Morten Rasmussen scored his first Celtic goal in the narrow Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory over Hamilton at New Douglas Park.
The former Brondby striker had only been on the park for three minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute for Georgios Samaras when he turned and hooked the ball past Tomas Cerny from close range.
The visitors were far from their best in a scrappy game and missed a late penalty when Cerny saved from Marc-Antoine Fortune.
The result will do nothing to the standings after Rangersbeat Falkirk3-0 to retain their 10 point lead.
Nevertheless, Celtic captain Darren O’Dea was relieved and after losing to Hibernian last time out and demanded another win in Tuesday’s visit to Kilmarnock.
“It was one we needed after the bad result we had in the last game,” O’Dea said. “We need to kick on to Tuesday and win again. We were hanging on a little bit and that’s maybe through the lack of confidence we’ve had recently.”
Rasmussen was delighted to have marked his Celtic debut with a goal, thrusting the ball home in the 68th minute after the ball had broken to him on the edge of the box.
“It was not the prettiest goal but they just have to go into the net to count,” Rasmussen told ESPN.
Steven Davis grabbed a goal of his own and set up the other two as Rangers restored their 10-point lead.
The midfielder set the ball rolling at Ibrox with his second goal in three days, before teeing up shots for both John Fleck and Steven Whittaker.
Jim Jefferies' first match in charge of Heartsfor almost a decade proved a huge anti-climax as St Johnstonewon courtesy of the only goal of the game at at McDiarmid Park.
Kenny Deuchar's first SPL goal for almost two years was enough to beat a side whose only shot on target came from substitute Gordon Smith in stoppage time, the game ending with Jambos captain Michael Stewart having to be restrained leaving the field.
Kilmarnockended their five-game barren spell but Jimmy Calderwood is still searching for his first three points after Jon Daly's penalty tied an eight-goal thriller against Dundee United.
Goals from Kevin Kyle, Manuel Pascali and Craig Bryson turned the game on its head but the hosts led for just three minutes before Daly completed the scoring midway through the second half.
Calderwood would have been encouraged by the spirit on show as his side fought back from Craig Conway's double, which came after Kilmarnock defender Simon Ford had levelled Prince Buaben's opener.
A stoppage-time own goal from Jack Ross allowed Hibsto maintain their push for third place with victory over St Mirren.
Inspired goalkeeping from Paul Gallacher and poor finishing from the hosts looked set to see the visitors leave with a draw, only for Ross to head in Ian Murray's cross-cum shot.
Ivory Coast defender Sol Bamba, restored to the line-up after returning from the African Nations Cup, also put through his own net early on to gift the Buddies the lead.
But former Celtic midfielder Liam Miller restored parity with his second goal of the season before Hibs struck two minutes into stoppage time to remain two points behind second-placed Celtic.
Motherwellscored three times against Aberdeenwithout reply to earn their third league win in four games.
Craig Brown's men were worthy winners at a snowy Pittodrie and never looked back after John Sutton's opener after 29 minutes.
Lukas Jutkiewicz nodded home a second five minutes after the break before Sutton struck again three minutes later. The toothless Dons rarely troubled the Well rearguard who kept their fourth successive clean sheet in the league.