SPL Sunday August 28th

Dunfermline 0

Celtic 4

0:1 Zurawski 5
0:2 Hartson 10
0:3 Nakamura 57
0:4 Zurawski 73 Hartson subs 0:1 Sutton 16
0:2 Petrov 31

Att: 9,244

MIB Kenny Clark

Celtic
Boruc Telfer Balde McManus Camara Petrov Virgo Nakamura Beattie Zurawski

subs
Lawson for Virgo 53
Mcgeady for Zurawski 88

A healthy scoreline at last and with a team fielding most of Strachan's new signings. While the three points are welcome and we stay in touch with Hearts at the top, this was not a good performance.

On the plus side, Zurawski and Nakamura netted, while Boruc saved another penalty. These three will undoubtedly settle into the Scottish game and produce the goods.

On the negative side, the rest of the defence looks as tight as a hole in the Titanic.

Celtic went two up in the first ten minutes with a superb solo effort from Magic Z and a Hartson second, following a gift from Pars' 'keeper Halliwell. The goalie cleared a passback from Scott Thomson straight to Hartson on the edge of the box, with big John slotting it calmly into the empty net.

All this was overshadowed, though, by a sluggish team performance under pressure from Dunfermiline. This was highlighted by the inclusion of Virgo, a dedicated defender, played in midfield. He looked leaden footed and often appeared to be in the wrong movie. His contribution was underlined by giving away a penalty after 27 minutes when he needlessly pulled down Burchill in the box (Julie did a fair impression of the wee plastic man in the Mouse Trap board game just make sure the ref gave it). Boruc came to the rescue with yet another save and should, on this form, earn himself a permanent contract.

The second period was more of the same, with the home side pressing, only to be hit by Nakamura and Zurawski. The Pole waltzed through Pars defenders all day and when fully adjusted to life in the SPL will do a lot of damage.

He turned provider for a Nakamura tap-in on 58 minutes and finished the Pars off 15 minutes from the end after more Celtic-like defending from the home side.

Strachan replaced the tiring Virgo with Paul Lawson and he did look a little more composed; but this was only Dunfermline after all.

We might be in second spot in the SPL, but the signs are still there; Celtic are now 11 players united in adversity and a long way from being a team.