The opening SPL game of the season for Celtic, and Strachan's first, with Celtic still reeling after the calamitous 5-0 defeat to Artmedia Bratislava only three days earlier. A draw to Motherwell was not a good start to the league season, but it could have been even worse, as Craig Beattie's injury-time goal saved Celtic from defeat.

John Hartson scored a hat-trick in the first half - two headers and a penalty after Petrov was hauled down in the bx. Brian Kerr scored one for Well in the first half, but it was in the second that they really took control. Headers from Jim Hamilton, Scott McDonald, and Willie Kinniburgh put Motherwell 4-3 up until the closing seconds of the game.

The poor result in this match put a lot of pressure on Strachan as he got off to the worst possible start. Luckily things turned around and Celtic were to win the league this season by quite a margin.

Celtic: Marshall, Telfer, Varga, McManus, Camara, McGeady (Beattie 68), Lennon, Petrov, Thompson, Maloney, Hartson. Subs Not Used: Boruc, Balde, Aliadiere, Wallace, Lawson, Gardyne. Booked: Varga, McManus. Goals: Hartson 14, 32, 44 pen, Beattie 90. Att: 9,903 Ref: M McCurry