Hoops setting pace while Killie falter

A Patrick Roberts double helped

CELTIC to a 3-1 win over HEARTS and took the Hoops seven points clear at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday before Aberdeen narrowed the gap with their win over Hamilton yesterday.

Jamie Walker fired the visitors ahead in the sixth minute of a feisty, absorbing lunchtime encounter at Parkhead before Gary Mackay-Steven levelled in the 15th minute with a fine strike.

Roberts, on loan from Manchester City since January, had the Hoops ahead at the interval with his first senior goal.

The 19-year-old grabbed his second four minutes after the restart to clinch the points.

Hearts’ Juwon Oshaniwa was sent off in injury time for picking up the second of two yellow cards.

MOTHERWELL manager Mark McGhee suggested his team were fortunate to win 2-1 at

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE, but felt it was payback time after their own bad luck.

Marvin Johnson’s stoppagetime winner made it five wins in a row for Motherwell and plunged Inverness closer to the relegation dogfight.

The home side’s Iain Vigurs cancelled out substitute Lionel Ainsworth’s opener with a penaltykick equaliser, before Johnson broke clear to chase a long ball out of defence and strike late on.

KILMARNOCK continued their recent failure to convert opportunities into goals with a 0-0 draw against PARTICK THISTLE at Firhill.

The result could prove costly as Dundee United’s impressive win at St Johnstone drags Kilmarnock ever closer to the foot of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Patrick Roberts celebrates his first goal.