Skipper Charlie Mulgrew scored a second-half winner as Celtic laboured to a 2-1 win over 10-man Aberdeen yesterday to remain 10 points behind Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

South Korean international Ki Sung-Yeung had fired Celtic into a first-half lead but a superb solo goal from Ryan Jack levelled the scores on the hour mark.

It was Mulgrew who came to the rescue for the Hoops as he lashed home the winner.

The Dons remained dangerous going forward but their hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 80th minute when Jack saw red.

Rangers had stretched their lead over Motherwell in second place to nine points earlier in the day with a 2-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle courtesy of goals from Steven Naismith and Nikica Jelavic.

Hearts had Rangers on the back foot until the league leaders opened the scoring after 21 minutes.

Despite Steven Whittaker’s surging run attracting the attentions of four Hearts defenders, he still managed to poke the ball through to Naismith, who fired a first-time effort through the legs of Marian Kello and into the net.

Adrian Mrowiec missed a clear chance to equalise before Jelavic climbed off the bench to score with his first touch in the 75th minute, volleying home Carlos Bocanegra’s cross from 16 yards.

Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor then twice denied Ryan Stevenson as Rangers won their sixth successive away league match without conceding a goal.