CELTIC eased into the quarter-final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with a 4-0 victory over First Division league leaders, Livingston.

Having produced another entertaining performance just two days ago in the league against Kilmarnock, a much-changed Celtic side again showed their ability and were rarely troubled in the 90 minutes.

Debutant Glenn Loovens was the unlikely opening goal hero in the first half, with Man of the Match Georgios Samaras netting a brace and Scott Brown grabbing goal of the night as Celtic dominated the second period.

With Livingston buoyed by an impressive start to their First Division campaign and a 3-0 away win over Dundee at the weekend, no one was taking them for granted, with the Celtic players obviously determined to dent their hopes of an upset early on.

Gordon Strachan had also opted to make a number of changes to the starting XI and the players introduced were aiming to make an impression, with Paul Caddis helping set up the opening chance of the game.

Operating on the right of the midfield, the 20-year-old slid in with a tenacious tackle that sent Georgios Samaras sprinting down the right flank where he cut inside, leaving Chris Innes trailing in his wake, before driving in a low ball which was fired wide by the onrushing Scott McDonald.

This was followed by another clever run into the penalty box, this time by Lee Naylor, who was halted by a well-timed challenge from Livingston captain, James McPake.

The next Celtic opportunity came in the 17th minute from a quick breakaway and the intelligent hold-up play of McDonald, who delayed his pass for Aiden McGeady before getting on the end of Massimo Donati’s return.

That move ended with McGeady sending a shot high over the bar, but seconds later Roddy McKenzie was clawing at a McGeady cut-back from the byline which would have presented Samaras with an open goal.

The Greek striker looked confident in this opening period, delving into his full repertoire of tricks and flicks, but at the same time playing with real pace and power.

Meanwhile, Livingston were defending with all hands to the pump, working hard to shut down space and minimise Celtic’s options, but one quick sprint forward by Glenn Loovens and a well-placed cross from Caddis put paid to their well-laid plans.

The Dutch centre-back had looked impressive at the back, dealing easily with the threat posed by the pacy Calum Elliot, but here he showed his ability in attack, rising majestically in the air to power home Caddis’s out-swinging ball.

Livingston had started the match reasonably well, but after coneding the opening goal they were forced to defend in numbers, with McKenzie out quickly to save at the feet of Caddis, and McDonald firing wide from the edge of the box before inspiring a great save from the keeper with a close-range header.

There was just one late glimpse of goal for the visiting side, with Dave Mackay’s shot deflected wide of and Artur Boruc forced to collect the ball bravely at the feet of Murray Davidson after spilling the resulting corner.

Normal service resumed soon after though, with McGeady firing off the last salvo, a shot from over 20 yards out that zipped past the post.

The score still stood at 1-0 at the interval and it was with this slender margin in mind that Celtic immediately continued their onslaught in the second half, with Samaras forcing a good stop from McKenzie.

After this busy start Celtic maintained possession and waited for their opportunity, though it wasn’t until just after the hour mark, when Paul Hartley cracked the bar with a curling free-kick from nearly 25 yards, that they again stepped up a gear.

Then, just minutes later, it was Loovens who turned provider, popping up on the byline where he lifted in a looping ball for Samaras, who simply headed the ball over the line from a yard out.

The goal was no less than Celtic deserved for their efforts and despite Livingston’s valiant

CELTIC returned to league duties after their midweek meeting with Aalborg in the UEFA Champions League and hit three past Kilmarnock in a comfortable 3-1 win at Rugby Park.

It was an entertaining and commanding performance from the champions who were only occasionally troubled by the home side during the 90 minutes.

There was the occasional moment of controversy too, with three penalties awarded and Gary Caldwell shown a late red card for a handball on the goal-line.

But Mehdi Taouil’s goal was little more than a late consolation, with Shaun Maloney’s first half strike and a Georgios Samaras double sealing the three points.

Gordon Strachan again shuffled his starting XI, bringing Marc Crosas into the centre of midfield in place of Barry Robson and partnering Georgios Samaras with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink up front.

Having put in an impressive shift in his debut against Motherwell, Crosas was again instrumental as Celtic kept possession throughout this opening period, doing the simple things and setting the pace in a patient, unhurried fashion.

There was little in the way of goalscoring chances though, apart from an off-target, long-range effort from the Catalan and a dipping shot from his midfield partner, Scott Brown which dropped over the bar.

The home side also enjoyed the first great chance of the match in the 16th minute, with a quick free-kick from Mehdi Taouil releasing David Fernandez, whose cross from the right found the Manuel Pascali at the back post.

His header was deflected just wide of the target and then, four minutes later, Shaun Maloney was obstructed by James Fowler in the box, presenting Celtic with a penalty.

With Robson absent, the spot kick duties fell to Maloney but incredibly, like his team-mate during midweek against Aalborg, he failed to capitalise, sending his shot wide of the post.

To their credit, Celtic did not panic and kept possession and minutes later, Samaras squandered a gilt-edged chance, firing straight at the keeper after being found by a Shunsuke Nakamura cut-back seven yards out.

Then, in the 26th minute, Maloney made amends with a beautiful trademark finish, collecting the ball on the edge of the box and showing the presence of mind to look up and pick his spot, curling the ball into the top corner.

Having taken the lead Celtic continued to control the match, rarely looking troubled by Kilmarnock’s attempts to get forward and Samaras enjoyed another great opportunity as halt-time approached, with his shot fizzing past the far post after he got the benefit of the tightest of offside calls.

The home side carved out another chance just seconds before the half-time whistle, with Fernandez firing straight at Artur Boruc and the defending champions had to survive a late push.

Normal service resumed almost immediately after the restart though and in the 56th minute, Samaras made amends with the sweetest of finishes to double Celtic’s lead.

The striker showed pace and power as he got in front of Garry Hay and raced down the left flank, before cutting inside and veering towards goal, where he then fired a low drive straight into the bottom corner.

The Greek could have helped himself to a second 10 minutes later when he cut in from the right and curled a shot at goal which rattled off the post.

The two-goal lead ensured a fairly comfortable shift in the second period and there was just one brief moment of concern, with around 15 minutes to go, when Donovan Simmonds drove a ball across the face of goal which zipped inches beyond the outstretched boot of Conor Sammon.

Then, as the game entered the closing 10 minutes, Celtic got another penalty after Nakamura was impeded as he attempted to get on the end of a cross. This time around it was Samaras who accepted the spot-kick duties and although Alan Combe got a hand to the ball, the Greek converted.

There was just one moment of drama and another spot kick remaining in the game, with Ca

WHEN Gordon Strachan predicted a thrilling encounter with Motherwell at Fir Park, he could never have anticipated the extent of the high drama that was to unfold in this enthralling 4-2 win.

This was the game of the season so far, with Celtic scoring four in a first half performance that must rank among the most exciting of the manager’s three-year tenure.

It was a wonderful display of football, with every player playing their part as the team showed an equal measure of style and steel, with Shaun Maloney opening the scoring, Georgios Samaras helping himself to a double and Scott McDonald scoring his first of the season.

There was more drama to follow in the second half as Celtic threatened to add to their tally before Motherwell made a game of it, scoring two quick goals before Gordon Strachan’s men eventually settled to see out the game.

The Celtic manager made sweeping changes to the starting XI that was beaten by Rangers at Celtic Park, with Lee Naylor, Barry Robson, McDonald and Marc Crosas replacing Shunsuke Nakamura, Andreas Hinkel, Aiden McGeady and the injured Paul Hartley.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee had been bold in his team selection as well, including three strikers in a particularly attack-minded line-up and right away, the game got off to a flying start, with Celtic immediately pushing forward while at the same time looking resolute in defence.

Moving the ball quickly and with purpose, it took just five minutes to create the first chance of the match and when it arrived, Maloney finished with aplomb.

The goal came from a cross from the right, where Scott Brown, in a wide position, fired over a first-time cross which caught the defence napping and found Maloney unmarked and in yards of space at the back post.

There was little time for Motherwell to gather breath, let alone recover and four minutes later Samaras burst straight through the heart of their massed ranks and slotted the ball past Graeme Smith for the second.

The home side were reeling, with their only real chance of the half, a speculative mid-range effort from Keith Lasley, deflected away from goal by John Sutton.

Celtic responded immediately, with former Motherwell striker, McDonald holding off Stephen Craigan and laying the ball off to Brown whose shot is cannoned wide of the target.

Then in the 25th minute, McDonald finally got a chance of his own, taking it in some style to score his first goal of the season.

The little Australian’s strength and intelligence was again the key in this move as he held off his marker and turned, before clipping it expertly past Smith.

It was now three and easy for Celtic and within minutes of the restart Maloney threatened to add to the rout, lifting a delicate dink just over the crossbar as a considerable number of the home fans filed dejectedly towards the exits.

Samaras was the next to enjoy a chance, swiping at the ball with a miss-timed swing in front of goal just before Maloney cracked the crossbar with a free kick from the edge of the box.

The fourth goal, when it did arrive in the 42nd minute, was a work of art, coming as a result of a beautifully-fashioned move down the left flank, involving a one-two between Naylor and Maloney, a neat lay-off from Scott McDonald and an emphatic finish from Samaras.

The strike will stand as one of the goals of the season, coming in the midst of one of the best 45 minutes of football that has been played under Gordon Strachan and when the players left the field, they did so to a deserved standing ovation from the Celtic supporters.

There was no let-up in the second half either and in the first 10 minutes, the players looked like they were on a mission to hit double figures, with Maloney, Samaras and Gary Caldwell all coming close.

The home side still had a bit of pride in their performance, though, and just after Caldwell’s back post header went high and wide, they pushed forward, with Sutton d