Celtic win five goal thriller

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Celtic secured all three points in a five goal thriller at Motherwell to go seven points ahead in the Scottish Premier League.

Goals from Juninho and Alan Thompson looked to have put Martin O'Neill's side in easy street but goals from Martyn Corrigan and Richie Foran levelled the game.

With Motherwell continuing to push the Scottish champions back, the game appeared to be beyond Celtic but substitute Craig Beattie struck a late winner to steal an important victory.

O'Neill was relieved to have taken all three points and admitted his team were losing soft goals.

"It was a very good game and of course I am delighted to have won the game," he said. "It's been exciting stuff all season and the way we are playing just now we need to score four just to get a result.

"The way we are flying forward there is always a chance of losing goals at the back. You have to remember that (Didier) Agathe and (Jackie) McNamara are attacking minded people and we have scored 33 goals in the SPL already.

"But the goals we are giving away are naturally a cause for concern and something we will have to look at."

The game had started at a furious tempo but there were few opportunities at either end in the opening stages.

On 28 minutes David Clarkson thought he had put the hosts ahead when he headed past goalkeeper David Marshall but the goal was ruled offside.

Only 30 seconds later Juninho converted from Aiden McGeady's cross at the other end but his strike was also ruled to be offside.

The SPL Champions were becoming frustrated against a very well organized Motherwell side and Thompson and Joos Valgaeren were shown yellow cards for rash challenges.

But five minutes before half-time Celtic scored against the run of play following a piece of Brazilian magic from Juninho. The World Cup winner picked the ball up 10-yards inside the Motherwell half, rode a couple of challenges, drove towards goal and then cut the ball across goal for Aiden McGeady to knock in at the back post.

Celtic doubled their lead from the penalty spot on 65 minutes after former Celt Phil O'Donnell brought down Stilian Petrov in the box.

Thompson, playing his first game after recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up against Shakhtar Donetsk, stepped up to coolly sidefoot into the left-hand corner of the net.

Motherwell hit back and were soon back in the game when Corrigan picked the ball up 25-yards from goal and smashed in a shot which bounced over the outstretched arms of Marshall to make it 2-1.

Three minutes later 'Well pulled level when Richie Forlan scored from the penalty spot after a Balde foul on Clarkson.

Motherwell were looking the more likely team to go on and win the match with the Glasgow giants clearly rocked by squandering a two-goal lead.

But on 76 minutes Craig Beattie, who had came off the bench on 66 minutes to replace Juninho, grabbed a valuable winner.

Jackie McNamara drove forward and played the ball forward to the young striker, who cut inside before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to seal Celtic's win.

Motherwell boss Terry Butcher was sickened his side had nothing to show for their efforts.

He said: "I felt physically sick for the players and disappointed not to get anything for the performance they put in. I thought Clarkson's goal in the first half should have stood but these things happen.

"We pressed them throughout the game and even when we were two down we kept going. I thought when we got it back to 2-2 we were on for the best comeback ever but then Beattie got his goal.

"I'm still upbeat because we are playing well and I am very hopeful for the future."

Hearts, playing in their first match since losing manager Craig Levein to English Championship side Leicester only 24 hours previously, won 2-0 at home to Dundee.

The visitors had been reduced to ten men when Venezuelan Joney Hernandez was red-carded for a foul which also resulted in a penalty. Hearts captain Steven Pressley missed from the spot but Kevin McKenna spared his blushes when he scored shortly afterwards to put the Edinburgh side ahead before half-time. Paul Huntley added a second to secure the points.