If a contest ever embodied the cliche about a `game of two halves` it was this: Celta were rampant in the first half but folded in the second as Sociedad came on strong.

Gustavo Lopez gave the visitors a lead they thoroughly merited after 20 minutes but goals after the break from Darko Kovacevic, Savio Bortolini and Aitor Lopez Rekarte settled an absorbing encounter.

The result means Sociedad are now just a point behind Athletic Bilbao, who hold the last position of safety, while Celta are four points adrift with just three games remaining.

Celta`s Argentinian midfielder Gustavo Lopez admitted before the game that defeat in San Sebastian could prove fatal to their hopes of staying in the top flight.

And he started like a man determined to avoid that eventuality, lashing in a 35-yard shot after six minutes which just cleared the bar.

Anderson Nene was also looking sharp early on and he fired in two shots, neither of which were on target.

Celta continued to boss the early stages and came within inches of opening the scoring after 13 minutes when Fabian Canobbio`s outswinging corner was headed on to the post by Gabriel Tamas.

Sociedad keeper Claudio Bravo was called into action shortly afterwards, acrobatically tipping Nene`s 30-yard drive over the bar.

The visitors` enterprising approach deserved a goal and it arrived after 19 minutes, albeit in slightly fortunate circumstances, Gustavo Lopez`s inswinging corner flying straight into the net.

Celta almost doubled their lead four minutes later but Bravo managed to save Pablo Contreras` header.

Hristo Stoichkov`s side had another wonderful chance to make it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time but again their finishing was wayward, Fernando Baiano heading Nene`s cross wide from close range.

Having seen his team outclassed, and outfought, in the opening period, Sociedad coach Miguel Angel Lotina must have had words with his troops at half-time as they came out with a completely different mindset after the break.

Their comeback started within 30 seconds when Kovacevic levelled. Daniel Estrada chipped the ball into the area and the veteran Serbian nipped in ahead of his marker to loop a header over onrushing goalkeeper Esteban Suarez from 12 yards.

The match turned full circle five minutes later when Savio tapped home Javier Garrido`s low cross from close range.

Celta attempted a comeback but were thwarted by a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping.

Pablo Garcia`s header was saved by Bravo, Baiano`s dink over the goalkeeper lacked the power to cross the line while Contreras headed wide from 12 yards.

Sociedad rode their luck and made it 3-1 with 14 minutes to go, Lopez Rekarte capitalising on a poor header from Suarez to chip the ball into an unguarded net from 35 yards.

Kovacevic shot wide as the hosts went for the kill, as did Inigo Diaz de Cerio.

The misses mattered little, however, as Sociedad held on with ease to notch an important victory.