Scorers: Vennegoor of Hesselink (68), McManus (75) The ghost of Christmas past helped dispel a spectre of gloom that has flitted around Celtic with demoralising effect of late. Bobo Balde, who last played for the first team against Dundee United a year ago, returned to the Celtic line-up to add his considerable mass to a defence that has shown frailty on the road.

Gordon Strachan, who has looked more likely to pick Bob the Builder than Balde the destroyer, was rewarded with the exorcism of an irritating record. Bobo and Co last night formed the defence that failed to concede a goal for the first time in 35 matches on the road.

This had become the most tedious of statistics. More gratifying, for Strachan and his side, were the three points that were hewn from Tannadice yesterday.

Cynics will point out that Celtic survived with the aid of a crossbar denying Barry Robson a first-half goal and that United's attack was hardly deadly. Supporters will simply be relieved at a result that gives Celtic hope going into a crucial New Year period.

Strachan will be grateful for the result and the performance of the returning hero. Balde was not magnificent but displayed a competence conspicuous by its absence in the Celtic rearguard of late. His biggest contribution was to increase the festive cheer of Celtic fans with a crunching tackle in the second half and a series of uncomplicated clearances. His customary, almost obligatory moment of fallibility went unpunished as he played the ball onto his own hand in the Celtic box.

Most importantly, he offered a belligerent certainty, sometimes misplaced, that never the less improved the game of Stephen McManus, who has struggled of late. Celtic were only comfortable in this match after they gained a two-goal lead. However, they can rest somewhat easier after a game they dominated in possession and chances but only secured after goals from set-pieces.

The first came after Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink neatly glanced in a Paul Hartley corner kick. The second came after Massimo Donati put the faintest of touches to Hartley's free-kick and McManus capped a rejuvenating afternoon by running the ball in.

The victory was gained on the back of a clean sheet but was achieved through a mixture of perspiration and inspiration. The sweat drenched the entire team. The inspiration came from an enterprising Scott McDonald, an energetic Scott Brown and the sublime Aiden McGeady, who illuminated the second half with a twinkling turn and shot. He combined with Brown to add almost the perfect finish to a move built on a succession of slick passes.

The goals did not, however, come from a cross from McGeady, though he supplied some excellent ammunition, or a driving run from Brown, though the midfielder similarly threatened to breach the United defence with his persistence.

This was a game that Celtic had to work hard in to win.

The first half reminded one of a festive afternoon with the bairns before the batteries ran out in the mass of plastic toys. This was best typified by the driving runs of Brown that expended a maximum of energy for a minimum of return. This was, of course, not the midfielder's fault.

There was a dedication about Celtic that bordered on desperation. Keen to put recent poor form behind them, the players tried to find some sort of serenity through frenetic activity. A goal would have been the perfect antidote to any anxiety but it was not to come in a first-half marked with unrelenting effort.

Sophistication, even a modicum of cool, was in short supply, however. The chances came. And the chances were spurned.

Hartley shot over from a good position and a McGeady run after 22 minutes resulted in Jiri Jarosik blasting past after the ball came off Vennegoor of Hesselink. Two minutes later McManus shot over after United failed to clear a corner but it was the bar, at both ends of the pitch, that was to ensure a goalless first half.

Robson caused apprehension on the Celtic left for much of the match. Willo Flood and the United captain exploited space behind Lee Naylor to send in a series of crosses that were spurned by Noel Hunt and Jordan Robertson.

Robson then decided to take matters into his own hands or, rather, his own left foot. Switching to the middle of the park, he picked up a loose ball and almost casually sent it against the frame of Celtic's goal from 25 yards. Mark Brown watched it with a mixture of bewilderment and appreciation, as if he was peering at a particularly baffling work of modern art.

Grzegorz Szamotulski, the home goalkeeper, was more pro-active in the events that led to the ball smacking the United crossbar a minute later. Vennegoor of Hesselink connected with a Hartley corner and the goalkeeper dived quickly to palm the ball in the air before it grazed the woodwork.

This was the nearest either side came to scoring before Celtic achieved a tangible reward through two set-piece goals. But they made their three points. And Balde made one of his own.