Hoops held by late strike

Hoops striker Scott McDonald received the help of the infamously poor Fir Park pitch in the 59th minute when his shot from the edge of the box appeared to bobble over the leg of keeper Graeme Smith.

But nine minutes from the end Quinn equalised from 12 yards after the Parkhead defence had failed to deal with a Jim O'Brien cross to leave the Ibrox men top of the SPL on goal difference.

The first half was certainly bereft of quality football although the Parkhead side almost took the lead in the fourth minute when McDonald and Georgios Samaras linked well inside the Motherwell penalty area before the Australia international curled his shot from 14 yards just wide of the junction between the post and bar.

It was going Celtic's way but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink then headed Andreas Hinkel's cross over from 10 yards when he should at least have worked Smith.

Motherwell finished the first half strongly and came out after the break in equally confident and determined mood, forcing the Parkhead defence in to some early and desperate defending.

The onus though, was on Celtic to regain their top spot and in the 59th minute they took a step closer to doing that when McDonald fired them into the lead with what appeared to be some help from the Fir Park pitch.

Well skipper Stephen Craigan failed to clear his lines at the edge of the Motherwell box, but, although the Hoops' striker turned and got his shot away, it did not look likely to trouble Smith until it bobbled over his leg.

The goal looked to have taken some of the sting out of the home side, whose long punts from defence became increasingly hopeful.

But in the 81st minute the hosts dramatically drew themselves level after Steven Hammell took a short free-kick to O'Brien on the left-hand side. When the former Celtic player's cross came over, the Hoops defence failed to clear properly and Quinn drove in a left-footed shot from 12 yards which sneaked in.