Celtic did all the damage in the first half before resisting a Motherwell fightback as the Bhoys ran out 4-2 winners at Fir Park. The visitors raced into a four-goal half-time lead through two goals from Georgios Samaras and strikes from Shaun Maloney and Scott McDonald, and the Lanarkshire side looked down and out.

Two goals in a two-minute spell after the break from John Sutton and David Clarkson gave the home side some hope but there was no real prospect of the comeback being completed and Celtic's impressive first-half performances was enough to see them through.

On that first half alone, the Parkhead side could hardly have prepared in better fashion for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Danish side Aalborg at Celtic Park.

It was a thrilling demonstration of pace and purpose from the Scottish champions whose fans would have to look back months, if not years, for an SPL performance of similar standard.

There was a zest about Celtic's start to the game, and in the fifth minute midfielder Scott Brown worked a one-two of sorts with Samaras on the right side and when his low cross sped across the Motherwell six-yard box leaving goalkeeper Graeme Smith stranded, Maloney was able to prod the ball into an empty net.

Three minutes later, with the home defence still trying to compose themselves, Samaras took a pass from McDonald, brushed past flailing home defender Mark Reynolds with some ease, and slotted the ball past Smith from 12 yards.

It was almost effortless as Celtic cut open the home defence time and again.

There was more misery for the Lanarkshire side when McDonald met a throw-in from Mark Wilson, spun and volleyed high past Smith from 16 yards.

Motherwell appeared paralysed. Chris Porter had the ball in the Celtic net just before the half-hour mark following a corner but was ruled offside.

Celtic were in complete control but Artur Boruc had to be quick off his line in the 33rd minute to deny Sutton after the former St Mirren striker had linked up well with Clarkson.

In the 37th minute, after Brown was fouled by Paul Quinn at the edge of the Motherwell box, Maloney cracked the bar with the resultant free-kick.

But the rampant champions were not to be denied a fourth before the break, and in the 41st minute Samaras finished off a seven-man move by racing on to McDonald's flick to again bury the ball past Smith.

Celtic should have been five ahead three minutes after the restart when Brown set up Maloney but the former Aston Villa man tried to walk the ball into the net and was eventually thwarted.

There looked no way back for Motherwell but Sutton pulled a goal back in the 55th minute after midfielder Keith Lasley had put Celtic defender Gary Caldwell under pressure in the box, the former St Mirren man driving past Boruc from 14 yards.

Two minutes later the home side reduced the deficit further when Stephen Hughes sent Clarkson through and the Scotland striker held off Celtic captain Stephen McManus to toe-poke the ball under Boruc.

The tide had turned, the Fir Park men were in the ascendancy and following a whipped-in cross from Hughes, Porter had a point-blank header saved by Boruc.

Celtic had lost their impetus but with a two-goal lead, the points still seemed secure.

In the 78th minute Boruc produced a brilliant reflex save from Clarkson's header - seconds before Porter failed to connect properly in front of goal, the ball skidding wide of the target.

Motherwell, though, lost belief in the final minutes and Celtic ran out comfortable winners, deserving the three points for their first-half performance alone.