The champions were almost punished in the first half after Henrik Larsson missed two "sitters".

John Hartson fired home from the penalty spot to put Celtic ahead, before Paul Lambert wrapped it up with a clinical strike.

Celtic should have made the dream start after a glorious opportunity came their way after just one minute. Lambert dummied Jackie McNamara's pass and was threaded through by Neil Lennon, but after picking out Larsson in the centre, the striker flicked the ball wide with just Gordon Marshall to beat.

Alan Thompson then curled a left-foot free-kick around the home side's wall from 25 yards in the eighth minute, but Marshall read the effort and comfortably saved by his right post.

The Hoops defence came under siege in the 22nd minute after Bobo Balde gave away a needless free-kick just outside the box. The wall blocked Calderon's shot and Balde deflected Paul di Giacomo's header wide before Alan Mahood lashed a right-foot shot wide of Robert Douglas' post.

Larsson again had a great chance to give the visitors the lead in the 27th minute. The Swede was sent away by Thompson and held off the challenge of Frederic Dindeleux, but again with just Marshall to beat he pulled his right-foot effort wide of the post.

Celtic, however, almost paid for that four minutes later when Stilian Petrov flicked Murray's corner towards the back of his own net, but McNamara saved him with a header off the line.

Douglas then kept the scores level two minutes before the break with a spectacular one-handed tip over the crossbar from Kevin McGowne's long-range effort.

Just like Larsson before him Boyd spurned a great chance to give Kilmarnock the lead on the stroke of half-time. He was picked out in the centre by the impressive Murray, but he headed wide from just five yards out.

Kilmarnock had to weather an early second-half storm as Celtic came out at the break with all guns blazing. The visitors were awarded a free-kick in the 48th minute after McGowne fouled Larsson, but Marshall got down well by his left-hand post to save Thompson's long-range strike 

.Celtic, however, were awarded a penalty in the 51st minute after referee John Underhill adjudged Peter  Canero to have fouled Petrov (side) in the box after exchanging passes with Larsson. Hartson took the ball from Larsson after missing some spot-kicks recently and his lack of conviction in front of goal tonight. The Welshman stepped up and emphatically found the bottom corner beyond Marshall's hands to give the visitors the lead.

Kilmarnock came roaring back and Douglas needed to save low to his right to deny Calderon's effort from long range. 

Lambert, however, made no mistake in extending Celtic's lead on the hour after Dindeleux failed to clear the danger and the midfielder blasted his right-foot shot home past Marshall.

Hartson went agonisingly close to killing off the home side in the 64th minute when his glancing header from Thompson's corner came back off the crossbar.  Tommy Johnson then entered the proceedings and got  a warm welcome from his former employers.