Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Murty focus only on Gers as Lennon sent to stand
RANGERS moved to within nine points of Premiership pacesetters Celtic with a 2-0 home win over Hearts.
Jamie Murphy’s 41st-minute goal gave Rangers the half-time advantage at Ibrox and Russell Martin wrapped up the victory with two minutes left.
Gers boss Graeme Murty said: “As far as I’m concerned Celtic are still the team to beat.
“They are top of the league for a good reason.
“We will just concentrate on us and make sure we finish the season as best we can.”
Elsewhere, Neil Lennon was sent to the stand as his Hibernian team let slip a two-goal lead at Kilmarnock.
Lennon was ordered off by referee Kevin Clancy moments after Kris Boyd netted on the rebound to earn Kilmarnock a 2-2 draw after a disputed 61st-minute penalty, awarded for a Ryan Porteous handball.
Florian Kamberi and Porteous had put Hibs two ahead inside the first nine minutes but a stunning strike from Jordan Jones and then Boyd’s effort levelled matters in the space of three second-half minutes.
Lennon said on the referee: “It’s amateur, it’s Mickey Mouse stuff. It needs to get better, it’s not good enough.
“I think the standard (of refereeing) is declining as the game in Scotland is improving.”
At the SuperSeal Stadium, Conor Sammon had Partick Thistle ahead in the 10th minute but Antonio Rojano equalised immediately for Hamilton and the hosts won it thanks to David Templeton’s last-minute effort.
Accies boss Martin Canning said: “To get three points is great for everybody.
“It’s about us now. Every three points at this stage of the season is going to mean a huge amount, and that’s a big one for us on Saturday.”