Bellamy strike turns Parkhead silence into full song

Celtic 3 - Aberdeen

Craig Bellamy chose the perfect time to conjure up his first goal at Parkhead as he sealed a remarkable Celtic comeback yesterday that pushed them five points ahead of Rangers in a taut Scottish Premier League title race.

Craig Bellamy chose the perfect time to conjure up his first goal at Parkhead as he sealed a remarkable Celtic comeback yesterday that pushed them five points ahead of Rangers in a taut Scottish Premier League title race.

Though their Old Firm rivals must visit Dunfermline today, Bellamy's stunning 57th-minute volley saw Celtic overcome a two-goal deficit ahead of next Sunday's Glasgow derby at Ibrox. With just five games left, Martin O'Neill's players can see the finishing line.

Aberdeen came to Parkhead not in fear but rude expectation, having won on their previous two trips to the east end of Glasgow. The Celtic supporters, with defeat by Hearts a fortnight ago still fresh in their minds, watched in bemusement as O'Neill's charges allowed Aberdeen a similar advantage.

The visitors took just 10 minutes to silence the ground when Zander Diamond scored with a searing volley. The defender had come up for a Chris Clark corner that was only cleared to Scott Severin, and his low cross was met by Diamond's right boot.

Just four minutes later, Celtic were hit on the counter- attack as Markus Heikkinen's pass released Scott Muirhead, who eluded Neil Lennon and then delivered a low cross that was drilled past David Marshall by Darren Mackie.

However, unlike two weeks earlier, Celtic responded. They showed signs of reducing the deficit when Stilian Petrov burst clear and the visiting goalkeeper, Ryan Esson, had to save bravely at the midfielder's feet. Esson then touched Jackie McNamara's volley over the bar before Stan Varga made the breakthrough with a thundering header.

Though Celtic's pressure failed to yield any further goals before half-time, they were rewarded just six minutes into the second half with an equaliser from John Hartson.

The Wales striker had just watched his compatriot Bellamy fail to beat Esson after being put through by Aiden McGeady's threaded pass, only to strike his shot against the goalkeeper's legs. However, Celtic kept the move alive when Didier Agathe harried Richie Byrne and clipped in a low cross that was gathered by Hartson and finished with style.

The Celtic supporters sensed the comeback could be completed properly, and it was then that Bellamy put them in front for the first time in the contest.

The striker, finding himself unguarded in the area, met Alan Thompson's deep delivery from a corner with a waist-high, right-foot volley that flew past Esson.

Celtic ought to have been given a penalty six minutes later when Byrne brought down Bellamy; but, to Parkhead's anger, the referee, Craig Thomson, denied the appeals.