Celtic moved to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 5-2 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this afternoon.
The Hoops got off to a slow start, but stormed into a three-goal lead in the space of seven minutes thanks to a Kris Commons strike and brace from Giorgos Samaras.
Goals from Sammy Clingan and Sean Clohessy made it a contest before half time, but the Scottish champions killed off their opponents late in the second half.
Samaras completed his hat-trick with minutes left to play before substitute Amido Balde put away Celtic's fifth.
Find out how all of the action unfolded with out minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the Scottish Premiership clash between Kilmarnock and Celtic at Rugby Park. There's just over 20 minutes to go until kickoff, and we'll have team news for you in just a moment.
CELTIC XI: Forster; Matthews, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Commons, Brown, Mulgrew, Samaras; Stokes, Pukki
KILMARNOCK XI: Samson, Barr, Nicholson, Clingan, Boyd, Clohessy, Ibrahim, McKeown, Gardyne, Pascali, Bouzid
The Scottish champions are looking to bounce back from a humbling defeat to Championship strugglers Greenock Morton in the League Cup Midweek. Neil Lennon has made a string of changes from the team that lost to an extra-time penalty at Celtic Park.
Adam Matthews, Emilio Izaguirre, Kris Commons, Georgios Samaras and Anthony Stokes all return to the starting XI, while Fraser Forster is back between the sticks.
It's been a tough start to the season for Kilmarnock and their new boss Allan Johnston, who is yet to record his first win in charge. They have picked up just one point at home out of a possible nine this season.
Celtic on the other hand, can go top for the first time this season if they avoid defeat. The Hoops go into the game level on points with league leaders Inverness Caledonia Thistle with one game in hand. You can take a look at how they stand ahead of kickoff here.
It's a gloriously sunny afternoon in Ayrshire, ideal weather for football. The pitch at Rugby park is in good shape ahead of the match:
Pitch at Rugby Park looks in great condition. #Celtic (MH) pic.twitter.com/BGocUyDKgM — Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) September 28, 2013
This is a big game for Celtic for a number of reasons. Not only can they move to the top of the table, it is also their final domestic feature before they take on Barcelona in the Champions League. They will have to work hard to maintain focus today.
PREDICTION: Kilmarnock have played better than their league standing suggests this season, but I don't see them pulling off a shock today. I'm going with a 3-1 win for the visitors.
Both teams are lining up on the pitch now, with kickoff just moments away.
KICKOFF: Celtic get the match under way, kicking from right to left. They are in yellow shirts and green shorts today, while Killie are sporting their trademark blue and white stripes.
Celtic go straight on the attack as Samaras plays an early cross into the Kilmarnock box, which home goalkeeper Samson confidently claims.
CLOSE! Ibrahim steals the ball from Samaras with a well-timed tackle inside the final third and finds Clohessy on the left. His cross is headed towards goal by Kris Boyd, but he directs his effort straight at Fraser Forster!
A real let-off for Celtic just a moment ago. Matthews was caught ball watching at the back post there, allowing former Rangers striker Boyd to get a free header in.
Half-chance for Killie as Gardyne powers in a cross from the right, his delivery sailing high and wide off the head of Boyd.
Stokes powers along the right flank and plays a low cross in to Finnish striker Pukki in the box, but his tricky backheel finds nobody and Kilmarnock clear their lines.
GREAT TACKLE! Adam Matthews bears down on the Killie goal, but Ibrahim flies in and steals the ball from his feet with a deft slide tackle. Superb play from him!
It's been a bright start from Kilmarnock. Kris Boyd looks sharp up front, and the hosts have been organised at the back, with Ibrahim being their standout player so far. They will have to dig deep to take points off the champions, though.
Another half-chance falls Killie's way as Gardyne slices a shot wide under pressure from Mulgrew. No real threat to the visitor's goal.
Gardyne gives his marker the slip and beats the offside trap, but can't quite reach Nicholson's cross into the box. The ball bounces out for a Celtic goalkick.
Kilmarnock have been the better side so far. They have had four attempts on goal to Celtic's zero. Only one of those has been on target, but the hosts deserve credit for their positive start nonetheless.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 0-1 Celtic (Commons)
Celtic are gifted the lead against the run of play as Samaras is given too much space wide on the left, allowing him to swing a cross into the box. Samson attempts to punch clear, but doesn't get much on it. His clearance falls to the feet of Commons, who half-volleys home.
You have to feel for Kilmarnock. They set their stall out well but have fallen behind to a defensive lapse and an error from they goalkeeper. How will they respond?
GOAL! Kilmarnock 0-2 Celtic (Samaras)
Matthews deceives the Kilmarnock back line with a loop cross from wide on the right. The ball is collected by Saramas inside the area, and the striker guides the ball past Samson into the top corner. A wonderful finish from him, but Killie's marking was shocking.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 0-3 Celtic (Samaras)
Celtic are running riot here at Rugby Park. Gardyne gives the ball away to Samara inside the Killie half and the Greek forward plays a neat one-two with Commons before rifling a low shot beyond Samson.
It looks like curtains for Kilmarnock. There's only half an hour on the clock and they already have Everest to climb. Celtic got off to a slow start, but they are well and truly up and running now.
Samaras glides past two defenders and plays the ball to Stokes, whose far-post cross fails to find Commons. Kilmarnock look almost afraid of Samaras, who has been ghosting past players almost unopposed all afternoon.
A good spell of pressure from Celtic ends as a Samaras cross bounces harmlessly into the arms of Samson. The Hoops just exchanged countless passes inside the Killie half, maintaining possession well.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 1-3 Celtic (Clingan)
Virgil van Dijk brings down Michael Gardyne just outside the area and Sammy Clingan curls the resultant free kick into the top corner. That was almost as good as one of Leighton Baines's!
Celtic look for an immediate response through Brown, who fires narrowly wide just after the restart after being played in by Izaguirre.
SUBSTITUTION: Celtic have brought on Lustig for Matthews, who has been forced to bow out due to illness.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 2-3 Celtic (Clohessy)
Kilmarnock are making a game of this now! Izaguirre is caught off guard at the back, allowing Clohessy to collect a return pass from Gardyne and fire a low shot beyond Forster to make it 3-2. Game on!
Samaras puts a header into the side netting as the fourth official indicates that there will be two minutes of stoppage time.
HALF TIME: Kilmarnock 2-3 Celtic
It's been an astonishing first half at Rugby Park. Celtic started slowly but stormed into a three-goal lead in the space of seven minutes. However, A superb free kick from Sammy Clingan and a Sean Clohessy strike have given Killie a lifeline.
Both sides have defended poorly, but it's been great to watch for the neutrals so far. Hopefully the second half will live up to the first 45 minutes.
Celtic's second goal will give Neil Lennon plenty to think about with Barcelona coming up. If his team defends like that against the Spanish champions, they are going to be punished.
KICKOFF: Kilmarnock get the match back under way. They have 45 minutes to complete a dramatic comeback here at Rugby Park.
BOOKING: Pascali is the first player to receive a yellow card this afternoon for going into a challenge elbow-first.
SHOT! Samaras takes on three Kilmarnock defenders, leaves them all for dead and shoots from the edge of the box, but his effort is blocked, allowing Killie to scramble the ball away.
CHANCE! Good attacking football from Celtic as Lustig's cross misses Samaras, and eventually finds its way to Mulgrew. His low effort is almost turned in by Pukki at the far post.
Celtic haven't given Killie and inch in this second half. They have just threatened for the first time since before the break after Mikael Lustig gave away a free kick in a dangerous position. Clingan takes it, but Forster palms it away convincingly enough.
Gardyne, who has caused Celtic some problems this afternoon, whips a looping cross into the box from wide on the right. Forster makes the catch, going to ground under pressure from Boyd.
Nicholson and Samaras are involved in a nasty collision. The latter is up and running again, but Nicholson came off worse, conceding a free kick in the process. He is receiving treatment on the sidelines.
BOOKING! Lustig is booked in a rather harsh handball decision. The ref awards Kilmarnock a contentious free kick just outside the box.
Clingan swings one in to the back post, but his delivery is poor, allowing Forster to claim the ball without any difficultly.
McKeown finds Gardyne just outside of the box and he floats a cross into the centre of goal, which Lustig does well to head clear under pressure from Boyd.
OFF THE BAR! Pukki, who has had a quiet afternoon, springs to life, collecting the ball just outside the box and unleashing a shot from 20 yards. His strike rattles the crossbar!
A poor pass from Pascali gifts the ball to Samaras, but he recovers by winning the ball back with a crunching tackle on the Greek striker.
SUBSTITUTION: O'Hara replaces Pascali for Killie. He was the obvious choice to take off given that he is carrying a yellow card.
It's been a frustrating half for both sides. Celtic have dominated possession but been unable to make it count, while Killie have been kept at bay.
SUBSTITUTION: Silva replaces a tired-looking Ibrahim for Kilmarnock. Celtic are also preparing to make a change as Balde is currently warming up on the sidelines.
SUBSTITUTION: Confirmation of that Celtic sub as Balde replaces Pukki in a like-for-like swap up front. The Finnish striker had a very quiet afternoon.
A careless backpass from McKeown puts Balde through on goal, but the Portuguese forward hesitates and is eventually closed down. In fairness, he didn't have any support up there with him and the Killie defence was closing in.
SUBSTITUTION: Youngster Rory McKenzie replaces Barry Nicholson for Killie as they look to put Celtic under some late pressure in the dying stages of the match.
Killie will be hoping to make these last few minutes as uncomfortable as possible for their opponents, but it's them who are on the back foot right now...
GOAL! Kilmarnock 2-4 Celtic (Samaras)
Samaras completes his hattrick and clinches all three points for Celtic. This one came after Balde won a free kick outside the Killie area, which Mulgrew floated into the box for the Greek striker to nod in from close range.
GOAL! Kilmarnock 2-5 Celtic (Balde)
And there's the icing on the cake! Balde runs at the Killie defence and finds an opening. Stokes is screaming for him to pass, but he goes it alone, shooting through Samson from a tight angle.
BOOKING! Balde is booked for his celebration, which involved him practically jumping into the crowd. There will be three minutes of stoppage time to play.
FULL TIME: Kilmarnock 2-5 Celtic
It looked close at one stage, but Celtic move to the top of the league with a 5-2 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Man of the match goes to hattrick hero Georgios Samaras.
That's all from me this afternoon. Many thanks for joining Sports Mole for this Scottish Premiership fixture.
