BHOYS AGAINST BICKERING; In-fighting over lack of strike power could rip unhappy Hoops to shreds.

CELTIC'S prolonged search for a top-class finisher is in danger of tearing the bickering Bhoys apart.

A string of missed chances at East End Park not only left the Parkhead side trailing seven points behind title rivals Rangers but also bared the frustration simmering between Craig Burley and Co.

The animosity currently engulfing Celtic came to the surface as the visitors failed to kill off the plucky Pars despite creating enough chances to win two matches.

The suffering Celts desperately need a remedy for their striking crisis to release the tension which threatens to blow their championship challenge apart.

Parkhead boss Jozef Venglos knows exactly what's required but admitted he didn't know where the solution would come from.

He said: "We are trying to do something with the striker's position. When there is something to report you will know but I don't want to talk about it now."

Dr Jo's summary of events was along the usual lines of his after match Press conferences.

He continued: "We played well particularly in the second half when we created a lot of chances.

"We didn't put them away but sometimes in football the chances don't go in.

"Our players had good combinations and movement and their ability to make chances was there to see. It's always important to make chances even though they sometimes don't go in.

"But this game is behind us now and we look forward to Tuesday."

Celtic will sweat over the fitness of defender Alan Stubbs for Tuesday's UEFA Cup crunch with FC Zurich after he was carried off with a groin strain following a tangle with Dunfermline's Gerry Britton.

Flattened

Bustling Britton was a constant thorn in the Bhoys defence and set the ball rolling when he scored from the spot after 13 minutes of an action- packed first half after Jonathan Gould flattened his strike partner George Shaw.

World Cup referee Hugh Dallas had no doubts about the award despite the Celtic keeper's pleas that he got a glove on the ball.

Shaw was delighted to help Britton open his account for the season but less than pleased to suffer cracked ribs in the process.

Young Craig Faulconbridge replaced the unfortunate Shaw and produced a power- packed performance that left you wondering why he hadn't made the starting 11 in the first place.

The Pars were caught cold when the visitors equalised from a free kick three minutes later.

Henrik Larsson's darting near-post run caught the home defence dithering and David Hannah's low centre was met perfectly by the Swede who casually flicked the ball passed Lee Butler with his left foot.

Dunfermline weren't to be denied and Faulconbridge laid the Pars' second on a plate for stand- in skipper Hamish French in the 24th minute.

The big striker brilliantly eluded Mark Rieper on the left before squaring for French to tap in from seven yards.

Celtic levelled again after 36 minutes when Harald Brattbakk latched on to a long ball from Tosh McKinlay.

The pacey front runner looked to have lost his chance when his first touch took him to the by- line wide of goal.

But with keeper Butler in pursuit and Pars defenders massing on the goal line Brattbakk cut back and somehow squeezed the ball home off Butler's right hand.

That's two games in succession the under-fire hit man has found the net but that's only part of the story.

The big Norwegian was twice set up by the brilliant Larsson pulling his first shot wide from 10 yards then kicking the ground with his second attempt.

The travelling fans winced at that one but were left holding their heads in disbelief at what was to come.

Countryman Vidar Riseth galloped free on the left just before the break and squared to Brattbakk for what looked a certain goal.

But from all of two yards hapless Harald managed to get the ball stuck between his legs giving Butler time to smother on the line.

Dunfermline's Andy Tod also had a great chance to put his side ahead in first- half injury time when Riseth allowed him a free header at the back post but the giant defender could only hit Gould's legs from three yards.

Magnificent

The tempo dropped dramatically after the interval as Celtic took control with Burley and Paul Lambert running the show from midfield.

Butler was the hero for the home side with magnificent stops from Burley twice and Larsson as they hung on for their seventh draw in 10 starts.

Pars assistant boss Dick Campbell was pleased with his side's performance considering the nightmare preparation they had endured.

He said: "We had to make four changes from our last match due to injuries and a few of the players who started the match weren't fully fit.

"We knew Gavin Johnson, Stewart Petrie and Andy Tod would tie us although we almost stole it at the end.

"Lee Butler was magnificent in the second half when we ran out of steam. But it was a great game and we're disappointed not to have won."

It was certainly a gritty display by the Fifers who were always a threat up front and in young Craig Ireland have a centre back straight out of the Tony Adams mould.

The big defender was immense throughout and is definitely one for Scotland boss Craig Brown to consider in his rebuilding programme.

Goalscorer Britton, who could barely drag himself from the field when he was replaced by Marc Millar with three minutes remaining, was pleased with the point and equally chuffed to break his scoring duck this season.

Shattered

He said: "I'm absolutely shattered. We put in a hell of a shift out there and deserved to take something from the game.

"Celtic had a lot of the ball in the second half but we dug in and held on.

"Some people might say Celtic have let themselves down again but this was definitely a case of us playing well rather than them being poor.

"It's great to get off the mark even though wee George had to crack his ribs for me to do it. I suppose that's what happens when 15 stones hits nine stones."

Larsson and Burley were outstanding for Celtic with Burley in particular displaying the grit and determination he publicly demanded from his team mates recently.

The big Celt was involved in everything and even offered words of advice for referee Dallas on more than a few occasions .

That prompted Pars joker Dick Campbell to quip after the match: "I thought Willie Miller had retired."

It was difficult to gage what any of the Celtic players took from the pulsating 90 minutes as none of them bothered to look into the Press room on their way to the bus.

Surely not another self- imposed vow of silence from the Parkhead protesters?

DUNFERMLINE: Butler, Shields, McCulloch, Ireland, French, Huxford, Britton (Millar 87), Petrie, Johnson, Shaw (Faulconbridge 15), Squires (Tod 25).

CELTIC: Gould, Boyd, Rieper, Stubbs (McKinlay 24), Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk, Donnelly, Lambert, Hannah, Riseth.

MOM: Craig Burley