Goals from Thomas Gravesen and Kenny Miller gave Scottish champions Celtic a 2-0 home victory over Rangers in the first Old Firm derby of the season yesterday.

Four players were sent off at Hibernian, whose good run was ended in a 1-0 defeat by Falkirk.

Danish midfielder Gravesen grabbed Celtic's first-half opener after 34 minutes when he dived full length to head home after Rangers keeper Allan McGregor had brilliantly parried Aiden McGeady's header.

Former Rangers striker Miller scored his first goal for Celtic when he charged free down the middle and, as McGregor ran out to narrow the angle, he poked a low shot past the keeper into the net on 73 minutes.

Celtic top the league standings with 19 points from eight games and stretched the gap to seven points over third-placed Rangers.

At Hibs, Falkirk went ahead in a stormy first half when Kenny Milne forced the ball home after eight minutes.

The match erupted when Hibs skipper Scott Thomson clashed with Falkirk's Steve O'Donnell and earned his second yellow card on 36 minutes from referee Alan Freeland.

However, Falkirk substitute Liam Craig, who had been warming up on the track near the incident, became involved in heated scenes and was sent off and ordered up the tunnel.

Police warned Hibs boss Tony Mowbray and Falkirk manager John Hughes to keep their players calm at half-time.

However, in the 75th minute, O'Donnell was sent off for his second bookable offence and after the final whistle the referee also showed the red card to Hibernian's Scott Brown.

League Cup draw

Holders Celtic have been paired with Falkirk in the League Cup quarter-finals while Hibernian face Hearts in an Edinburgh derby.

Second division side St Johnstone will take on Rangers at Ibrox after yesterday's draw. The other tie is Kilmarnock against Motherwell.

St Johnstone player manager Owen Coyle was delighted to be paired with Rangers. "The draw will please the managing director from a financial point of view," he said.

"It is a very big ask regardless of how Rangers are playing because they are full of quality players.."

The games are to be played on November 7 and 8.

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