Highlights - Dundee Utd 1-3 Celtic

By Clive Lindsay

Celtic restored their five-point lead in the Scottish Premier League after ending Dundee United's 11-game unbeaten run with a display of power and poise.

The visitors broke the deadlock when Anthony Stokes' low drive deflected in off the heel of hapless Garry Kenneth.

That came on 16 minutes and, after another 20, it was Sean Dillon's turn to deflect in a Mark Wilson shot.

David Goodwillie swept in United's reply after 64 minutes, but Daniel Majstorovic headed in 15 minutes later.

Celtic's victory not only meant that they completed their 16th game without defeat but restored the gap over reigning champions Rangers, who have two games in hand and thrashed Motherwell on Saturday.

Both managers had expressed their surprise that the game was given the go-ahead after three pitch inspections, with United's Peter Houston suggesting that pressure had been put on referee Mike Tumilty because of the SPL's fixture backlog.

Majstorovic and Wilson both scored for Celtic against United

However, the match that followed belied his and Neil Lennon's fears about the safety of players - or the quality of football from two sides whose unbeaten records both stretched back to 10 November.

United swapped midfielder for striker, with Morgaro Gomis coming in for the suspended Jon Daly, while it was the opposite for Celtic, with Stokes replacing the rested Ki Sung-Yeung in the starting line-up.

And the game started in positive fashion, with United's Craig Conway and Celtic's Kris Commons prominent as both sides probed for openings and looked to exploit the wide areas.

United's Prince Buaben should have done better than slice well over from 12 yards.

Celtic were slightly edging an exciting game thanks to their greater composure, but it was a stroke of fortune that led to the opening goal.

Joe Ledley sent Stokes galloping towards the United area and the striker's shot deflected off Kenneth's heel and deceived Pernis on its way between the goalkeeper and the near post.

Buaben squandered a chance to equalise immediately when the midfielder's strength took him beyond the Celtic defence, but his low shot was deflected clear off Mulgrew's heel.

Scott Robertson picked up the loose ball, but the United midfielder's attempted chip over Fraser Forster was saved on the line by the goalkeeper.

Celtic, though, were looking the more dangerous side, although they got the rub of the green again when extending their lead.

Wilson combined with Scott Brown down the right and, when the midfielder found the right-back 15 yards from goal, the low prodded effort deflected off Dillon and into the net.

Ledley and Stokes both had efforts blocked in an almighty scramble within the United area as the home side desperately tried to stay in the game before half-time.

United had a chance to reduce the deficit when Goodwillie wriggled clear of his markers but drove the ball across the face of goal from a difficult angle.

Majstorovic ought to have given Celtic more breathing space shortly after the break when the tallest man in the Celtic team was somehow left unmarked but headed powerfully wide following a corner.

However, United worked their way into the game against a flagging Celtic side and, when Forster could only block on the line after a Conway free-kick was deflected towards goal off two visiting players, Goodwillie swept it low into the near corner from 10 yards.

United sniffed the possibility of a comeback and Goodwillie was unfortunate when his low drive skidded under Forster, but the ball flew over the crossbar off the goalkeeper's body.

A poor pass-back from Dillon presented Hooper with a chance, but the Celtic striker's bundled shot came back off the face of the far post.

United continued to press, but Celtic killed off their challenge when Majstorovic dived low to fire into the near corner of the net from Mulgrew's free-kick to the front post.

The game ended in comical fashion when Hooper rounded goalkeeper Pernis but stubbed his toe and fell flat on his face as he tried to score seconds before having another effort chalked off after a questionable offside decision.

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