Scottish Premiership roundup: Rangers and Celtic power on at the top
Rangers maintained their 16-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a comfortable 3-0 win at St Johnstone.
Kemar Roofe scored his ninth goal in as many starts, with Glen Kamara adding a well-crafted second and Ianis Hagi scoring on his first league start for two months. St Johnstone were reduced to 10 men for the final seven minutes after substitute Michael O’Halloran was dismissed for a second yellow card just five minutes after taking the field.
“We’re very pleased with our form, we’re very pleased with the run we’re on in the league,” said the Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard. “With 19 games gone, to return 53 points is a really good effort from the players. But it’s halfway and there’s a lot of football to be played, a lot of games, a lot of twists and turns.
“But if we keep everyone fit and fresh we’re a good team and we’ll win football matches. That’s the challenge for me, just go game to game. Don’t get too ahead of ourselves and stay balanced. The games are coming thick and fast and we have to be ready.”
Celtic’s return to form continued with a convincing 2-0 win over the Premiership’s bottom side Ross County at Parkhead. Midfielder David Turnbull knocked in the opener before striker
Leigh Griffiths headed in a second in the 62nd minute, scoring on his first league start this season.
“We should have won the game by more,” said the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon. “It was a clean sheet and we didn’t look in any trouble. We seem to be going in the right direction again. We missed some great chances and the quality of what we created was high.
“I am delighted, though. It was a good performance. Overall I am really pleased and it’s a step in the right direction. We got a lift from the weekend win and that pressure and anxiety has gone now.”
A curled strike from Kevin Nisbet was enough to secure a 1-0 win for Hibernian and end St Mirren’s 11-game unbeaten run. Hibs moved into third place, just one point behind Celtic.
Both sides were reduced to 10 men, with Brandon Mason sent off in the 83rd minute for St Mirren before Christian Doidge also received his second yellow card five minutes later.
A comfortable 2-0 victory for Dundee United over struggling Kilmarnock at Tannadice saw them climb to fifth, with Marc McNulty and Lawrence Shankland netting in the first half.
Livingston secured their fifth successive victory under new manager David Martindale with a 2-0 win at Hamilton. Jon Guthrie gave Livingston the lead just after half-time before Josh Mullin’s 90th-minute free-kick sealed all three points and kept Martindale’s 100% record since taking over intact.
The Aberdeen striker Curtis Main came closest to breaking the deadlock in a goalless draw against his former club Motherwell at Fir Park.