Henrik Larsson struck four times to inspire Celtic to a emphatic triumph at Fir Park yesterday against a Motherwell side who never recovered from a moment of madness from red-carded John Spencer.
With the match goalless after 13 minutes the Scotland forward swung an elbow at the head of Jackie McNamara and was promptly dismissed.
That launched an angry few minutes that may yet see further action taken, notably Lee McCulloch's wild off-the-ball lunge at Lubomir Moravcik which escaped referee Kenny Clark's attention.
It made for a stormy atmosphere but also ensured it would be an unbalanced contest as Celtic moved ahead through Larsson's 22nd minute penalty. Michel Doesburg upended Stephane Mahe in the area for a spot kick which owed much to the Frenchman's fall.
Ged Brannan's free kick four minutes later offered hope of a Motherwell revival, but Moravcik's set-piece strike on the half-hour restored Celtic's lead.
The visitors were the dominant force after the break, though were never quite able to relax until Larsson had made it 29 for his productive season with a fine individual effort.
A potentially serious injury to Moravcik lowered Celtic spirits, but substitute Craig Burley soon marked his first game in four months with a stylish fourth.
Only the wasteful finishing of Harald Brattbakk was by now denying a rout and his eventual replacement Mark Burchill showed him how with a fifth set up by Blinker.
A minute later, Larsson had his hat-trick after another substitute Tosh McKinlay had crossed precisely and then, as if by magic, came his fourth and Celtic's seventh with a fierce header.
It was Celtic's largest away success of the season by a distance.
The pre-match focus had been on Andy Goram's decision, with the Motherwell management, to pull out of the game. But this match was quickly to make its own headlines as the controversial background to the clash was soon overshadowed by events on the field in a dramatic contest.
MOTHERWELL: Woods, Doesburg, McGowan, Teale, Craigen (Nevin 30), May (Ross 70), Brannan, Spencer, Valakari, Coyle (Adams 63), McCulloch. Subs not used: Bannister, Ramsey. Sent off: Spencer (14). Booked: Brannan. Goal: Brannan 26.
CELTIC: Gould, Boyd, Riseth, Mjallby, Mahe (McKinlay 78), McNamara, Lambert, Moravcik (Burley 71), Blinker, Larsson, Brattbakk (Burchill 83). Subs not used: Kerr, Healy. Booked: Mjallby, Boyd. Goals: Larsson 22 pen, Moravcik 30, Larsson 65, Burley 74, Burchill 85, Larsson 86, 87.
Referee: K Clark (Paisley).
