Celtic lead at the break

Celtic 1, Dunfermline 0 (half-time)

Dunfermline’s hopes of heading into the interval on level terms with Celtic was shattered when Henrik Larsson grabbed the opener five minutes before the break.

The Pars had withstood the challenge of the home side for much of the first half.

But Larsson ensured the Scottish champions would head into the break ahead when he headed the opening goal from a Bobby Petta corner.

Celtic continued to threaten in search of the opener and Ruitenbeek was called into action to block a 25-yard drive from Sutton just after the half-hour mark.

Larsson had a chance to make amends for his earlier poor free-kick when Celtic were awarded another set-piece just outside the 18-yard box - this time as a result of Stevie Crawford tugging on Petrov’s shirt.

But the Swedish hitman disappointed yet again by firing the ball straight into the hands of the Dunfermline goalkeeper.

A blunder by Balde six minutes before the interval gifted possession to Craig Brewster and he lined the ball up for Mason, but the Dunfermline player sent his shot well over.

Sutton was unlucky not to open the scoring a few minutes later when he picked up on the rebound from a Petrov shot and fired the ball towards goal, only for his effort to canon off Andrius Skerla.

With the game inching towards half-time and the scoreline still level, the Pars would have been concerned about Celtic’s ability to grab a goal right on the stroke of half-time - a trick they produced often enough last season.

And Calderwood’s side were right to have been worried.

A Petta corner five minutes before the interval found Larsson inside the six-yard box and he rose, unchallenged, to bullet home a header from just a few yards out.