Gers almost there

Rangers moved to within two points of a second successive league championship as a late Kenny Miller penalty sealed a 2-0 win over ten-man Hearts at Ibrox.

With Celtic's last-minute winner against Hibernian on Saturday reducing their lead at the top, nerves were on show from several Rangers players in the first half as they failed to create any clear-cut chances against a well-organised Jambos side.

However, a half-time team talk from manager Walter Smith seemed to inspire them to the relief of the home support.

Hearts were reduced to ten men six minutes from time when Eggert Jonsson received his marching orders for conceding a penalty which Miller dispatched to set up a potential title party against Hibernian next Sunday.

Kris Boyd missed a chance to end his six-game goal drought when he failed to control Miller's pass from the right before Lee McCulloch's shot from Kevin Thomson's corner was cleared off the line.

Boyd tried an ambitious shot on the turn from 30 yards out but it sailed high over the bar.

However, it was Kyle Lafferty who gave Rangers the lead with only his fourth goal of the season in the 54th minute. The Northern Ireland international connected with Thomson's corner at the near post and bulleted a header goalwards which MacDonald could only push into the top corner of the net.

With the match heading to full-time Rangers were awarded a penalty when Naismith was pushed from behind by Jonsson as he was on the verge of tapping in fellow substitute Nacho Novo's cross.

The Icelandic international saw red from referee Iain Brines before Miller tucked away the spot-kick which MacDonald got a hand to as Rangers wrapped up the win.

Other result: Motherwell vs Dundee Utd 2-3.