Hoops held by Killie

The champions dominated almost the entire match and missed a catalogue of chances with striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink being the biggest culprit.

Killie had two good opportunities through Allan Johnston and Simon Ford to grab their first victory at Celtic Park since 1955 but they were more than happy to return to Ayrshire with a point.

The odds were stacked against the visitors in more ways than one. Added to Killie's poor record at Celtic Park, the champions had not lost an opening SPL game in 10 years since a 2-1 defeat by Hibernian at Easter Road.

Hoops midfielder Paul Hartley slammed a shot high over the bar from the edge of the Killie box with less than a minute gone to begin an inevitable opening period of pressure from the home side.

Celtic survived a suspect tackle by Stephen McManus on Killie striker Colin Nish inside the home penalty box but there was still time for Vennegoor of Hesselink and John Kennedy to miss chances to grab the opener.

The second half began as the first ended with Celtic taking the game to the visitors and Hartley having an early headed effort on goal tipped over by Alan Combe.

Soon after, in a rare attack, Killie missed another good chance to take the lead when Nish pulled the ball back from the byline the Celtic defence seemed to have stopped, and Simon Ford was allowed a free header which he sent over the bar from six yards out.

At the other end, Combe pulled off a fabulous instinctive save from Maciej Zurawski after the Poland international had driven a Lee Naylor cross in from close range, the ball eventually being cleared from a packed penalty area.

Combe tipped Scott Brown's shot over the bar in injury-time and the jeers that rang out at the final whistle told their own story as two points were dropped by the champions.