Celtic missed a number of good late chances to score
Celtic surrendered top spot in the Scottish Premier League as they failed to convert a host of chances against a lively Motherwell side.
Scott McDonald and Aiden McGeady were both guilty of missing close range headers in stoppage time.
McDonald had earlier seen a shot drift narrowly wide and visiting keeper John Ruddy enjoyed a good day.
Motherwell were always a threat and Lukas Jutkiewicz was twice denied by saves from Artur Boruc.
The result leaves Celtic a point behind Rangers and manager Tony Mowbray must be worried by his side's lack of cutting edge.
Motherwell have now managed to hold both sides of the Old Firm and can be proud of their organised and assured display at Celtic Park.
The home side were first to threaten when Niall McGinn did well to deliver a cross from the right and Georgio Samaras hit a sliding half-volley wide of the mark.
Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady then went close with a fizzing angled effort and Samaras blazed over from 20 yards.
Motherwell enjoyed some good spells of possession and certainly were not afraid to get numbers forward in attack, where Chris Humphrey and Yassim Moutaouakil linked well on the right flank.
On 22 minutes, Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc had to get down smartly to keep out a Humphrey strike, which had been going wide until Jutkiewicz stretched out a leg to divert it with his studs.
Opposite number John Ruddy produced a great block to thwart Scott McDonald from close range, perhaps sparing the linesman's blushes after a poor-looking offside verdict against the striker.
Motherwell were almost caught out playing one too many passes at the back but McGinn could only find Ruddy with a tame shot after nicking the ball.
And the same player was guilty of a glaring miss when he headed horribly wide after a Samaras cross had picked him out 10 yards from goal.
The first half came to a close with Motherwell defending stoutly on the edge of their own penalty box and a Barry Robson strike was deflected wide.
Celtic made a strong start to the second period and Ruddy was at full-stretch to push away a rasping, angled drive from McGinn and the keeper had to tip over a header from Gary Caldwell from the resultant corner.
Jutkiewicz gave the home fans a fright with a long range dig that Boruc was slow getting down to as he scrambled the ball round the post.
The teenage striker, on loan from Everton, was then denied a clean strike inside the six yard by a combination of Boruc and Caldwell.
And Ross Forbes saw his cleanly struck volley take a deflection on its way narrowly wide after a good period of pressure from the visitors.
McDonald was a matter of inches away from finding the target when he did well to keep his feet inside the penalty box and place a shot beyond the diving Ruddy.
McGeady dragged a strike wide and substitute Shaun Maloney could only send in a tame effort after a neat passing exchange before Lee Naylor's blistering shot curled just off target.
Ruddy was kept busy in the closing stages, blocking from Maloney after he had spilled a corner before stopping a drilled effort from substitute Pat McCourt.
In injury time, McDonald and McGeady spurned the best chances of the match when both men missed with headers inside the six yard box.
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray: "There's an overriding sense of frustration at the lack of quality in the final third. The final pass wasn't good enough.
"But I don't want to be too harsh since it's the first time we haven't scored in the league and it wasn't through lack of trying. We had a lot of shots on goal.
"At the end we were peppering their goal but it just wouldn't go in. We huffed and puffed and ultimately weren't good enough."
Motherwell manager Jim Gannon: "The players should be proud of all they put into the game.
"We wanted to showcase the way we can play and at times we played some really good football.
"We didn't have much threat from open play but we gave ourselves a chance of winning the game.
93:25 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
Full Time
90:00+2:31 Niall McGinn produces a cross, Header from close range by Aiden McGeady misses to the right of the goal.
90:00+1:47 Free kick awarded for a foul by Yassin Moutaouakil on Aiden McGeady. Free kick crossed left-footed by Lee Naylor, clearance by Steven Saunders.
90:00+0:56 Scott McDonald has a headed effort from close range and clears the crossbar.
88:46 Drilled right-footed shot by Patrick McCourt. Save made by John Ruddy.
87:39 Shaun Maloney takes a outswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Jordan Halsman.
86:51 Corner taken by Shaun Maloney played to the near post.
86:51 Substitution (Motherwell) makes a substitution, with Steve Jennings coming on for Jamie Murphy.
86:20 Foul by Ross Forbes on Scott McDonald, free kick awarded. Scott McDonald takes the free kick.
85:41 Aiden McGeady takes a shot from 18 yards. Save by John Ruddy.
85:10 Corner taken short by Niall McGinn.
84:25 Corner taken by Lee Naylor from the right by-line, save made by John Ruddy.
84:12 Corner taken by Lee Naylor from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance by John Sutton.
84:02 Patrick McCourt takes a shot. Save by John Ruddy.
83:31 Lee Naylor takes the inswinging corner, save made by John Ruddy.
82:20 Shot from long distance by Lee Naylor goes wide of the left-hand upright.
81:34 Scott Brown takes the free kick.
81:34 Booking Giles Coke receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
81:26 Substitution Lukas Jutkiewicz leaves the field to be replaced by John Sutton.
81:26 Aiden McGeady fouled by Giles Coke, the ref awards a free kick.
81:09 The assistant referee flags for offside against Jordan Halsman. Free kick taken by Stephen McManus.
80:57 Free kick awarded for a foul by Stephen McManus on Lukas Jutkiewicz. Direct free kick taken by Lukas Jutkiewicz.
80:22 Shaun Maloney takes a shot. Save made by John Ruddy.
79:14 Shot from inside the area by Scott McDonald clears the bar.
78:45 Foul by Stevie Hammell on Scott McDonald, free kick awarded. Zheng Zhi restarts play with the free kick.
75:58 Substitution Patrick McCourt replaces Mark Wilson.
75:44 Shaun Maloney takes a shot. Blocked by Mark Reynolds.
73:10 Aiden McGeady produces a left-footed shot from just outside the area that goes wide left of the goal.
72:20 Substitution Jordan Halsman joins the action as a substitute, replacing Chris Humphrey.
71:08 Shot by Zheng Zhi. Save by John Ruddy.
67:59 Substitution Zheng Zhi comes on in place of Barry Robson.
67:09 Scott McDonald has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.
66:15 Scott Brown is caught offside. John Ruddy takes the free kick.
63:39 Corner taken by Chris Humphrey from the left by-line to the near post, Artur Boruc makes a save.
63:28 Ross Forbes takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Blocked by Barry Robson.
62:31 Barry Robson concedes a free kick for a foul on Tom Hateley. Free kick crossed right-footed by Tom Hateley from right wing, Lee Naylor makes a clearance.
60:34 Corner taken short by Aiden McGeady.
59:57 Ross Forbes takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post.
59:46 Lukas Jutkiewicz takes a shot. Lee Naylor gets a block in.
59:02 Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Jamie Murphy. Free kick crossed left-footed by Ross Forbes from left wing.
57:02 Substitution Shaun Maloney comes on in place of Georgios Samaras.
56:05 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ross Forbes, Gary Caldwell makes a clearance.
55:18 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Chris Humphrey from the left by-line to the near post.
54:58 Chris Humphrey takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Lee Naylor.
54:42 Effort on goal by Lukas Jutkiewicz from 25 yards. Save by Artur Boruc.
53:34 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Barry Robson, Giles Coke makes a clearance.
53:04 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Aiden McGeady, Gary Caldwell takes a shot. Save by John Ruddy.
52:54 Effort on goal by Niall McGinn from 20 yards. Save made by John Ruddy.
51:48 Shot by Barry Robson from outside the box goes over the target.
51:29 Barry Robson fouled by Giles Coke, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Barry Robson.
49:59 Giles Coke concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Brown. Lee Naylor restarts play with the free kick.
47:13 Barry Robson challenges Tom Hateley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Tom Hateley restarts play with the free kick.
46:24 Corner from the left by-line taken by Aiden McGeady, save by John Ruddy.
45:50 Stephen McManus gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lukas Jutkiewicz. Direct free kick taken by Ross Forbes.
45:01 The second half kicks off.
Half Time
45:00+0:11 The first half comes to an end.
44:51 Corner taken by Barry Robson from the right by-line played to the near post, save made by John Ruddy.
44:38 Shot by Barry Robson. Blocked by Giles Coke.
43:38 Unfair challenge on Ross Forbes by Scott Brown results in a free kick. Ross Forbes restarts play with the free kick.
42:59 The ball is sent over by Georgios Samaras, Close range headed effort by Niall McGinn misses to the right of the target.
42:33 Niall McGinn takes a shot. Comfortable save by John Ruddy.
39:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Giles Coke on Barry Robson. Direct free kick taken by Lee Naylor.
38:30 The assistant referee signals for offside against Scott McDonald. John Ruddy takes the free kick.
37:49 Ross Forbes takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Gary Caldwell.
34:35 Free kick taken by Steven Saunders.
34:35 Booking The referee shows Stephen McManus a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
34:28 Foul by Stephen McManus on Lukas Jutkiewicz, free kick awarded.
33:10 Aiden McGeady sends in a cross, John Ruddy makes a save.
32:21 Shot by Niall McGinn from 12 yards. Save made by John Ruddy.
31:12 Barry Robson concedes a free kick for a foul on Yassin Moutaouakil. Steven Saunders takes the free kick.
29:09 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Barry Robson, Yassin Moutaouakil makes a clearance.
28:45 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Aiden McGeady, Lukas Jutkiewicz makes a clearance.
27:33 Lukas Jutkiewicz is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Stephen McManus.
26:28 Scott Brown gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Hateley. Tom Hateley takes the free kick.
25:03 Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Humphrey. John Ruddy restarts play with the free kick.
24:33 Corner taken by Barry Robson from the right by-line.
20:37 Lukas Jutkiewicz takes a shot. Artur Boruc makes a save.
16:13 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Ross Forbes, Artur Boruc makes a comfortable save.
14:35 Georgios Samaras sends in a cross.
11:23 Effort on goal by Georgios Samaras from just inside the area clears the bar.
8:31 Chris Humphrey takes a inswinging corner.
8:20 Corner from the right by-line taken by Ross Forbes, Artur Boruc makes a save.
5:27 Niall McGinn delivers the ball, Georgios Samaras has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.
3:51 Foul by Yassin Moutaouakil on Barry Robson, free kick awarded. Barry Robson restarts play with the free kick.
2:29 Corner taken left-footed by Ross Forbes from the right by-line to the near post, Steven Saunders produces a header from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
1:55 Lukas Jutkiewicz challenges Scott Brown unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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