Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 3 Celtic

So the Pars lost again – but then plenty of better Pars sides have suffered heavier defeats to poorer Celtic teams over the years so let’s not get too downbeat. It was 3-0 in the end – a superb Stokes strike sent the Celts on their way after 18 minutes, with Wanyama scoring the killer second just before half-time. Another Smith error when he let a swerving Mulgrew free-kick dip over him finished the scoring, as the Pars passed up a couple of half decent chances.

In a break with tradition, the New Year fixture pitted the Pars against Celtic rather than more local rivals. A year ago Dunfermline were riding high in the SFL, yet lost at Starks Park and in a role reversal this time round, they were up against the table toppers, bhoyed by a run of 9 straight wins. The Pars, perhaps conscious of their poor home form did their best to turn this into an away match, ceding the majority of the stadium to Celtic supporters and dispensing with their normal “no standing” policy to allow the visitors to do as they pleased.

On the pitch, the Pars tried a little harder to frustrate their guests, lining up with a defensive looking 4-5-1 - Jason Thom son has gone back to Hearts and in all likelihood he won’t be back any time soon, so Dowie moved across to right back in a flat back 4 with Potter and Keddie being the centre-backs and Boyle the left back. Barrowman was again the sole striker and the five in midfield were Mason, back alongside Hardie and Burns, and Paul Willis and David Graham wide on the right and left respectively. Despite his aberrations last week, Chris Smith was in goals, where he could expect to be busy.

Anthony Stokes, scorer of a hat-trick at East End back in 2006 for Falkirk came back into the starting eleven to partner Gary Hooper, Samaras dropping to left midfield. Fifer Scott Brown captained the side as one of three Scots in the team, the others being Charlie Mulgrew playing at centre-back and James Forrest on the right wing. A Kenyan, a Dane, 2 Welshmen and a further Englishman completed the Celtic line-up.

The home fans were less concerned with the international line-up of the visitors than with their own team’s shaky defence. They wanted a safe start and the Pars obliged by setting their stall out early, getting everyone behind the ball when possession was lost. Celtic were content to be patient, which helped, rather than apply any undue pressure. The first cause for alarm was in 4 minutes when Dowie and Smith had a decision to make over a long ball – Smith stayed resolutely on his line, so Dowie put the ball in the stand – no damage done.

Nor was the Pars goal under real threat when Forrest got his first touch, Keddie thwarting the winger at the expense of a corner. There was more concern in 8 minutes when Potter’s misplaced header allowed the ball to be fed to Samaras but his cross flashed across the face of goal with no takers. A minute later Smith got his hands on the ball, being very alert to scoop up a Keddie headed pass-back just ahead of Stokes’ boot.

So far so good then, the Pars hadn’t remotely threatened, but Celtic hadn’t created two much either. Of course, it would only take one mistake, or one touch of class to change the course of the game, and so it proved in 18 minutes. A third Celtic corner, from their right, but deeper and when Samaras headed out the way Stokes was there to curl in a shot from 20 yards in at the far post. A great strike and 1-0 to Celtic.

Smith was forced into a couple of saves soon after – one at the near post when Stokes seemed to miscue an attempted pass to Hooper, and a tip over the bar from Wanyama. The Pars finally showed some attacking intent with a couple of coherent passing moves before finally daring a shot themselves after 37 minutes – a standard punt down the middle from Smith was chested down by Graham who laid it off but from 20 yards Hardie side-footed wide.

One nil at half time would have been ok but the Pars conspired to concede a second five minutes from the break. Mason blasted the ball off Hardie’s napper trying to play the ball forward – the big man wouldn’t take that lying down but he tried a little too hard to win the ball back and gave away a free-kick 30 yards out. Mulgrew whipped it in to the far post where Wanyama lost his marker and volleyed home.

Two nil down, so time for the Pars to start playing – almost immediately Burns’ persistence nearly paid off when he got the break of the ball to get free but Forster beat away his shot from the angle.

Half time: Pars 0 Celts 2

Such are expectations at East End Park these days that not much reaction was expected after the break, but the first quarter of an hour was more competitive. Macca made a surprising early switch replacing Mason with Cardle, but things wouldn’t quite run for the Pars. First Hardie then Burns nearly got on the end of a quick 1-2 inside the box, but not quite, and Barrowman got his head on a deep Boyle cross but his header just failed to pick out Burns. It was slim pickings, but at least the ball was at the right end of the park. Of course, pushing forward left more space for Celtic to exploit and after an intricate move involving Graham, Cardle and Boyle was snuffed out, Celtic poured forward and Samaras swept another cross across goal without reward.