GLASGOW, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Celtic ditched Dunfermline 2-0 at East End Park on Sunday to reclaim top slot in the Scottish Premier League.
Their bitter Glasgow rivals Rangers had gone top on Saturday with an emphatic 3-0 home win over Dundee, but that lead lasted just 24 hours as Celtic clinched the full three points with first-half goals from Chris Sutton and Stilian Petrov.
Celtic have 44 points from 18 matches. Rangers lie second, one point behind. Third-placed Aberdeen are nine points adrift.
"I am delighted to win today and delighted to be back in front, even if it's just for a day or six or seven, whatever the case might be," Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said.
"As I said a few weeks ago, this will be a battle to the end. I am delighted obviously to win the game and delighted with the performance on a pretty treacherous pitch.
"It was an absolutely stunning second goal from Stilian and it followed the first which was a magnificent goal by Chris Sutton."
Sutton headed home the opener in 16 minutes, flicking an Alan Thompson cross before Petrov, wearing protective tights to combat the East End Park artificial surface, volleyed the second on 30 minutes.
MIXED EMOTIONS
Rangers also had their game wrapped up in the first half on Saturday with two goals inside the opening four minutes as Nacho Novo converted a second minute penalty and Dado Prso hit goal number two.
Bob Malcolm grabbed the third five minutes after the break in front of 48,114 fans.
Dundee slumped to the bottom of the table after their defeat at Ibrox as their city rivals Dundee United racked up a vital 3-0 home win over Kilmarnock.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle earned a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie with Hearts in a game of two penalties.
The match was Hearts manager John Robertson's first against the side he quit last month to move to Tynecastle and in a day of mixed emotions, he had defender Andy Webster sent off.
Paul Hartley scored Hearts' penalty in 62 minutes before Spanish ace Juanjo levelled from the spot six minutes later.
Elsewhere in the battle of the former Rangers captains, Motherwell manager Terry Butcher emerged victorious with a 2-0 win at Fir Park as they inflicted the first defeat on Livingston's new boss Richard Gough.
Third-placed Aberdeen lost goalkeeper David Preece just before halftime for handling the ball outside his area and the Dons lost 2-1 at Hibernian.
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