McDonald sends Hoops clear

A first-half double from in-form striker Scott McDonald gave the home side what looked like an unassailable lead.

However, following a double substitution at the break which saw Gary Locke and Craig Bryson replace Willie Gibson and Jamie Hamill, Frazer Wright scored 10 minutes after the restart to set up a thrilling finale.

The visitors passed up a couple of chances near the end to ease their nerves but not before enduring some anxious moments of their own.

Once again the Parkhead side had McDonald to thank for the victory. The Australian started brightly, rattling the outside of the post in the third minute from 10 yards after Scott Brown had set him up with a cut-back.

In the 33rd minute the Australia international picked up a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink flick, turned Kilmarnock defender Simon Ford twice inside the Kilmarnock penalty area and then fired a right-footed shot from 16 yards past Alan Combe and into the far corner of the net.

McDonald grabbed a second when he met Aiden McGeady's cross from the right and sent a header from 10 yards past Combe.

In the 55th minute, Kilmarnock pulled a goal back out of the blue and suddenly there was a contest again.

After McGeady had fouled Garry Hay wide on the left, Locke floated in a free-kick towards the Celtic penalty spot. As Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc came out and leapt in among a crowd of bodies, Wright rose highest to head into an empty net.

Celtic had a chance to make the game safe in the 83rd minute, when there was an air of incredulity as to how Jiri Jarosik managed to put Lee Naylor's accurate free-kick from the left over the bar from just six yards. McGeady also managed to miss the target from the edge of the box with a minute to go after McDonald sent him clear through with only Combe to beat.