Newz Forum: SOCCER: Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier results 11/12/04

Rangers moved ahead of Celtic at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table thanks to a routine 3-0 win over Dundee at Ibrox.

A Nacho Novo penalty and a Dado Prso strike just seconds later put Rangers 2-0 up before the game was four minutes old. A rare Bob Malcolm strike completed the scoring after the break to give Rangers a two-point lead over the Hoops, who can go back above them by winning at Dunfermline on Sunday.


Elsewhere former 'Ger Richard Gough tasted defeat for the first time as Livingston manager as Motherwell moved up the SPL table with a sixth-consecutive victory. Gough and Terry Butcher were team-mates in the glory days at Rangers but the Englishman was handing out no gifts to the former Scotland international at Fir Park on Saturday. Phil O'Donnell marked his return to the starting line-up with the opener before Richie Foran sealed another three points with his eighth goal of the campaign.


Aberdeen saw their grip on third place begin to slip against Hibernian at Easter Road. The Dons headed into the game seven points ahead of their nearest rivals but were forced to leave Edinburgh empty-handed. Goalkeeper David Preece was sent-off shortly before half-time and goals from Derek Riordan and Stephen Glass proved too much for the Pittodrie side even though Darren Mackie had levelled the scoreline in the first half.


Dundee United gave themselves a boost with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Kilmarnock in their crunch clash at Tannadice. Much of the talk before the game had been about the future of United manager Ian McCall's but the Tangerines' responded in support of their manager with their biggest win of the season to take them off the bottom of the SPL. A Jim McIntyre double either side of a Barry Robson goal, which came straight from of a corner, was enough to take three welcome points against the struggling visitors who themselves have now gone six league games without a win.


Finally battling Inverness continued to defy the odds after claiming a well-deserved 1-1 draw with Hearts after a tempestuous encounter at Pittodrie. The home side were clearly determined to stop John Robertson, their former manager, from leaving for Edinburgh with three points. Scotland international Andy Webster did not do his team any favours by being ordered off in the 33rd minute for his part in an ugly brawl in front of the dug-outs. When football resumed, Caley went behind to a hotly contested Paul Hartley penalty, but Juanjo struck back, also from the spot, to add another precious point to their tally.

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