Hibernian threw Rangers an unexpected lifeline in the Bank of Scotland Premier League championship race by snatching a shock success at Celtic Park.

Tony Mowbray's third-placed side threatened to breathe life back into the title run-in and revive the Ibrox men's trophy hopes when Garry O'Connor ruthlessly finished a great move involving Derek Riordan and Scott Brown to give them a surprise first-half lead.

Substitute Craig Beattie pulled the scores level after the break but the Edinburgh outfit showed great spirit to go on to take the points through late Ivan Sproule and Brown goals.

The champions were in shock having looked to have wrapped up the SPL with their victory at Ibrox last week which put them five points clear with four games remaining.

But Celtic missed absent trio Craig Bellamy, Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe as Celtic manager Martin O'Neill drafted in Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady and Joos Valgaeren.

His opposite number Mowbray made just one change to the side which drew with Hearts with skipper Ian Murray returning from suspension at Dean Shiels' expense.

But they made a dream start as the Edinburgh outfit followed the recent examples of Aberdeen and Hearts by snatching the lead after just six minutes.

Riordan started the move with a clever back-heal deep in his own half to send Scott Brown away into the opposition's half and he found the overlapping O'Connor.

The striker still had plenty to do but he cut inside Stanislav Varga at worrying ease and then placed his right-footed shot past the onrushing David Marshall from eight yards.

But Bobo Balde squandered a glorious chance to level the scores in the 18th minute after Steve Whittaker had conceded a free-kick for a clumsy foul on Valgaeren.

Alan Thompson swung in one of his trademark left-footed crosses and the Hibernian defence gave the defender a free header but he completely missed the ball to everybody's amazement.

The visitors survived a penalty scare in the 33rd minute when Hartson appeared to be shoved in the back by Gary Smith from Thompson's cross.

But Celtic stepped up the pressure before the break and Balde fired over from just inside the area moments later with the Hibernian defence looking vulnerable for the first time.

Part of the home crowd thought John Hartson had equalised with nearly the last kick of the half but he blasted his right-foot shot into the sidenetting from 10 yards.

As expected O'Neill made a change at the break by bringing on Beattie for Maloney and they certainly started the half with more urgency.

But Celtic were let off the hook in the 48th minute when Amadou Konte got behind the defence and his left-foot shot was deflected just wide off Valgaeren.

Moments later and the home side had Marshall to thank for denying Hibernian a second goal following a rare mistake by Neil Lennon.

Riordan seized on the ball and tried to lob the young goalkeeper from 22 yards but he raced off his line and threw his hand up to touch the ball just past the upright.

But Celtic hauled themselves back on level terms on the hour mark thanks to a great opportunist strike from Beattie.

Petrov clipped the ball into the box and the youngster pounced on Valgaeren's knock-down to drive a right-foot volley past the hand of Simon Brown from six yards.

Hibernian were now feeling the heat as the home fans and their heroes turned up the temperature.

It clearly got to Brown in the goal after 62 minutes as he spilled a Thompson free-kick but he breathed a sigh of relief as Balde smashed the loose ball into the sidenetting.

Nearly everybody in Celtic Park thought Hartson had headed Celtic into the lead in the 67th minute but Brown threw himself to his left to save his effort from Thompson's cross.

Ross Wallace's first contribution after replacing McGeady was to swing an inviting cross into the box but Hartson could only head past the upright from seven yards.

Mowbray made two changes with Ivan Sproule and Shiels coming on for Konte and Riordan.

Shiels could have fired Hibernian back into the lead in the 76th minute from Sproule's pull-back but his shot struck Jackie McNamara close to the goalline.

But Sproule became the hero with 11 minutes remaining when he pounced on a loose ball to fire under the body of Marshall before substitute Sam Morrow, on for O'Connor, was booked for celebrating.

But there was even more drama moments later when Brown took Murray's long ball in his path and coolly chipped Marshall to spark more wild celebrations in the visiting section.

Beattie tried to pull his side back into the game with two minutes left but Brown pushed his shot over the top and the famous success was secured and Rangers breathed again.

Teams

Celtic Marshall, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren, Petrov, Lennon, Thompson, McGeady (Wallace 69), Hartson, Maloney (Beattie 45).

Subs Not Used: Douglas, Henchoz, Sylla, Lambert, Laursen.

Booked: Thompson.

Goals: Beattie 59.

Hibernian Simon Brown, Scott Brown, Caldwell, Konte (Shiels 72), Glass, Antonio Murray, Ian Murray, Smith, Whittaker, Riordan (Sproule 71), O'Connor (Morrow 77).

Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Hogg, McDonald, Murphy.

Booked: Glass, Morrow, Shiels.

Goals: O'Connor 7, Sproule 79, Scott Brown 81.

Att: 58,322

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).