Celtic extend lead as Giorgos Giakoumakis hat-trick sees off battling Dundee

Giorgos Giakoumakis’ dramatic late strike completed his hat-trick and gave Celtic a 3-2 win over Dundee which stretched their lead at the top of the cinch Premiership to three points.

With new Dens Park boss Mark McGhee watching from the stand as he served the first of a six-game touchline ban, striker Danny Mullen shot the league’s bottom side into a shock lead following a 26th-minute corner.

Returning Giakoumakis scored two goals in four minutes before the break only for Dark Blues defender Ryan Sweeney to head in an equaliser on the hour mark.

But in a tension-filled finale, the Greece forward fired in a winner in the 86th minute to capitalise fully on Rangers’ 1-1 draw against Dundee United earlier in the day.

McGhee was installed until the end of the season following the departure of James McPake in midweek and the former Celtic striker had to serve a punishment from his last time as Motherwell boss, with assistant Simon Rusk directing operations from the dugout.

The game began pretty much as most people expected. Celtic took control of the ball and the industrious visitors dropped deep to defend.

In the 11th minute, Hoops midfielder Matt O’Riley slipped in skipper Callum McGregor and his cut-back found Giakoumakis but he failed to connect properly with the ball and it sped past the far post.

The visitors slowly grew in confidence and when Paul McMullan curled in a corner from the left the Hoops defence stood still as fellow attacker Mullen swept the ball past keeper Joe Hart.

Stunned Celtic stepped up the tempo and they drew level in the 34th minute amid a concerted period of pressure.

Defender Carl Starfelt’s volley from Jota’s cross was blocked by a Dundee jersey and Giakoumakis’ shot on the spin from 14 yards