Celtic cut the gap at the Scottish Premier League to four points as a Gary Hooper hat-trick helped them to a 5-0 rout of St Mirren yesterday.
Georgios Samaras made the most of a rare start to open the scoring on four minutes before Hooper tapped in the second four minutes later.
The English striker lashed home the third in the 53rd minute before he completed his treble just four minutes later.
Youngster Dylan McGeouch made only his second appearance for the Hoops as a 65th minute substitute and it took him just seven minutes to get on the score sheet with a superb solo strike after going on an 80-yard lung-busting run.
The result puts the pressure on league leaders Rangers, who face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park today.
Elsewhere, Hibernian’s new manager Pat Fenlon watched from the stand as his side lost 3-1 to St Johnstone, Aberdeen came from behind to secure a 3-3 draw with Dunfermline as Inverness remain bottom after losing 2-1 to Hearts .
Premier League
Celtic 5 - St Mirren 0
Dunfermline 3 - Aberdeen 3
Hearts 2 - Inverness CT 1
Motherwell 0 - Dundee Utd 0
St Johnstone 3 - Hibernian 1
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Rangers | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 39 |
| Celtic | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 14 | 35 |
| Motherwell | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 18 | 30 |
| St Johnstone | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 23 |
| Hearts | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 11 | 22 |
| St Mirren | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 20 |
| Dundee Utd | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 26 | 18 |
| Kilmarnock | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 16 |
| Hibernian | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 14 |
| Dunfermline | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 34 | 14 |
| Aberdeen | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 21 | 13 |
| Inverness CT | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 20 | 32 | 12 |
Playing today
Kilmarnock-Rangers - 13:45
First Division
Dundee 4 - Falkirk 2
Livingston 0 - Ross County 3
Morton 2 - Queen of South 2
Raith Rovers 3 - Hamilton 2
Second Division
Airdrie Utd 3 - Arbroath 3
Brechin 0 - East Fife 2
Cowdenbeath 0 - Dumbarton 0
Stenhousemuir 3 - Albion 0
Third Division
Alloa 1 - East Stirling 1
Montrose 3 - Berwick 5