Sport

Burns fires up Celtic

Celtic marked Tommy Burns's first match in charge for three years with an emphatic victory last night

Thu Mar 02 2000 - 00:00

Celtic marked Tommy Burns's first match in charge for three years with an emphatic victory last night. Burns, dismissed as manager in 1997, took control of team affairs as caretaker-manager Kenny Dalglish was suffering from food poisoning.

Named as first team coach until the end of the season, Burns saw his team narrow the gap on Rangers at the top of the Premier League to eight points. Tommy Johnson grabbed his first hat-trick for the club and in so doing plunged Dundee into more trouble. They have now won only once in 12 games and for the second time in a week were hammered by the Old Firm.

Rafael was named on the bench for the first time following his £4.8 million move from Gremio at the end of last year. His appearance had been delayed because of the need for a work permit followed by a spell on the sidelines after suffering from appendicitis.

The Brazilian defender saw his team-mates get off to a flying start with two goals in the space of the first 31 minutes from Johnson. Mark Viduka's strength then took him into the heart of Dundee defence for Celtic's third on 36 minutes and it was becoming a rout by the time Stilian Petrov added the fourth two minutes before the break when he got on the end of a cross from Lubomir Moravcik.

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A Viduka penalty spurred Dundee to pull a goal back and with a spectacular 25-yard strike from Hugh Robertson. But they shot themselves in the foot in the 64th minute when Johnson completed his hat-trick. Dundee's second score on 77 minutes was destined to be merely a consolation prize despite a spirited performance.

CELTIC: Kharine, McNamara, Mahe (Rafael 56), Mjallby, Stubbs, Boyd, Petrov, Wieghorst, Moravcik (Berkovic 62), Viduka, Johnson (Burchill 70). Subs Not Used: Kerr, Tebily. Booked: Stubbs, Mahe. Goals: Johnson 18, 31, Viduka 36, Petrov 43, Viduka 45 pen, Johnson 64. DUNDEE: Douglas, Tweed, Raeside, Boyack, Rae, Annand (Bayne 60), Grady, Robertson, Sharp, Van Eijs (Maddison 85), Wilkie. Subs Not Used: Langfield, Falconer, Mair. Booked: Grady, Annand. Goals: Robertson 58, Grady 77. Referee: S Dougal (Scotland).