Celtic’s march to the Scottish Premiership title continued apace with a 3-0 win over Hamilton despite playing most of the second half with 10 men, yesterday.

Brendan Rodgers had said he had never witnessed a good game on an artificial surface, which awaited his side at the SuperSeal Stadium on a wet, windy and generally miserable day in Lanarkshire.

But the Hoops manager was happy to see returning striker Leigh Griffiths open the scoring four minutes from the break with his 13th goal of the season.

Midfielder Callum McGregor was sent packing by referee Willie Collum in the 47th minute for picking up the second of two bookings for a foul on Scott McMann before Stuart Armstrong drove in a glorious second from the distance and Moussa Dembele, on for Griffiths at the start of the second half, fired in a third.

The champions extended their domestic unbeaten run to 22 games and remain 14 points clear of Rangers at the top with a game in hand over the Ibrox men.

Hamilton, who had lost 1-0 at Celtic Park less than two weeks ago, held their own in the first half but Armstrong’s impressive strike effectively finished them off with the third goal simply angering the Accies support who booed and jeered boss Martin Canning at the final whistle.

Two minutes after the restart the champions were reduced to 10 men when McGregor, booked in the first half for a foul on midfielder Darian MacKinnon, was adjudged by referee Collum to have clattered McMann on the touchline – it did look as if the Parkhead player tried to pull out – and was despatched up the tunnel, with midfielder Nir Bitton soon replacing winger Patrick Roberts as the Hoops reshuffled.

Any prospect of a Hamilton comeback, however, ended when Armstrong almost casually rifled a drive from 25 yards which sped past the keeper on its way to the top corner.

Dembele then converted a cut-back from substitute James Forrest to clinch the points.

Rangers may have failed in their bid to top the charts but they strengthened their grip on the second spot with a narrow 1-0 win over Inverness at Ibrox.

A supporter campaign to drive the 1964 Dave Clark Five single ‘Glad All Over’ – which the Gers faithful have been singing in tribute to frontman Joe Garner – to Christmas number one ended in disappointment as the classic hit only just made it into the top 40.

But a 13th-minute own goal from Caley Thistle defender Brad McKay provided some festive cheer on a day when Mark Warburton’s team were largely off key.

The win restores Gers’ lead over third-place Aberdeen to seven points, although they have played a game more.

Richie Foran’s Highlanders, however, now sit bottom after their ninth defeat of the campaign.

Results

Scottish Premiership
Hamilton vs Celtic - 0-3
Rangers vs Inverness - 1-0

Played Friday
Dundee FC vs Hearts - 3-2
Kilmarnock vs St Johnstone - 0-1
Motherwell vs Aberdeen - 1-3
Ross County vs Partick Thistle - 1-3
Scottish Championship
Ayr United vs Dumbarton - 4-4
Dundee United vs St Mirren - 2-1
Greenock vs Queen of South - 1-0
Hibernian vs Raith Rovers - 1-1

Tomorrow
Dunfermline vs Falkirk - 16.00

League One
Albion Rovers vs East Fife - pp
Alloa Athletic vs Brechin City - 1-2
Stranraer vs Airdrieonians - 1-2
Livingston vs Queen’s Park - 1-2

Tomorrow
Peterhead vs Stenhousemuir - 16.00

League Two
Annan Athletic vs Berwick - 3-1
Cowdenbeath vs Arbroath - 0-2
Montrose vs Stirling Albion - 2-2

Tomorrow
Forfar Athletic vs Clyde - 16.00