Giorgos hits hat-trick as Celtic thrash ten-man Ross County
GIORGOS Giakoumakis hit a hat-trick as Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to six points thanks to a 4-0 win over 10-man Ross County at Celtic Park.
Giakoumakis put Celtic in front when headed in at the back post from Jota’s cross and Giakoumakis got his second of the afternoon with another header seven minutes later before Daizen Maeda gave Celtic an unassailable three-goal lead.
A tough task was made even harder for County when Kayne Ramsay was given his marching orders for a rash challenge on Tom Rogic and Giakoumakis had his hat-trick on the hour mark when he converted from the penalty spot.
Hearts made it three wins from their last four games with a 2-0 victory over Livingston.
Third-placed Hearts did not take long to open the scoring when Beni Baningime slotted past Max Stryjek and got their second just before the hour when Barrie Mckay found the top right corner from Nathaniel Atkinson’s cross.
Aberdeen claimed their first win in 11 games in all competitions to ease any potential relegation nerves with a 3-1 win over the 10 men of Hibernian.
The Dons came from a goal down and after Calvin Ramsay turned the ball into his own net to put Hibs ahead but Lewis Ferguson levelled things up before half-time from the penalty spot.
Ryan Porteous was shown a straight red card when he
brought Ross Mccrorie down in the box before Ferguson dispatched from 12 yards again and Aberdeen made sure of the points with Vicente Besuijen’s 80th-minute strike.
Marc Mcnulty scored deep into stoppage time to earn
Dundee United a 2-1 win over 10-man St Mirren.
Jay Henderson gave St Mirren the lead in the early stages but Dylan Levitt equalised just before the hour mark and goalkeeper Jak Alnwick was sent off for a challenge on Tony Watt.
As the game ticked into the last seconds, Mcnulty scored to snatch all three points.
St Johnstone boosted their survival hopes as they came from a goal down to beat Motherwell 2-1 thanks to a Callum Hendry double.
Kevin Van Veen gave Motherwell the lead early on with a 25-yard strike but St Johnstone equalised less than 10 minutes later through Hendry and he got his second of the afternoon and the winner in stoppage time with a volley over keeper Liam Kelly.
St Johnstone move four points away from bottom placed side Dundee with victory will Motherwell stay eighth.