Celtic hit Dunfermline for eight

Dunfermline 1 Celtic 8

The Polish international warned John Hartson and Roy Keane about the jokes he made at a fans’ forum in his homeland this week but the players were still in stitches to read them in a Sunday newspaper.

The goalkeeper was said to have labelled the Welshman “lazy” and the Irishman “arrogant” but it only prompted arguably Celtic’s best performance of the season as they regained their 13-point lead over Hearts at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The Hoops boss even joked Boruc should be quoted having a pop at Neil Lennon’s goals ratio to spark a similar response after the Northern Irishman recorded a rare score.

Maciej Zurawski fired four fabulous goals but Lennon’s first Celtic goal in nearly five seasons was the big shock.

Strachan added: “He got a standing ovation being in a shooting position. It is unusual to get that for an attempt but when the shot actually went in I had to have a double take.”

Zurawski continued his impressive goalscoring form which has seen him score eight in his last seven games and 15 for the campaign.

“That doesn’t surprise me or anyone that works with him,” said Strachan. “He does some work and his finishing was top class.”

Boruc cost Celtic the lead as Andy Tod capitalised on his mistake to cancel out Stilian Petrov’s early opener. Hartson fired the Glasgow giants back into the lead before it became the Zurawski show, with two assists from the Welshman as Celtic were the first side to hit eight goals in an SPL game.

Shaun Maloney also hit the net with a brilliant volley which Strachan labelled ‘Jim Hamilton-esque’.

Dunfermline are the only team to have won at Parkhead this year but they suffered a major psychological hammering ahead of next month’s CIS Insurance Cup final between the two sides.

Manager Jim Leishman, whose side are still six points above bottom club Livingston after last week’s win at Almondvale, was visibly shaken by the new experience but vowed not to walk away.

He said: “My stomach is turning and my heart is racing. It’s hard to take.”

DUNFERMLINE: Halliwell, McCunnie, Scott Wilson, Tod, Zambernardi, Darren Young, Mason, Simmons, Craig Wilson (Daquin 66), Burchill, Andy Campbell (Tarachulski 57).

CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wilson, Petrov (Nakamura 80), Lennon, Keane (Thompson 67), Maloney, Hartson (Dublin 63), Zurawski.

Referee: Dougie McDonald.