control of the game.

"You never stop believing with this group that they might make something happen. We put a quality ball in for the goal, which was something we lacked at times tonight.

"But I can't knock the players. The mentality is absolutely brilliant and I can't fault them tonight. It's a brilliant win and psychologically huge."

The manager said he was impressed by how the players had responded after a turbulent couple of days where Rodgers had departed suddenly for Leicester City.

"It has been a really difficult couple of days, it has to be, psychologically for them to lose Brendan, the quick turnaround," he said.

"That is not easy for them, but they have covered themselves in glory tonight. I am delighted. It was an emotional night for myself."

Hearts boss Craig Levein admitted it stung to lose the game after his players had battled to overcome being reduced to ten men after Jamie Brandon was sent off.

"It can be a cruel game at times," he said.

"To lose it when I felt we had coped with just about everything Celtic threw at us was difficult to take.

"Give some credit to Celtic, kept going right to the end and managed to nick the win.

"I think we dug deep for the whole match, started well, had the better opportunities and had Celtic pinned back.

"I was happy with the way things were going until we fell behind and then the sending off."