Celtic all but conceded their Scottish Premier League crown after losing 1-0 at home to ten man Motherwell on Saturday.

Simon Lappin scored the only goal of the game for the visitors in the first half and although their former Rangers midfielder Bob Malcolm was sent-off in the 60th minute, Mark McGhee's side held on for all three points.

The result means Celtic trail league leaders Rangers, who play away to Dundee United on Sunday, by six points having played two games more.

And although, mathematically, the Parkhead side can still win three SPL titles in a row it looks like Motherwell, who denied Celtic the title in 2005 with a final day 2-1 win at Fir Park, have again helped Rangers to the league championship.

Celtic knew only a victory would keep them in the SPL race and in the opening ten minutes threatened to overrun the visitors.

Their first effort on goal arrived in the fifth minute when Shunsuke Nakamura laid the ball on for Scott Brown who sent a weak shot over from 18-yards.

Two minutes later Celtic's Italian midfielder Massimo Donati went for goal from a tight angle, to the disgust of teammate Scott McDonald waiting for a cut-back, which Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith blocked.

And in the ninth minute Japanese international Nakamura blasted over from 12 yards.

Motherwell were struggling to live with the hosts and they were saved by the woodwork in the 19th minute. Republic of Ireland international Aiden McGeady chipped the ball across goal for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink who sent a looping header on to the top of the crossbar.

Nakamura should have worked the Motherwell goalkeeper in the 26th minute but fumbled his first-time shot and the ball bounced narrowly wide.

But in the 33rd minute the visitors took the lead with their first real chance.

Former Rangers player Ross McCormack split the Celtic defence with a perfectly weighted pass to put Marc Fitzpatrick through.

The Motherwell player turned inside and fired towards goal and although Celtic's Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc made an outstanding save at full-stretch he could only push the ball back out into the path of Lappin who fired home from close range.

In the 50th minute Motherwell were reduced to ten men when Malcolm was shown a straight red card by referee Calum Murray after a rash challenge on Donati.

Strachan decided to replace top goalscorer McDonald, who had scored both Motherwell's goals in their famous win in 2005, in the 61st minute with Greek international Georgios Samaras.

However, the Celtic fans had expected Vennegoor of Hesselink to make way and booed the decision.

McGeady almost levelled with a low drive from 25-yards in the 67th minute which left goalkeeper Smith rooted to the spot only to bounce off the bottom of the post.

And McGeady's right-foot shot from the same distance in the 73rd minute required Smith to dive to his right to save.

Although Celtic threw everything at Motherwell in the closing stages the Fir Park side held on for a stunning victory.

In the other SPL games on Saturday Hibernian won 2-0 at home to St Mirren with both goals coming early from Colin Nish and Moroccan Merouane Zemmama.

Relegated Gretna lost 2-1 at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, with Roy McBain and Don Cowie scoring for Caley and Craig Barr grabbing a consolation.

And Kilmarnock drew 0-0 at home to Hearts in a result which ended the Tynecastle team's chances of finishing in the top six.