Celtic bounce back for Well defeat

The visitors raced in to a four-goal half-time lead through a Georgios Samaras double and strikes from Shaun Maloney and Scott McDonald - and the Lanarkshire side looked down and out.

Two goals in a two-minute spell after the break from John Sutton and David Clarkson gave some hope to the home side but in the end, Celtic's impressive first-half performance was enough to see them through.

There was a zest about Celtic's start to the game, and in the fifth minute midfielder Scott Brown's low cross sped across the Motherwell six-yard box leaving goalkeeper Graeme Smith stranded and Maloney was able to prod the ball into an empty net.

Three minutes later, with the home defence still trying to compose themselves, Samaras took a pass from McDonald, brushed past flailing home defender Mark Reynolds with some ease, and slotted the ball past Smith from 12 yards.

There was more misery for the Lanarkshire side when McDonald met a throw-in from Mark Wilson, spun and volleyed high past Smith from 16 yards.

In the 37th minute, after Brown was fouled by Paul Quinn at the edge of the Motherwell box, Maloney cracked the bar with the resultant free-kick.

But the rampant champions were not to be denied a fourth before the break, and in the 41st minute Samaras finished off a seven-man move by racing on to McDonald's flick to again bury the ball past Smith.

There looked no way back for Motherwell but Sutton pulled a goal back in the 55th minute after midfielder Keith Lasley had put Celtic defender Gary Caldwell under pressure in the box, the former St Mirren man driving past Boruc from 14 yards.

Two minutes later the home side reduced the deficit further when Stephen Hughes sent Clarkson through and the Scotland striker held off Celtic captain Stephen McManus to toe-poke the ball under Boruc.