Hoops held by 10-man Motherwell

Motherwell held leaders Celtic to a goalless draw despite playing more than half the match with 10 men at Fir Park.

Cedric Kipre was shown a straight red card by referee Craig Thomson in the 41st minute, having appeared to flick a foot out at Hoops captain Scott Brown, who had pushed the defender after the pair tumbled to the floor in a challenge.

Stephen Robinson’s side had their backs to the wall thereafter but kept the Hoops at bay.

Brendan Rodgers’ men are 10 points clear of Rangers with a game in hand and remain on course for their seventh successive title.

Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain, who made his debut in the Old Firm win over Rangers last week, kept his place at the expense of fit-again Dorus de Vries. The Hoops stopper, on loan from Dundee, was the busier keeper in the first half.

There had been some tinkering in the Parkhead side, with centre-back Jozo Simunovic suspended and left-back Kieran Tierney injured – they were replaced by Jack Hendry and striker Odsonne Edouard – and they could not get firing.

Four minutes from the break the game turned in Celtic’s favour when Kipre was sent packing for reacting to Brown’s push after they went to ground.

Carson saved from Forrest andRogic, twice, asthechampions stepped up the pace in the second half, but the Hoops could not make a breakthrough.

Motherwell: Carson, Kipre, Aldred, Dunne, Tait, Cadden, McHugh, Campbell, Frear (Hendrie 69), Main, Bowman; unused subs – Bigirimana, Griffiths, Petravicius, Newell, Turnbull, Maguire.

Celtic: Bain, Hendry, Boyata, Ajer, Forrest (Roberts 69), Brown, Ntcham (Armstrong 60), McGregor, Rogic, Dembele, Edouard (Sinclair 60); unused subs – Musonda, Compper, Lustig, De Vries.

Att: 8,717.

Scott Bain kept his place.