Scottish Premier League round-up:An unlikely double from defender Adam Matthews helped Celticto a commanding 4-1 victory over Kilmarnockin their encounter at Parkhead.
Killie teenager Ross Barbour thought he had squeezed the ball over the line in the 37th minute only for referee Calum Murray to wave play on, and the visitors’ frustration was compounded three minutes from the interval when Hoops substitute Joe Ledley, on for Emilio Izaguirre, fired the hosts into the lead with a long-range drive.
Former Celt Cillian Sheridan levelled two minutes after the break before Matthews arrowed in a shot from 25 yards and, after Anthony Stokes, on for Kris Commons, grabbed a third, the Wales international sealed a convincing win from close range to take the champions 15 points clear of Inverness at the summit.
The only real downside for manager Neil Lennon, who got the response he wanted after his side were knocked out of the League Cup by St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday, was the injuries picked up by Izaguirre and Georgios Samaras.
He will hope both will have recovered for next month’s Champions League last-16 clash with Juventus.
St Mirren
continued an excellent week with a 2-1 home victory over
Inverness
. Danny Lennon’s side reached the final of the League Cup with that victory over Celtic and Steven Thompson’s late header tonight earned the Buddies their second win in four days.
Esmael Goncalves latched on to Paul McGowan’s through-ball to net on his home debut and open the scoring midway through the first half.
That was then cancelled out on the stroke of half-time when Billy McKay netted his 20th league goal from the penalty spot after Conor Newton felled Richie Foran inside the box.
Inverness enjoyed the majority of the possession in the second half, however they were punished with nine minutes remaining when Thompson beat Antonio Reguero after connecting with Gary Teale’s pinpoint cross.
Ivan Sproule scored against his old team to earn
Ross County
a deserved 1-0 victory over pat Fenlon's
Hibernian
at Global Energy Stadium.
It was County’s third win in their last four matches and puts them 14 points ahead of the league’s bottom club Dundee, with a game in hand.
St Johnstone
capitalised on some hesitant
Aberdeen
defending as two goals in three second-half minutes moved them above the Dons with a 3-1 home victory.
Rowan Vine hooked home after a 68th-minute corner and Dave Mackay soon forced home to move Saints into fifth place in the SPL.
Gregory Tade opened the scoring for the home side in the 33rd minute after a mistake from stand-in centre back Isaac Osbourne but Niall McGinn’ s superb volley had brought the Dons level a minute before half-time.
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