Craig Bellamy and Aiden McGeady again turned on the magic to pull a vital victory out of the bag at the Caledonian Stadium as Celtic moved to within 90 minutes of a return to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League going into the international break.

The temperamental on-loan star and the teenage sensation supplied the invention on Saturday to inspired the champions to a 6-0 mauling of Dunfermline and they were the key players again.

Inverness threatened to dent Celtic's title hopes after holding them at the break but the deadly duo combined brilliantly as Bellamy grabbed his third goal for the club before the Welshman was fouled in the box for Alan Thompson to slam home the spot-kick.

That put the Hoops one point and four goals behind Rangers going into Saturday's match with Dundee United at Tannadice.

But Martin O'Neill's men had to fight for the points and knew the last time they visited the Caledonian Stadium they were sent packing out of the Scottish Cup just days after sending Liverpool crashing out of the UEFA Cup.

Robert Douglas was tested after just 30 seconds but he got down well to his left to save Roy McBain's ambitious 30-yard drive.

After that it was like a home game for the champions and Caley needed McBain to deflect wide John Hartson's shot from the edge of the box.

The Welshman appealed for a penalty in the fourth minute as he went down under a strong challenge from Darren Dods but the referee Hugh Dallas waved play on.

McGeady again looked eager to impress after his brilliant display on Saturday and he left the Inverness defence in his wake after nine minutes before chipping the ball to the back post but Stilian Petrov could only head past the angle.

Celtic looked quite solid at the back but Douglas gave them an uneasy moment in the 12th minute when he dropped a cross, under pressure from Bayne, but he recovered quickly to gather.

Douglas again looked unconvincing as he got caught under Richard Hart's cross but fortunately for him there was no Inverness player lurking behind him to turn the ball in.

The visitors looked as though they were going to take the lead on the half-hour after Bellamy and McGeady again combined superbly down the left flank.

The Welshman pulled the ball back from the byline and Grant Munro was brave to charged down an initial shot before Hartson shot over from eight yards.

Douglas would have given Scotland manager Walter Smith some concern again just after the restart when it took him three efforts to get the ball in his possession after again spilling a Ross Tokely cross in the swirling wind.

At the other end Brown was giving his opposite number a lesson in goalkeeping as he pushed a dipping Thompson free-kick over the crossbar after Dods had handled the ball.

McGeady would have scored one of the goals of the season on the hour when he ghosted past four or five players but his left-foot strike was well saved low.

Celtic were turning the screw and Bellamy's cross again had the home side in trouble but Petrov and Hartson both failed to make the most of the chance.

Barry Wilson gave Celtic two reminders at the other end by firing over and then wide from the edge of the area but it was Bellamy turning away in celebration in the 63rd minute after firing the visitors into the lead with the best move of the match.

Thompson and Bellamy started the move before the Welshman exchanged passes with McGeady and turned to fire past Brown from seven yards.

Bellamy thought he had scored again moments later when he ran onto the ball and got away from Dods but although his shot beat Brown it flew into the side-netting.

Brewster replied by bringing on former Hoops youngster Bryan Prunty for Juanjo before O'Neill took off Hartson for Craig Beattie after his recent ankle injury.

But Celtic wrapped up the three points and cut the goal difference to four when Bellamy invited Munro to bring him down in the box and Thompson fired home from the spot.

Teams

Inverness CT: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Hart, Duncan (Black 89), McBain, Wilson, Bayne (Fatai 78), Juanjo (Prunty 72).

Subs Not Used: Fraser, McCaffrey, Hastings, Proctor.

Celtic: Douglas, McNamara, Henchoz, Balde, Laursen, McGeady, Petrov, Lennon, Thompson, Hartson (Beattie 79), Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Valgaeren, Pearson, Fernandez, Wallace, McManus.

Goals: Bellamy 63, Thompson 84 pen.

Att: 7,045

Ref: H Dallas (Scotland).