GLASGOW (AFP) - A sensational 6-0 win for Celtic at home to Dunfermline reduced Rangers' lead in the Scottish Premier League to a solitary point.
Doubles for John Hartson and Stilian Petrov, and goals from Aiden McGeady and Craig Beattie gave Martin O'Neill's side, who also have a game in hand, the emphatic win which also reduced the Ibrox side's goal advantage to four goals.
Though Celtic dominated the match from the kick-off they initially struggled to put Dunfermline to the sword despite surging into the lead with only nine minutes on the clock.
Alan Thompson's inswinging free-kick from the right had deflected off Dunfermline defender Andrius Skerla, allowing Hartson to side-foot the ball past goalkeeper Derek Stillie in the Pars goal.
Craig Bellamy then blasted over from close range in the 16th minute following a great run up the left-wing by McGeady.
Only last gasp defending by Dunfermline kept the score down in the 32nd minute. Hartson carried the ball into the six-yard box and from a tight angle played it beyond Stillie but Scott Wilson was on hand to clear off the line.
The Celtic fans, who made up the vast majority of the 58,908 crowd, were becoming increasingly frustrated at their side's inability to make their dominance count as the second-half began.
But in the 61st minute Celtic's Republic of Ireland international McGeady had them on their feet to acclaim a fantastic finish. Picking the ball up on the left he cut inside, evaded two challenges and from 18-yards struck a sweet right-foot shot which flew low into the left corner of the net, leaving Stillie rooted to the spot.
Eight minutes later Hartson scored his second to make sure of the win when he stole in to poke home Bellamy's cross from close range.
Former Celt Simon Donnelly almost grabbed a consolation in the 70th minute when his 20-yard shot flew just wide.
But two minutes later Bellamy created Celtic's fourth when his pace took him away from the Dunfermline defence and his cross was volleyed home from a few yards out by Stilian Petrov.
As Dunfermline's defences crumbled, Petrov got his second to make it five in the 74th minute when he latched on to a through pass chipped over the advancing Stillie and knocked the ball home.
And with two minutes remaining Celtic substitutes combined to make it 6-0. Ross Wallace, who replaced McGeady on 84 minutes, swung a beautiful cross into the box for Beattie, who came on for Jackie McNamara with ten minutes remaining, to power home a header from close range.
In the other SPL fixtures Aberdeen enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 home win against Hibernian to leapfrog them into third place. Russel Anderson had opened the scoring after only 12 minutes and Noel Whelan doubled their lead a minute later. Darren Mackie made it three in the second-half.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle secured an impressive 2-0 win away to an understrength Hearts whose squad had been depleted by a flu virus. The Highland team took the lead at the beginning of the second-half through Darren Dodds and Barry Wilson's penalty made sure of the victory.
Kilmarnock won 3-0 at home to Dundee United with a brace for Kris Boyd, the second coming from the penalty spot, and another for Australian midfielder Danny Invincibile. The defeat put United bottom of the SPL and piled the pressure on manager Ian McCall.
Livingston drew 1-1 at home to Motherwell to lift themselves off the bottom of the SPL table. Scott McDonald had put the visitors ahead in the first-half but Colin McMenamin equalised for Livy with only eight minutes remaining.
