Samaras at the double as Celtic retain top spot

A goal from Scott McDonald and a Georgios Samaras double sealed a 3-0 win for Celtic over ten-man Aberdeen and kept the Glasgow giants top of the Scottish Premier League yesterday.

Champions and rivals Rangers' 3-1 win over Falkirk in the early kick-off heaped the pressure on the Hoops and they struggled to break the Dons down in the opening stages.

But Australian McDonald opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Samaras struck either side of Jerel Ifil's sending off for violent conduct as the Hoops ran riot in the second half.

It was Celtic's third win in a week at Parkhead and keeps them two points above Rangers, who suffered their only league defeat of the season so far in Aberdeen last week but who have a game in hand.

Earlier in the day Kris Boyd scored his 150th goal in the SPL as Rangers won 3-1 away to Falkirk.

Boyd netted a double before Pedro Moutinho pulled one back before half-time. A second-half penalty from Kenny Miller sealed the win for Rangers.

Elsewhere Hibernian remain third with a 2-0 win over Motherwell, Dundee United defeated St Mirren 3-2.