MOTHERWELL were lift sickened after a Tom Rogic strike seconds from time denied the Steelmen a point.
In a remarkable match which included three goals in three minutes, Well were in dreamland after a Louis Moult double in the first half.
Celtic struck back and through Calllum McGregor and Patrick Roberts levelled the game. Lionel Ainsworth hit back for Well before Stuart Armstrong tied the match seconds later.
Just as Mark McGhee’s men looked to be heading for a point, Rogic broke Steelmen hearts.
With 14 unanswered goals in their last three clashes with Celtic, you could be forgiven for expecting Brendan Rodgers’ side to net first.
But Moult was in no mood to stick to the script as he scored a phenomenal chip after three minutes to give Well the lead.
A long, hopeful ball from former Celt Stephen McManus found the Steelmen striker who deftly lobbed the ball over a hapless Craig Gordon and sent Fir Park into a frenzy.
Celtic held the ball and knocked it around but the next real chance came for the hosts on 16 minutes.
Chris Cadden broke away from Emilio Izaguirre and squared the ball across goal where Scott McDonald was waiting in the wings to tap in. However, an outstretched leg of Jozo Simunovic helped prevent the pass and cleared the danger.
It was that man Moult who was in the thick of it ten minutes later as he agonisingly close to doubling Well’s lead.
A pinpoint delivery from Cadden found the Englishman at the front post and he guided it inches past the post.
Celtic’s best chance came after 34 minutes when Stuart Armstrong fizzed a ball from the edge of the box but Craig Samson watched on as it flew by the post.
But just as the visitors looked like they were creeping into the match, Moult silenced Celtic once again.
Youngster Ross MacLean stole the ball off Mikel Lustig and played in a superb ball to the back post where Moult was waiting to rattle home and double Well’s lead.
It was no less than the Steelmen deserved after a top class first half showing.
However, it was always going to be a tough task to keep out the free-scoring Celtic side and on 48 minutes they hit back.
McGregor played a one two with Stuart Armstrong and drilled the ball low and hard to make it 2-1.
Celtic were putting Motherwell under heaps of pressure and Rogic forced a great close range save from Samson as they looked to hold on to their lead.
After 64 minutes Rogic and Samson clashed again – with the Well stopper pulling off a fine save from the Australian’s curling effort.
On 70 minutes Well’s resistance was broken as Roberts equalised with a free header at the back post.
The Celtic celebrations lasted a matter of seconds, though as Well went up the other end and supersub Ainsworth restored the Steelmen’s lead with a tap in from a Stevie Hammell cross.
It wasn’t an afternoon for celebrations though as within a minute Celtic had tied the game up.
A frantic few minutes culminated in Armstrong calmly slotting the ball past Samson to make it 3-3.
But just as the Steelmen looked certain for a point, Rogic struck a killer blow with a great strike from 20 yards out.
There was no time for Motherwell to bounce back as Celtic’s road to the title opens up an even bigger gap.
Match stats
MOTHERWELL: Samson, Tait (Bowman 90), Hammell, Heneghan, McManus, Moult, Cadden (Ainsworth 68), Lasley, Clay, MacLean (McMillan 72), McDonald
Goals: Moult (3, 34), Ainsworth (71)
Booked: McDonald, MacLean, McManus, Ainsworth
CELTIC: Gordon, Toure, Izaguirre (McGregor 29), Simunovic, Brown, Dembele, Armstrong, Rogic, Lustig, Roberts (Bitton 90), Forrest (Gamboa 90)
Goals: McGregor (48), Roberts (70), Armstrong (72), Rogic (80)
Booked: Izaguirre, Brown
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Attendance: 8535