Hearts 0 Rangers 2 (Sunday)
Rangers stayed top and continued their victorious away league record. Hearts have won only one of the last twelve meetings of the sides – and table-topping Rangers have won all six of their away games in the Clydesdale Bank SPL this season without conceding a goal. They went in front when Stevie Naismith took Steven Whittaker’s pass and drove home after 20 minutes. Mo Edu also worked an opening but drove over the top as Rangers continued to dominate in a well-contested encounter. Hearts twice came close to a leveller before the break - first ex-Hearts defender Lee Wallace made a saving tackle as Ryan Stevenson prepared to shoot, then Allan McGregor saved well from Rudi Skacel. Hearts again came close halfway through the second-half when Adrian Mrowiec fired wide after a great run by David Templeton. But Gers clinched the win when sub Nikica Jelavic showed great finesse to side-foot Carlos Bocanegra’s long ball home after 74 minutes.

Dundee United 0 St Johnstone 0
Neither side could find a way to break the deadlock at Tannadice and a draw was the right result. Garry Kenneth fired a 30-yard free-kick off the Saints crossbar then Lauri Dalla Valle headed wide from Paul Dixon’s cross. Saints thought they’d won a penalty late on when Fran Sandaza went down under Keith Watson’s challenge – but ref Alan Muir booked the Spaniard for diving. United have managed just seven points from their last ten league games.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Dunfermline 1
Dunfermline’s late leveller kept Caley Thistle at the foot of the Clydesdale Bank SPL. Gregory Tade put the home side in front with his fourth goal of the season from Richie Foran’s cross. Dunfermline looked doomed to defeat but five minutes from time David Proctor pulled down Liam Buchanan and the sub stroked the penalty home to earn his side a point.

Motherwell 0 Kilmarnock 0
It was a Fir Park stalemate with neither side doing enough to win an evenly-matched contest. Gary Harkins came close for the visitors with a drive which rebounded from the post with Darren Randolph beaten, then Motherwell forced a great double save from Anssi Jaakkola, who parried from Steve Jennings then blocked the rebound from Michael Higdon. Stephen Craigan also had a drive blocked but a point apiece was a fair reflection. It keeps Motherwell in second spot while Killie have just two wins from their last twenty Clydesdale Bank SPL games.

St Mirren 2 Hibernian 3
All the action came in a frenzied first-half as Hibs maintained their dominance over Saints – the Paisley side have won only two of the last 13 meetings. Leigh Griffiths took advantage of Craig Samson’s early mistake to put his side one up but Paul McGowan headed David van Zanten’s cross past Graham Stack then the same player fired Steven Thomson’s pass in to make it 2-1. Sean O’Hanlon headed in David Wotherspoon’s free-kick to level and Griffiths drove in Garry O’Connor’s pass to send the visitors in ahead. Saints pushed forward in search of an equaliser but it was Hibs who should’ve scored, Akpo Sodje firing over from three yards out.

Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1 (Sunday)
Celtic needed a late goal from ex-Don Charlie Mulgrew to grab the points at Parkhead. Ki Sung-Yeung took Gary Hooper’s pass and drove Celtic into the lead after 17 minutes. But Celtic weren’t able to add to their lead and Ryan Jack levelled just before the hour when he took Rob Milsom’s pass and drove home following a great solo run. However Mulgrew got forward to turn in sub Daniel Majstorovic’s pass to edge Celtic back in front – and Aberdeen’s hopes ended when Jack, who’d been booked for over-celebrating his goal, was sent off for a foul on Hooper.

By cbfootball.co.uk   Last updated: 24 October 2011