Aberdeen 1 Inverness CT 0
Sub Peter Pawlett's second-half strike earned Aberdeen their first win in nine Clydesdale Bank Premier League matches.  The Dons enjoyed the best of the chances in the first half with Zander Diamond heading wide from Chris Maguire's corner before Michael Paton fired wide.  Maguire outmuscled Grant Munro before firing a powerful effort against the post as the home side dominated.  Inverness CT battled back and home 'keeper Jamie Langfield saved well from Shane Sutherland after the interval.  However Pawlett took Sone Aluko's pass and scored with a powerful left-footed finish after 75 minutes to give the Dons their first win since February.  The hosts almost scored a second in the closing stages following a surging run from Aluko but Josh Magennis was unable to turn home the winger's cut-back.
 
Hibernian 1 St Johnstone 2
Kevin Moon's injury-time winner saw St Johnstone end their goal drought in style.  It was Saints' first win in almost three months and ended a run of more than 11 games and 18 hours without a Clydesdale Bank Premier League goal.  None of the 10 players Hibs boss Colin Calderwood had announced were surplus to requirements were included in their squad, and Derek Riordan and Liam Miller, both out of contract at the end of the season, could only make the bench.  Paul Hanlon provided the pass for Hibs to take the lead, with Akpo Sodje running on to loft the ball over the advancing Peter Enckleman.  Hibs almost claimed a second after Francis Dickoh found Martin Scott down the right.  He played the ball to Ricardo Vaz Te, whose right-foot effort beat Enckelman but came back off the upright.  Saints levelled when Danny Grainger's inswinging corner was met by Liam Craig, who was left unmarked to head in.  Then Saints won it in the second minute of stoppage time when Andy Jackson's cross came off the crossbar, Craig headed it down and Moon prodded in beyond home 'keeper Jakup Divis.
 
Kilmarnock 2 Hearts 2
Hearts moved closer to a Europa League place despite seeing victory snatched away by Kieran Agard's first senior goal.  A bad-tempered first-half was notable only for a series of yellow cards before the hosts took the lead in the 55th minute when Liam Kelly laid the ball back to James Fowler who drove in from 25 yards.  But Hearts levelled eleven minutes later when Ruben Palazuelos' cross went over the head of Cammy Bell and on to the bar before Rudi Skacel slid in to net the rebound.  Hearts went ahead when Ryan Stevenson headed Craig Thomson's inswinging corner into the corner of the net from six yards.  But Killie sub James Dayton forced a diving save from Jamie MacDonald from his inswinging free-kick before Agard swivelled to volley into the top corner from 12 yards after positive play from Dayton and Alexei Eremenko.
 
Motherwell 0 Rangers 5
 Rangers opened up a four-point gap over Celtic at the top with a second-half mauling of Motherwell.  Rangers went in at the interval ahead after Kyle Lafferty scored from an acute angle after running away from home defender Gavin Gunning.  Although Steve Jones forced a good save out of Allan McGregor, the visitors turned up the heat after the break and Steven Davis made it 2-0 after home goalie Darren Randolph saved from Steven Naismith.  Nikica Jelavic headed the third from Sasa Papac's cross then Naismith added a fourth after a one-two with Gregg Wylde.  Naismith added the fifth in injury-time when he volleyed in sub El Hadji Diouf's pass.  Despite the win Rangers could face an SFA probe after skipper David Weir played wearing a jersey paying tribute to the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, in contravention of FIFA laws of the game.
 
Celtic 4 Dundee United 1 (Sunday)
Celtic closed the gap at the top of the table with a hard-fought win in the sun at Celtic Park.  Gary Hooper gave a dominant home side the lead when he slotted home at the back post after Anthony Stokes capitalised on Garry Kenneth's error and set Hooper up.  United had offered little in the first-half and they fell further behind soon after the re-start when Beram Kayal curled a left-foot drive inside Dusan Pernis' post.
However United bounced back and made the second-half more anxious for Celtic, with sub Johnny Russell driving against the base of Fraser Forster's post.  Kris Commons wrapped up the win seven minutes from time when he drove in from Shaun Maloney's cross, but Russell pulled one back for United in injury-time from David Goodwillie's cross.  However sub Daryl Murphy added a fourth for Celtic with a great solo goal.  Celtic are now a point behind Rangers and are six goals better off with Wednesday's game in hand at Inverness to come.

By cbfootball.co.uk   Last updated: 02 May 2011