By Martin Conaghan BBC Scotland

Celtic swept aside Dunfermline to retain their two-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League table.

Anthony Stokes fired in a stylish strike from 18 yards to open the scoring for Celtic on 18 minutes.

Five minutes before the interval, Victor Wanyama volleyed in a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick at the back post.

Mulgrew turned scorer in the 69th minute with a curling free-kick that evaded Pars keeper Chris Smith to seal the win.

The defeat means bottom side Dunfermline have yet to win a match at home this season, while Celtic have now taken 30 points from their last 10 outings.

Stokes came in for the injured Beram Kayal for the 100th meeting between the sides, with Emilio Izaguirre on the bench as he looked to make his comeback from a broken ankle.

Dunfermline made two changes, with Gary Mason and John Potter coming in as Joe Cardle dropped out due to illness.

Celtic gave the hosts a scare after six minutes with a Mulgrew corner that battered its way around the Dunfermline penalty area before being swept clear.

Moments later, Georgios Samaras delivered a cool ball across the face of goal, but none of his team-mates was on hand to profit.

Stokes opened the scoring in casual fashion after a Mulgrew corner came out to the edge of the Dunfermline penalty area and the Northern Irishman took a touch before lobbing the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Wanyama almost made it two on the half-volley from 25 yards out with a blistering strike that Chris Smith tipped on to the bar and out for a corner.

Stokes and Samaras worked the ball into the Dunfermline penalty area but failed to make it count before Martin Hardie mistimed a shot that drifted wide of goalkeeper Fraser Forster's left-hand post.

Wanyama stole in at the back post to fire in a crisp volley from Mulgrew's inch-perfect free-kick to put Celtic two up.

Less than a minute later, Paul Burns forced a save out of Forster as Dunfermline tried to claw one back before the break.

Dunfermline emerged from the interval with keen enthusiasm but struggled to break down Celtic's resolute defence.

Gary Hooper dinked a header towards the Dunfermline goal from a Joe Ledley cross, but the ball drifted wide of Smith's left-hand post.

James Forrest blitzed his way past the Pars' defence and slipped the ball across the six-yard line, but no-one was there to knock the ball in at the back post.

An intense spell from Dunfermline saw Hardie fire in a shot from 18 yards out that inched past Forster's right-hand post.

The match was over as a contest when Mulgrew flighted in a curling free-kick from wide on the right that left Smith flapping at air in the Dunfermline goal.

Samaras forced a save out of Smith from close range, then Hardie sent a close-range effort over the crossbar.

Substitute Ki-Sung Yeung could have put Celtic four up with a low drive that drifted past the post.

A late shot from Stokes and an injury-time Mulgrew free-kick failed to find the target as Celtic left the Kingdom of Fife with their 10th successive league victory.

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)

Dunfermline

  • 20 Smith
  • 06 Keddie
  • 13 Boyle Booked
  • 15 Dowie
  • 16 Potter
  • 04 Mason (Cardle - 52' )
  • 08 Hardie
  • 17 Burns Booked
  • 22 Willis (Kirk - 64' )
  • 09 Barrowman (Buchanan - 76' )
  • 11 Graham

Substitutes

  • 30 Goodfellow
  • 39 Young
  • 07 Cardle
  • 23 Thomson
  • 26 Easton
  • 10 Kirk
  • 19 Buchanan

Celtic

  • 01 Forster
  • 21 Mulgrew
  • 25 Rogne
  • 02 Matthews (Cha Du-Ri - 76' )
  • 08 Brown
  • 16 Ledley
  • 67 Wanyama (Izaguirre - 79' )
  • 09 Samaras
  • 10 Stokes
  • 49 Forrest
  • 88 Hooper (Ki Sung-Yeung - 66' Booked )

Substitutes

  • 24 Zaluska
  • 03 Izaguirre
  • 06 Wilson
  • 11 Cha Du-Ri
  • 18 Ki Sung-Yeung
  • 20 McCourt
  • 14 Bangura
Ref: Brines
Att: 10,140

Match Stats

Shots

3 8

On target

0 3

Corners

1 6

Fouls

10 4

Live Text Commentary

92:18 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +0:45

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Paul Burns. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +0:45 Booking

Booking Paul Burns receives a caution.

88:26

The offside flag is raised against Anthony Stokes. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Smith.

87:14

Andy Kirk gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.

85:44

The assistant referee signals for offside against Liam Buchanan. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.

85:13

Effort on goal by Anthony Stokes from deep inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.

81:18

Unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Joe Cardle results in a free kick. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.

80:35 Booking

Booking Patrick Boyle is cautioned.

80:29 Booking

Booking Sung-Yeung Ki goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

78:19

Outswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line, Sung-Yeung Ki takes a shot. Sung-Yeung Ki challenges Patrick Boyle unfairly and gives away a free kick. John Potter restarts play with the free kick.

78:19 Substitution

Substitution Emilio Izaguirre on for Victor Wanyama.

78:19

James Forrest takes a shot.

76:29

Shot from inside the area by Martin Hardie clears the bar.

74:17 Substitution

Substitution Adam Matthews goes off and Du-Ri Cha comes on.

74:17

David Graham challenges Joe Ledley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Sung-Yeung Ki takes the direct free kick.

74:17 Substitution

Substitution Liam Buchanan is brought on as a substitute for Andrew Barrowman.

68:33

Assist by Victor Wanyama.

68:33 Goal scored

Goal - Charlie Mulgrew - Dunf'mline 0 - 3 Celtic Free kick scored by Charlie Mulgrew. Dunfermline 0-3 Celtic.

68:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by Andrew Barrowman on Victor Wanyama.

66:40

Martin Hardie has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses right.

65:40 Substitution

Substitution Sung-Yeung Ki replaces Gary Hooper.

63:42 Substitution

Substitution Andy Kirk joins the action as a substitute, replacing Paul Willis.

62:13

Corner from the right by-line taken by Paul Willis, Fraser Forster manages to make a clearance.

56:23

Corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Andrew Barrowman.

54:47

Foul by Alex Keddie on Anthony Stokes, free kick awarded. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.

54:47

Alex Keddie gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anthony Stokes. Charlie Mulgrew takes the free kick.

51:33 Substitution

Substitution Gary Mason goes off and Joe Cardle comes on.

51:33

Paul Burns is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Fraser Forster.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +0:42 Half time

Half Time The whistle is blown to end the first half.

41:49

Martin Hardie concedes a free kick for a foul on Georgios Samaras. Georgios Samaras takes the direct free kick.

39:45

Charlie Mulgrew provided the assist for the goal.

39:45 Goal scored

Goal - Victor Wanyama - Dunf'mline 0 - 2 Celtic Goal scored by Victor Wanyama from close in to the top left corner of the goal. Dunfermline 0-2 Celtic.

38:50

Martin Hardie challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the free kick.

37:23

Free kick awarded for a foul by Andy Dowie on Georgios Samaras. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.

36:54

Effort from deep inside the area by Martin Hardie clears the bar.

36:20

Anthony Stokes has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.

31:16

Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Andrew Barrowman results in a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.

28:44

The referee blows for offside against Andrew Barrowman. Thomas Rogne takes the direct free kick.

24:05

Martin Hardie fouled by Victor Wanyama, the ref awards a free kick. Andy Dowie restarts play with the free kick.

21:33

Victor Wanyama takes a shot. Chris Smith gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the left by-line.

17:50

Georgios Samaras provided the assist for the goal.

17:50 Goal scored

Goal - Anthony Stokes - Dunf'mline 0 - 1 Celtic Anthony Stokes gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the top right corner of the goal. Dunfermline 0-1 Celtic.

17:11

Corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line,

11:32

Charlie Mulgrew takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by John Potter.

10:18

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Martin Hardie by Anthony Stokes. Free kick taken by Chris Smith.

4:54

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew, clearance made by Andrew Barrowman.

1:55

Anthony Stokes challenges Alex Keddie unfairly and gives away a free kick. Chris Smith takes the direct free kick.

0:00

The game kicks-off.

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