Celtic closed the gap on leaders Rangers at the top of the SPL table to seven points but they had to be helped along the way by Dunfermline.
Christmas is still more than a month away but the Fifers were giving out early gifts at Parkhead.
A stray back pass from midfielder Paul Willis was pounced on by Gary Hooper for the Hoops’ opening goal on six minutes, then defender Alex Keddie lost possession in the lead-up to James Forrest’s second on 13 minutes.
Celtic repaid some their generosity when Ki Sung Yueng missing a penalty and the visitors grabbed a deserved goal of their own four minutes from time through Andy Barrowman to make the latter stages very interesting indeed as the hosts fought to hang on.
Ultimately, however, the slip-ups proved crucial.
”After we made a couple of mistakes Celtic were giving us the runaround and we were lucky to come in at half-time two down,” said Pars boss Jim McIntyre.
”I was really pleased with the players in the second half, though, because they gave it everything. When we do the basics well we win games and we need to grasp that.
”Celtic were the better team on the night and deserved their win but we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Photo Lynne Cameron/PA Wire