Inverness CT 0 Celtic 2: Craig Bellamy and Aiden McGeady turned on the magic last night to secure a vital victory at the Caledonian Stadium.
The temperamental on-loan star and the Irish international 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 yesterday.
Inverness threatened to dent Celtic's title hopes, after holding them at the break, but the deadly duo combined 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 at Dundee United.
McGeady would have scored one of the goals of the season on the hour when he ghosted past four players, but his low left-foot strike was well saved.
However, Bellamy was soon celebrating after firing the visitors into the lead on 63 minutes 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 Mark Brown.
Celtic wrapped up the three points when Bellamy invited Grant Munro to bring him down in the box and Thompson fired home from the spot.
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.
Referee: H Dallas (Scotland).
