Dunfermline Athletic 1 Celtic 1 WHILE Arsenal were strolling to the English championship, Celtic once more shot themselves in the foot as they hobble towards the finish line in the Scottish League race. With Rangers going down to a shock 1-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock on Saturday, Celtic only had to beat lowly Dunfermline at East End Park to end the Ibrox side's flickering hopes of a tenth straight title but they fluffed it. That should come as little surprise as the Parkhead club have failed time and time again to capitalise on Rangers' poor results this season and they now go into the last game of the campaign - at home to St Johnstone on Saturday knowing they must win to finally see off their arch rivals' fading challenge. Celtic were only seven minutes away from securing their first championship in ten years, leading 1-0 through Simon Donnelly's 35th minute goal. But the Pars' 20-year-old substitute striker Craig Faulconbridge, on loan from Coventry City, stunned the travelling support into silence by grabbing a bizarre equaliser in the 83rd minute. Utterly dominant, the champions-elect were preparing their victory celebrations when they were caught on the break after Henrik Larsson conceded a free-kick on the right. Scott McCulloch swung in a cross and Faulconbridge sent a looping header over stranded goalkeeper Jonathan Gould. The Dunfermline goalmouth looked like a re-enactment of the Alamo in the last few minutes as Celtic piled forward, and sub Morten Weighorst had a header cleared off the line by McCulloch. Donnelly had put the Bhoys on course for the title with a glorious goal - his 16th of the season. Swedish star Larsson released him with a precise through-ball and the Scotland striker took it on and rattled an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Ian Westwater from just inside the area. But the opening half had been scrappy as Wim Jansen's team tried to play an attractive passing game against a battling Dunfermline side. Donnelly got away from Jamie Squires in the 12th minute - not a tough task considering Squires struggled to get in Preston's reserve team this season before going north on a free transfer - only to fire a shot into Westwater's body. Celtic kept up the pressure, and either side of his goal, Donnelly should have scored twice more. First, Larsson lifted the ball cleverly over the Dunfermline backline but Westwater raced off his line to block the young Celtic star's shot. Then, two minutes after his magic moment, Westwater tipped the ball away superbly at the foot of the post to deny Donnelly a second. The Celtic attacks came in endless waves, Alan Stubbs heading narrowly over and Larsson hitting the outside of the post. The Swede was denied a clear penalty in the 75th minute when he was hauled back by Craig Ireland only for referee John Underhill to wave play on a decision that may yet end up costing Celtic the title. Jansen was disappointed with the result, mainly because his side didn't take their chances: ''We scored a good goal and had enough chances to go further ahead. But they started to play their long-ball game, which is always dangerous. ''We are disappointed but must face the reality that we have to win on Saturday. We know it will be very hard against St Johnstone because they are going for a UEFA Cup place but we are all trying to win this league, that is what we have been aiming for and we have to go for it.'' Faulconbridge said: ''It was my first touch and it was great to get my first Dunfermline goal against Celtic. I had a chance to score against Rangers recently and didn't take it. I think I was writing my own script today. It means it is a two-horse race again now and makes it more exciting. DUNFERMLINE: Westwater, Shields, McCulloch, Tod, Ireland, Huxford, Britton (Faulconbridge 77), Squires, Smith, French (Petrie 70), Millar (Bingham 70). Booked: Ireland, McCulloch, Millar CELTIC: Gould, Boyd, Annoni, McNamara (Brattbakk 86), Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Donnelly, Lambert, O'Donnell (Wieghorst 87) Subs Not Used: Blinker Booked: Annoni Att: 12,866 Ref: J Underhill (Edinburgh)

THE TITLE AND EUROPE   Philip Cornwall looks at the games which will determine the remaining issues in the Premier Division THE CHAMPIONSHIP Celtic's astonishing failure to take three points at Dunfermline yesterday leaves them having to win their last match next Saturday, or - against all the odds - Rangers' ten in a row dream could come true. Top Of The Table P Pts GD Gls Celtic 35 71 38 61 Rangers 35 69 37 74 Dundee United v Rangers Rangers must have thought it was all over when they lost at home to Kilmarnock, yet they're still in with a shout. Walter Smith's side have to win this one first, as they trail Celtic by two points. However, they are only one goal worse off on goal difference, so if they win and Celtic draw then, at worst, they will be level. If they are level, that is they beat Dundee United by just one goal, then there will be a Super Bowl-style play-off to decide the champions! Celtic v St Johnstone If Celtic win, then they are champions. Done and dusted. Yet after drawing at home to now-relegated Hibs, and throwing away the lead at Dunfermline, they won't take anything for granted and will be edgier than a long-tailed cat in a mousetrap factory. They will know they have to win, too, because a Rangers win by two goals would be enough if they don't. Talk about drama. But how dramatic would it be if it came down to an all-or-nothing play-off match? UEFA CUP Killie's shock win at Ibrox keeps them on course for the one remaining place in Europe and they must be strong favourites. But don't count St Johnstone out yet. 4th And 5th P Pts GD Gls Kilmarnock 35 49 -12 39 St Johnstone 35 48 -2 38 Kilmarnock v Hibernian A win against relegated Hibs, and Kilmarnock are there. Still, the Edinburgh club have played with a lot of pride in recent weeks, since Alex McLeish took over. If they win and St Johnstone draw, then it goes down to goal difference… Celtic v St Johnstone …in which case, St Johnstone will edge it. But away to Celtic is a mountain of a task when the Bhoys need three points to lift their first title in a decade and foil their arch rivals' attempt to make history.

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