Ten-man Inverness stun Celtic

The result left the table-toppers' advantage over Rangers in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League at just two points. Two first-half goals in two minutes from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink put Celtic in control at the Caledonian Stadium.

But John Rankin set up a scintillating second half by scoring a penalty not long before the break following Steven Pressley's foul on Marius Niculae. A header from David Proctor brought Caley level and then Don Cowie's stabbed finish put the home side into the lead and the Highlanders held on to that hard-earned advantage despite Proctor's 68th-minute dismissal for hauling down Scott McDonald when the Australian was clean through on goal.

The hosts looked like a side unbeaten in their last three matches early on and started promisingly, but the potency of the away side's attack was demonstrated as early as the 10th minute.

Aiden McGeady surged past two defenders and when Inverness goalkeeper Michael Fraser could only flap at the Irishman's cross, Scott Brown gathered the ball and his shot was cleared off the goal-line by the well-placed Phil McGuire.

But Vennegoor of Hesselink struck twice in quick succession to stun the home side. The Dutchman's first goal was a firm header from Paul Hartley's free-kick, and he demonstrated his predatory instincts for the second to get the merest touch on a bending shot by McGeady and glance the ball past Fraser.

However, Pressley pulled down Niculae as the Romanian stretched to turn a shot goalwards, allowing Rankin to smash his penalty kick into the back of the net.

Vennegoor of Hesselink struck the post in the 51st minute, but the Highlanders equalised when Cowie's cross was met by the head of Proctor to restore parity and then former Ross County man Cowie then brushed off the attentions of Stephen McManus to prod a shot past Mark Brown after latching on to a long ball from Richard Hastings.

The dramatic twists and turns then continued when Proctor was sent off for bringing down McDonald, with McGeady clipping the resultant free-kick just wide.

Celtic piled on the pressure in the closing stages with Hartley shooting just wide, McManus' header then looked destined for the top corner until it was clawed away by Fraser and substitute Chris Killen just failed to get a touch on fellow replacement Derek Riordan's shot across goal.