Celtic replaced Motherwell as Scottish Premier League leaders with a dominant victory at Fir Park.

Gary Hooper fired the visitors ahead and Adam Cummins' own goal typified Motherwell's first-half struggle.

Adam Cummins is sent off by referee Iain Brines

Cummins had a day to forget at Fir Park

Cummins' misery continued when he was sent off for fouling Kris Commons but the resulting penalty attempt by Scott Brown was saved by Darren Randolph.

Motherwell never looked likely to score and, but for Randolph, would have suffered a heavier defeat.

They slip a point behind Celtic with Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Hibernian two points behind the new pace-setters.

Manager Stuart McCall had criticised the Lanarkshire side for their performance in the midweek cup defeat by Rangers and, though they started brightly, Celtic soon took control.

James Forrest slipped a pass through to Hooper, whose shot on the turn was saved by Randolph and Brown's low drive was also saved by the goalkeeper.

Piercing diagonal balls to Hooper gave Motherwell further headaches with Randolph having to race off his line to clear moments before Zaine Francis-Angol made an excellent block on a goalbound shot.

But the next searching pass to Hooper by Commons took out the home defence completely and this time the striker found the net with a composed finish.

And it got better for Celtic when Brown received yet another ball in behind the jaded home defence and his low centre was diverted past Randolph by Cummins.

There was no let-up from Celtic at the start of the second half and, when Commons got goal-side of Cummins, the defender always looked liable to concede the penalty.

The defender was promptly dismissed for the clumsy trip but, for the second week in a row, Brown had his spot-kick saved.

It was a rare blemish in a commanding display from the Celtic captain, who was denied again by Randolph before making way for the fit again Georgios Samaras.

Randolph's display was the highlight of Motherwell's performance with Emilio Izaguirre and Victor Wanyama also foiled by the Republic of Ireland cap in a Celtic-dominated last half-hour.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Motherwell

  • 01 Randolph
  • 05 Hutchinson Booked
  • 15 Ramsden
  • 26 Francis-Angol
  • 30 Cummins Dismissed
  • 04 Law (Kerr - 64' )
  • 06 Hateley
  • 07 Humphrey (Daley - 67' Booked )
  • 14 Lasley
  • 09 Higdon
  • 11 Murphy (Ojamaa - 79' )

Substitutes

  • 12 Hollis
  • 19 Kerr
  • 17 Daley
  • 18 Carswell
  • 27 Hetherington
  • 08 Ojamaa
  • 16 McHugh

Celtic

  • 01 Forster
  • 03 Izaguirre
  • 04 Ambrose Booked
  • 06 Wilson
  • 21 Mulgrew
  • 23 Lustig (Ledley - 79' )
  • 08 Brown Booked (Samaras - 67' )
  • 15 Commons (Miku - 74' )
  • 49 Forrest
  • 67 Wanyama
  • 88 Hooper

Substitutes

  • 24 Zaluska
  • 16 Ledley
  • 33 Kayal
  • 46 McGeouch
  • 07 Miku
  • 09 Samaras
  • 32 Watt
Ref: Brines
Att: 10,496

Match Stats

Shots

3 18

On target

0 12

Corners

2 7

Fouls

10 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +1:13

Short corner taken by James Forrest.

89:34

Gary Hooper challenges Shaun Hutchinson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Darren Randolph restarts play with the free kick.

87:31

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kelvin Wilson on Shaun Hutchinson. Tom Hateley takes the direct free kick.

86:59

Shot by Georgios Samaras. Darren Randolph makes a save.

86:20

Header on goal by Shaun Hutchinson from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

84:35

Georgios Samaras takes the direct free kick.

84:35 Booking

Booking Omar Daley goes into the referee's book.

84:22

Foul by Omar Daley on Georgios Samaras, free kick awarded.

83:52 Booking

Booking Efe Ambrose goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

83:36

Corner taken by Tom Hateley from the left by-line, clearance made by Georgios Samaras.

81:11

Inswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line.

80:55

James Forrest produces a drilled right-footed shot from 18 yards. Blocked by Zaine Francis-Angol.

80:04

Unfair challenge on Henrik Ojamaa by Efe Ambrose results in a free kick. Zaine Francis-Angol takes the free kick.

79:35 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

78:18 Substitution

Substitution Jamie Murphy goes off and Henrik Ojamaa comes on.

78:18 Substitution

Substitution Joe Ledley is brought on as a substitute for Mikael Lustig.

78:05

Nicolas Fedor Miku has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.

75:17

Shot from just outside the area by Nicolas Fedor Miku misses to the right of the target.

74:59

Shot from 25 yards by Victor Wanyama. Save made by Darren Randolph.

73:16 Substitution

Substitution Nicolas Fedor Miku is brought on as a substitute for Kris Commons.

72:19

Corner from left by-line taken by Kris Commons.

71:08

Foul by Omar Daley on Emilio Izaguirre, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Fraser Forster.

70:21

Emilio Izaguirre takes a shot. Darren Randolph makes a save.

68:33

Centre by Emilio Izaguirre, Header on goal by Victor Wanyama from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

66:38 Substitution

Substitution (Motherwell) makes a substitution, with Omar Daley coming on for Chris Humphrey.

66:36 Substitution

Substitution Georgios Samaras comes on in place of Scott Brown.

64:45

Scott Brown takes a shot. Save made by Darren Randolph.

63:31 Substitution

Substitution Fraser Kerr is brought on as a substitute for Nicky Law.

55:32 Penalty

Penalty taken by Scott Brown is saved by Darren Randolph. Motherwell 0-2 Celtic.

55:09

Adam Cummins concedes a Penalty for a foul on Kris Commons.

59:59

Gary Hooper produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand post.

56:52

Corner taken by Tom Hateley from the right by-line.

55:32 Penalty

Penalty taken by Scott Brown saved by Darren Randolph. Motherwell 0-2 Celtic.

55:22 Dismissal

Dismissal Red card for Adam Cummins.

55:09

Penalty awarded for a foul by Adam Cummins on Kris Commons.

53:19

Shot from deep inside the area by Simon Ramsden clears the bar.

47:48

Foul by Zaine Francis-Angol on Mikael Lustig, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Mikael Lustig.

47:48

Zaine Francis-Angol concedes a free kick for a foul on Mikael Lustig. Direct free kick taken by Mikael Lustig.

45:01

The match restarts for the second half.

45:00 +29:16 Half time

Half Time The referee blows for half time.

42:27

Scott Brown fouled by Zaine Francis-Angol, the ref awards a free kick. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.

41:52

James Forrest is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Tom Hateley takes the direct free kick.

41:29

Unfair challenge on Kris Commons by Simon Ramsden results in a free kick. Kris Commons restarts play with the free kick.

40:53

Keith Lasley is penalised for a handball. Free kick taken by Fraser Forster.

40:09

Kris Commons takes a shot from 12 yards. Save made by Darren Randolph.

34:58

Assist on the goal came from Scott Brown.

34:58 Goal scored

Goal - Adam Cummins - Motherwell 0 - 2 Celtic Own goal by Adam Cummins. Motherwell 0-2 Celtic.

31:29

The assist for the goal came from Kris Commons.

31:29 Goal scored

Goal - Gary Hooper - Motherwell 0 - 1 Celtic Gary Hooper fires in a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Motherwell 0-1 Celtic.

29:54

Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line.

29:37

Gary Hooper has a drilled shot. Tom Hateley gets a block in.

28:44

Michael Higdon challenges Scott Brown unfairly and gives away a free kick. Victor Wanyama takes the free kick.

27:15

Tom Hateley takes a shot from inside the box clearing the bar.

25:10

Free kick taken by Adam Cummins.

25:10 Booking

Booking Scott Brown receives a caution.

24:52

Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Jamie Murphy.

22:21

Shot from deep inside the area by Kris Commons clears the crossbar.

18:37

Kris Commons decides to take a short corner.

16:04

Victor Wanyama concedes a free kick for a foul on Keith Lasley. Tom Hateley takes the direct free kick.

14:40

Shot from outside the area by Kris Commons misses to the left of the target.

13:26

Strike comes in from Kris Commons from the free kick.

13:26 Booking

Booking Shaun Hutchinson receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

13:10

Shaun Hutchinson concedes a free kick for a foul on Kris Commons.

12:00

Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons.

11:11

Shot by Kris Commons. Nicky Law gets a block in.

10:32

Kris Commons takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, Keith Lasley manages to make a clearance.

9:16

Shot by Scott Brown. Darren Randolph makes a fantastic save.

8:35

Free kick awarded for a foul by Keith Lasley on Kris Commons. Scott Brown takes the free kick.

8:14

Gary Hooper takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Darren Randolph makes a save.

5:15

Scott Brown gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Zaine Francis-Angol. Zaine Francis-Angol crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Darren Randolph.

1:35

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Victor Wanyama by Michael Higdon. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

Live text and data provided by The Press Association