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A late goal meant St Johnstone and Celtic shared the spoils at McDiarmid Park after a tense Premiership battle.

It was first blood to the home side when Tim Clancy found the net following a corner.

But Celtic looked to be coasting to victory after goals from Kris Commons, Teemu Pukki and Virgil van Dijk.

However, their opponents pulled off a magnificent comeback as Scott Brown and Michael O'Halloran both finished well to rescue a point for the Saints.

The draw means Neil Lennon's men now cannot hit the 100 points mark.

Tommy Wright's team got out of the starting blocks with gusto, and O'Halloran almost gave them an early lead with a volley that rattled the post of Lukasz Zaluska.

It was all Saints in the early exchanges, and they made their pressure count by taking the lead courtesy of a set-piece finish from Clancy.

After an inviting corner, the Irishman reacted quickest to Steven Anderson's knockdown and stabbed home past Zaluska.

Celtic's first real chance fell for Pukki, who stung the palms of Alan Mannus with a venomous long range shot.

Despite the best efforts of the visitors to break down the St Johnstone rear-guard, the Scottish Cup finalists stood strong.

They could have doubled their advantage when the in-form Stevie May - who has scored against every Premiership side except Celtic this season - picked up possession and had a go from distance, only to see his effort curl narrowly wide of the post.

With the clock ticking towards half-time, the Glasgow side almost found themselves going into the dressing room with a bigger hill to climb, as the Saints were given the chance to convert from the penalty spot after the busy O'Halloran was brought down in the box by Beram Kayal.

But Zaluska was the hero of the hour as he was equal to May's poor spot-kick, making an easy save down to his left.

Soon after, the hosts let another golden opportunity pass by when O'Halloran, after bursting through, skied a shot over the bar.

St Johnstone began the second period in the same bright fashion as they played the first.

But that work was undone when Celtic were awarded a penalty of their own, after captain Scott Brown was fouled by Gary McDonald.

Kris Commons made the task of levelling the match look easy, as he hammered his kick straight down the middle, giving Mannus no chance.

The champions had the bit between their teeth and began to come into the ascendancy, with Pukki and Commons leading the charge for a second goal.

And it was Pukki who made it 2-1 after a precise assist from Charlie Mulgrew allowed the Finnish international to calmly slot home.

Wright's charges barely had time to draw breath before they conceded again.

It was the tenacious Brown who was at the heart of things, as he stormed down the line to fire in a delivery that eventually found its way to van Dijk, who converted with ease.

But Saints refused to roll over, and gave themselves a glimmer of hope when youngster Scott Brown scored his first goal in senior football with a strike that took a wicked deflection before evading Zaluska.

And the hosts bagged a leveller when the lively O'Halloran met David Wotherspoon's cross with a pin-point diving header and sent the home support wild.