Hearts remained clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership after a late burst secured a 3-1 victory over Motherwell, while Celtic continued to close the gap with a narrow 1-0 win against St Mirren.
The results tightened the title race, with Celtic moving up to second in the table after overtaking rivals Rangers. Rangers were due to play Falkirk on Sunday and could cut Hearts’ lead back to a single point with a win.
Hearts strike late to beat Motherwell
Hearts had to wait until the closing stages to make their superiority count, but two late goals turned a competitive match into a decisive away victory. The result kept them firmly in control at the summit of the league.
The 3-1 scoreline reflected a strong finish from Hearts after Motherwell had stayed in the contest for much of the game. The win gave Hearts another important boost as the season reaches a crucial stage.
Celtic edge St Mirren
At Celtic Park, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the only goal of the game in the first half to secure all three points for Celtic. The narrow victory was enough to move them above Rangers and into second place in the Premiership.
Celtic did not need a high-scoring performance to keep the pressure on the leaders, but the three points were valuable in the context of the title race. The result also ensured they stayed within touching distance of Hearts.
Aberdeen end their winless run
Aberdeen provided another notable result elsewhere in the Scottish Premiership by ending their winless run with a 2-0 win over Hibernian. It was an important response for a side looking to regain momentum.
The victory over Hibernian offered Aberdeen a welcome lift and added to a busy day in the league, with several teams chasing different objectives at both ends of the table.
With Hearts winning late, Celtic moving second and Aberdeen back in the winning column, the latest round of fixtures underlined how quickly the balance of the Premiership can shift. Rangers, still to play, now have the chance to respond and make the title race even tighter.
