Rangers went top of the Scottish Premier League on goal difference from Motherwell following a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox yesterday to raise their spirits a little after a humiliating exit from the Europa League.

Celtic, who are a point behind their Old Firm rivals, had put the pressure on when Gary Hooper’s double secured a 2-0 victory away at St Mirren.

Rangers got off to a dream start when Steven Davis gave them a 15th-minute lead.

Aberdeen, who haven’t won at Ibrox since September 1991, improved after the break with Richard Foster hitting the bar with a header.

Steven Naismith added a second in stoppage time as Ally McCoist celebrated his first win at Ibrox since taking charge.

Rangers looked determined to erase the memory of their European exit to Maribor and Kyle Lafferty was sent clear by a headed flick on from Nikica Jelavic but the Northern Irishman saw his shot sail over the bar.

However, Rangers took the lead in an almost carbon copy move in the 15th minute as this time Davis got on the end of Jelavic’s clever pass to poke it past David Gonzalez from 12 yards out.

Midfielder Edu was inches away from adding a second on the stroke of half-time when he got on the end of Wylde’s excellent delivery from the left but his header bounced just past the post.

Aberdeen improved a lot in the second half and Fraser Fyvie sent a fierce low drive into the arms of the keeper as Aberdeen continued to improve after the break.

Naismith sealed the points for Rangers in stoppage time when Gonzalez spilled a Davis free-kick and the Scotland international was fastest to react to tap the ball past him from close range.

Hooper’s double also helped Celtic to recover some pride days after crashing out of the Europa League.

Hooper opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he played a sharp one-two with Anthony Stokes on the edge of the penalty area before keeping his cool to bury the ball past Craig Samson.

Hooper then doubled the Hoops’ lead six minutes later when he intercepted a slack pass from Paul McGowan and raced clear to fire a crisp finish into the bottom corner of Samson’s net.

Yesterday’s results
Hearts vs Hibernian - 2-0
Rangers vs Aberdeen - 2-0
St Mirren vs Celtic - 0-2

Standings


P W D L F A Pts
Rangers 5 4 1 0 10 1 13
Motherwell 6 4 1 1 9 5 13
Celtic 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Hearts 6 2 2 2 6 3 8
Dunfermline 5 2 2 1 7 7 8
St Mirren 6 2 2 2 4 5 8
Kilmarnock 5 1 3 1 6 4 6
Dundee Utd 6 1 3 2 7 11 6
St Johnstone 5 1 2 2 4 6 5
Inverness 6 1 1 4 6 12 4
Aberdeen 6 1 1 4 2 8 4
Hibernian 5 1 0 4 3 10 3

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