Celtic surrendered their lead at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to Old Firm rivals Rangers after failing to break down Motherwell at Parkhead.

Rangers' win at St Johnstone earlier had taken the Ibrox side two points clear but the Hoops failed to respond in an afternoon of frustration in the east end of Glasgow.

Niall McGinn headed wide just before the break with the best chance of the first half but that only proceeded a catalogue of missed chances in the second period which led to the Hoops fans booing and jeering at the final whistle.

The first half did little to dispel the notion that Scottish football is in something of a crisis at the moment, characterised as it was by unforced errors, a lack of technique and poor finishing.

Celtic stuttered and stammered as they tried to move through the gears.

In the 10th minute midfielder Aiden McGeady easily skipped past Well right-back Yassin Moutaouakil inside the Motherwell box before firing his angled shot wide of the far post, moments before Georgios Samaras drove over from the edge of the box.

Meanwhile, Motherwell clocked up the corner count albeit with little threat to Artur Boruc's goal although in the 20th minute the Celtic keeper had to move smartly down to his right to save Chris Humphrey's shot from distance which had been deflected by Fir Park striker Lucas Jutkiewicz.

As the first half unfolded further, the standard of play, if anything, dropped.

With the game having nudged past the half-hour mark, McGinn finished off a driving run with a right-footed shot from just inside the box but that was saved with ease by Motherwell keeper John Ruddy.

Celtic skipper Stephen McManus was deservedly booked in the 34th minute for chopping down Jutkiewicz on the halfway line as the visitors threatened to break.

Two minutes from the break McGinn, though, missed a great chance, heading wide of the target from Samaras' pin-point cross.

Celtic stepped up the pace at the start of the second half but to no real effect.

Robson fired over from 30 yards to end one Celtic move while moments later McGinn drew a decent save from Ruddy with a low drive from 25 yards.

Motherwell were camped in their own half but in their first effort of the second period, Boruc had to concede a corner from Jutkiewicz's 20-yard shot which may have sneaked in at the post.

Shaun Maloney replaced Samaras in the 58th minute, the sarcastic cheers from a section of the Celtic support a reflection of their overall disgruntlement.

Scott McDonald made a yard of space for himself in the Motherwell box but slipped his effort wide of the far post.

The substitution of Barry Robson for Zheng Zhi elicited boos from the home fans, revealing the consensus that Robson had been one of their best performers but ignoring the fatigue factor.

Paddy McCourt was given a better reception from the Celtic fans when he replaced Mark Wilson in the 76th minute as the Hoops went all out for the opener.

The Parkhead side swarmed around the Motherwell goal, but continued to squander decent chances, McDonald heading over from close range in injury time and McGeady then heading wide from a similar position to cap a frustrating afternoon.

Teams

Celtic Boruc, Wilson (McCourt 76), Caldwell, McManus, Naylor,McGinn, Robson (Zhi 68), Brown, McGeady, McDonald,Samaras (Maloney 58).

Subs Not Used: Zaluska, Thompson, Crosas, Caddis.

Booked: McManus.

Motherwell Ruddy, Moutaouakil, Saunders, Reynolds, Hammell,Humphrey (Halsman 73), Coke, Hateley, Forbes,Murphy (Jennings 87), Jutkiewicz (Sutton 82).

Subs Not Used: Kosiorowski, Craigan, Lasley, McHugh.

Booked: Coke.

Att: 58,000

Ref: C Boyle (Scotland).