Maciej Zurawski wiped the name of Polish team-mate Artur Boruc from the headlines with four brilliant East End Park goals to retain Celtic's 13-point lead in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The champions-elect, particularly John Hartson and Roy Keane, woke up to derogatory comments attributed to Boruc, and he was left with egg on his face again after costing his side the lead with a blunder for Andy Tod to cancel out Stilian Petrov's early opener.

But if Celtic were bothered it never showed as Petrov fired them back into the lead before setting up Zurawski's first goal.

It then quickly became the Polish striker's show with an emphatic four goals.

Celtic continued to steamroller their CIS Insurance Cup final opponents with Shaun Maloney hitting the net with a stunning volley and skipper Neil Lennon grabbing a rare goal.

Zurawski then made Celtic the first team to score eight goals in the SPL which took his season tally to 15 and eight in seven games.

Ladbrokes have already paid out on the Hoops early and they did not let anyone down having gone ahead with their first real attack in the third minute.

Mark Wilson burst past Jamie McCunnie down the left flank and fired the ball towards the near post where Petrov arrived, in front of Bryn Halliwell, to pop the ball over the line.

The Celtic midfield quartet were in control and the Bulgarian appeared to have a good claim for a penalty in the 13th minute.

Petrov went down under the tackle of Scott Wilson though John Hartson refused to wait for a decision from referee Dougie McDonald and he chipped the ball over the players but over the crossbar.

But Dunfermline snatched an equaliser a minute later following a Boruc blunder.

The Polish international goalkeeper should have stayed on his line instead of trying to collect Craig Wilson's outswinging corner. Boruc missed the ball and was way out of goal as the ball was crossed back in from Campbell to Andy Tod, who headed into the net.

But it was Hartson, who was apparently labelled lazy by Boruc, who saved his keeper's blushes in the 24th minute.

Keane played the ball through to Zurawski and he held off the challenge of McCunnie before getting off a shot. Halliwell got a foot to his low effort but the ball fell to the former Welsh international who scored from six yards.

That failed to settle the Celtic defence and Boruc was relieved to see Tod's glancing header go just wide in the 28th minute.

But the Glasgow giants put some daylight between the sides in the 32nd minute and Hartson was right at the heart of it again.

The big striker fed Zurawski inside the box and he blasted a superb left-foot shot past Halliwell and into the far corner of the net.

The Pole was quick to kill the home side off in the 41st minute when he latched onto Stephen McManus' long free-kick before steering the ball low past a bewildered Halliwell.

Dunfermline had Gary Mason and Stephen Simmons booked but it got even worse for them in the 55th minute when Zurawski scored his hat-trick.

Hartson was again the provider as he knocked the ball through to the unmarked Pole and he coolly slotted it past Halliwell.

Strachan took off Hartson and Keane for Dion Dublin and Alan Thompson as Dunfermline pushed to make the scoreline more respectable.

Darren Young seized on the ball in the area but he crashed his low shot straight at a rejuvenated Boruc.

Young again went agonising close in the 72nd minute but he sent the ball past the post from 11 yards.

But Maloney punished him empathetically in the 74th minute when he sent a brilliant bicycle-kick flying past Halliwell from Zurawski's cross.

The biggest cheer of the day came in the 81st minute when Lennon fired a rare goal into the bottom corner, from just outside the box.

Zurawski made it eight with two minutes later after seizing on a long ball to fire low past the shellshocked keeper.

Celtic supporters chanted "stand up for the champions" and no-one was sitting down.

Teams

Dunfermline Halliwell, McCunnie, Scott Wilson, Tod,Zambernardi, Darren Young, Mason, Simmons,Craig Wilson (Daquin 66), Burchill,Andy Campbell (Tarachulski 57).

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Donnelly, Labonte, Ross, Phinn.

Booked: Mason, Simmons.

Goals: Tod 14.

Celtic Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wilson,Petrov (Nakamura 80), Lennon, Keane (Thompson 67), Maloney,Hartson (Dublin 63), Zurawski.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Pearson, Lawson, Ferry.

Goals: Petrov 3, Hartson 24, Zurawski 32, 40, 56, Maloney 74,

Lennon 82, Zurawski 88.

Att: 9,015

Ref: Dougie McDonald (Scotland).