SPL Saturday 26th September

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Clydesdale Bank Premier League

12:30 St Mirren vs Celtic
Aiden McGeady is out of Celtic's SPL clash with St Mirren on Saturday through injury.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder picked up an ankle knock in the Co-operative Insurance Cup win at Falkirk on Wednesday night but the injury is not as bad as first feared.

Pat McCourt and Niall McGinn will battle it out to replace McGeady in the side.

New signing Zheng Zhi will not be included as manager Tony Mowbray returns to his first-choice line-up after making eight changes for the cup game at the Falkirk Stadium.

St Mirren defender Lee Mair is suspended for the visit of the SPL leaders.

Chris Innes will make his debut after Mair was sent off late in the 1-0 defeat by Aberdeen.

Mo Camara has undergone knee surgery while Steven Robb (groin) and Chris Smith (knee) are still absent.

15:00 Falkirk vs Kilmarnock
Bottom club Falkirk welcome fellow strugglers Kilmarnock to the Falkirk Stadium looking to climb off the foot of the table.

Eddie May's men have just two points to show from their opening five fixtures, while visitors Killie have fared little better with only four points on the board.

Scott Arfield is out of the Falkirk squad for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash.

The midfielder aggravated the knock which kept him out of last weekend's goalless draw at Hamilton.

However, Burton O'Brien, Jackie McNamara and Thomas Scobbie will all return to the starting line-up.
Killie news

Craig Bryson is a major doubt for Kilmarnock after the midfielder picked up a groin injury in the midweek Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat by St Mirren.

Simon Ford (knee) and Tim Clancy (elbow) are still out while Manuel Pascali is suspended after being sent off last week against Rangers.

Allan Russell and Jamie Fowler come into contention after returning from long-term knee and hernia injuries respectively.

15:00 Hearts vs Hamilton
Hearts can move three points clear of Hamilton in the SPL table with success at Tynecastle on Saturday.

Home trio Andrew Driver, Lee Wallace and Gary Glen have all been passed fit for the clash.

Driver missed Wednesday's Co-operative Insurance Cup third-round win over Dunfermline after complaining of discomfort in his knee while Wallace and Glen had to be substituted in the second half after picking up knocks.

David Templeton is back in contention after fully recovering from foot surgery but Laryea Kingston is likely to miss out again even though manager Csaba Laszlo revealed he could soon be back with the first-team squad.
Hamilton news

Hamilton will be without Derek Lyle for the trip to Edinburgh after the striker was ruled out for the rest of the season.

Lyle underwent cruciate ligament surgery on Thursday after suffering the injury in the opening moments of last Saturday's goalless draw with Falkirk.

The 28-year-old joins fellow long-term casualties James Gibson (knee) and Alex Neil (hip) on the sidelines.

15:00 Motherwell vs Hibernian
Motherwell and Hibernian are currently locked together in the SPL standings and go head-to-head this Saturday.

Well sit fourth at present, going unbeaten through their opening five fixtures of the 2009/10 campaign.

Hibs have tasted defeat twice this term, in their last three games, but they occupy third spot by virtue of a having scored more goals this season than their weekend opponents.

Motherwell striker John Sutton should return to Jim Gannon's first-team plans.

Sutton missed the 3-2 cup win over Inverness in midweek after picking up knock in the victory over Dundee United but is expected to be fit.

But Shaun Hutchinson (ankle) and Paul Slane (calf) are unlikely to return until after the October international break.

Hibernian have no fresh injury concerns ahead of their trip to Fir Park.

However, boss John Hughes is pondering changes following Tuesday night's Co-operative Insurance Cup third round defeat by St Johnstone.

He must also decide whether to include Kevin McCann in his squad now the injury-plagued full-back is fully fit after a hamstring problem.

15:00 Rangers vs Aberdeen
Rangers welcome Aberdeen to Ibrox determined not to lose any further ground in the fledgling Scottish Premier League title race.

Walter Smith's side, who are two points adrift of Celtic, have been dealt a blow with the news Sasa Papac is set to miss the fixture.

The full-back is a doubt with a hamstring strain and is unlikely to be risked ahead of next week's UEFA Champions League game against Sevilla.

Kyle Lafferty remains on the sidelines with a knee injury, while Pedro Mendes is suspended for the visit of the Dons.
Dons team news

Aberdeen will be without Davide Grassi after he was ruled out for a minimum of six weeks.

Grassi suffered a fractured cheekbone during the midweek Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat to Dundee and is set to have an operation this weekend.

Sone Aluko is with the Nigeria squad at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, while Zander Diamond remains on the sidelines with a foot injury.

15:00 St Johnstone vs Dundee Utd
St Johnstone host rivals Dundee United on Saturday eager to get their first home win of the season.

Saints have drawn both their fixtures at McDiarmid Park this term while United's away record mirrors that feat.

St Johnstone have one injury worry, but boss Derek McInnes refused to disclose the identity of the player, who is doubtful for the match.

Kevin Rutkiewicz and Graeme Smith will take another step to full fitness by playing in a closed-door game next Tuesday after recovering from knee and thigh injuries respectively.

However, Peter MacDonald (hamstring) Kevin Moon (groin) and long-term injured Andy Jackson are all still out.

Damian Casalinuovo is in line for a quickfire debut for Dundee United in Saturday's Tayside derby meeting.

The Argentinian striker has only just returned to Tannadice following a month's loan at Raith Rovers and his goalscoring exploits at Starks Park have propelled him into contention for the trip to McDiarmid Park.

Casalinuovo signed over the summer after impressing during the team's pre-season tour of Ireland but was immediately ruled out of action when he dislocated his shoulder before the season began.

Boss Craig Levein's hand may be forced because of a mini-injury crisis which has left doubts hanging over several players.

Morgaro Gomis is likely to be ruled out with a calf injury and could be joined in the stand by Danny Cadamarteri, who has been suffering from a dead leg.

One plus for the Tangerines is that Scott Robertson looks like making it after returning to training.

With having so many uncertainties surrounding his line-up Levein will break with his own tradition and name his side on Saturday morning rather than 24 hours earlier.

 

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St Mirren 0 - 2 Celtic
Paddy McCourt grabbed a superb solo strike before Shaun Maloney's late goal secured a comfortable 2-0 success for Celtic away to St Mirren.

A quiet encounter was sparked into life when former Derry City man McCourt collected the ball in midfield and embarked on a solo run before firing beyond Paul Gallacher.

The early SPL pacesetters were rarely threatened by the home side and they sealed the points 12 minutes from time when Maloney curled home with the aid of a deflection to move five points clear at the top of the table.

But the day belonged to McCourt, who had retained his place following his impressive display and goal against Falkirk in the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

Questions over his fitness, which have dogged him since his arrival at the club last summer, remain but there is no doubt he offers the Hoops something different.

Before kick-off there was a minute's applause for former Scottish Football Association president and FIFA vice-president David Will who died this week, aged 72.

When proceedings began, the Parkhead side took a measure of control, with striker Chris Killen and McCourt firing high over from distance in the opening 13 minutes.

The game, however, was drifting along somewhat aimlessly until McCourt struck.

The Northern Ireland international, who had shown glimpses of his skill beforehand, picked the ball up after Hoops midfielder Scott Brown had robbed Stephen McGinn in the middle of the park.

McCourt, slalomed his way past five St Mirren challenges on his way into the box before rifling an unstoppable angled-shot past Paul Gallacher from 18 yards.

Celtic looked likely to add to their lead and in the 35th minute Gallacher had to make a decent save down at his left-hand post from Andreas Hinkel's left-footed drive from distance.

Billy Mehmet's shot from the edge of the box six minutes later, as Saints tried to up the tempo, took a deflection before shooting past but the Paisley side failed again to make Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc work from the corner.

St Mirren started the second half in a more positive mode but still Boruc remained a spectator and the game soon returned to the tedium which pockmarked most of the first half.

In the 54th minute Georgios Samaras replaced Killen, seconds earlier booked along with Saints skipper John Potter after a touchline spat, and Andy Dorman came on for Garry Brady as both managers tried to fire up their respective sides.

Just before the hour Celtic midfielder Landry N'Guemo had a casual effort from 30 yards saved easily by Gallacher, moments before Saints gambled further when replacing midfielder Hugh Murray with former Rangers striker Tom Brighton.

In the 66th minute Boruc had to react quickly for almost the first time in the game, clutching safely as Mehmet's cross-cum-shot came in through a ruck of players.

Niall McGinn replaced the fatigued McCourt but in the 75th minute St Mirren breached the Celtic defence for the first time when Mehmet played in Dorman at the edge of the box.

The Buddies' substitute hit the byline before cutting the ball back to Craig Dargo, whose goalbound shot from 10 yards was blocked by Loovens with the Parkhead men scurrying to clear their lines.

But in the 78th minute the visitors clinched the three points through Maloney, who seconds earlier had an angled-shot saved by Gallacher.

As Celtic kept up the pressure, Brown's looping cross from the right found its way to the back post, and Maloney delightfully curled his shot back across goal and past Gallacher with what looked like the aid of a deflection off Scott McDonald.

The Australia international missed a late sitter to make it 3-0 and McGinn went close but by then the game was over.

St Johnstone 2 - 3 Dundee Utd
Substitute David Goodwillie ensured Dundee United took the spoils from a thrilling Tayside derby against St Johnstone with a dramatic winner.

The Scotland Under-21 international, back in the side after being disciplined by the club following his arrest over an alleged assault, found the net from close range moments after his 76th-minute introduction.

Goodwillie's goal put United in front for the third time in an enthralling encounter and they held on despite Danny Swanson's dismissal in the closing stages for a bad challenge on Gavin Swankie.

Danny Cadamarteri gave the visitors the lead from the spot before Filipe Morais sent the teams in level at the break with the aid of a deflection off Darren Dods.

Andy Webster then restored United's lead shortly after the interval, only for home substitute Martin Hardie to restore parity with a free-kick with his first touch of the ball.

Goodwillie was the match-winner, however, as he popped up to knock home after Damian Casalinuovo's effort had rebounded off the post.

Saints were the first to threaten when Collin Samuel's cross from the right was volleyed in by Kenny Deuchar but goalkeeper Nicky Weaver did magnificently well to block with his feet after Morais had deflected the striker's effort six yards out.

Despite the home team's greater threat going forward it was United who broke the deadlock in controversial fashion in the 34th minute.

Dave Mackay was adjudged by referee Dougie McDonald to have handled Lee Wilkie's header as it headed towards goal and Cadamarteri blasted in from the spot.

However, within three minutes Saints were level. Morais latched on to a Deuchar knock down in the box and his resulting shot sneaked into the net via Weaver's attempted block and an apparent deflection off defender Dods.

Murray Davidson should really have given Saints the lead two minutes from the break as he raced on to Samuel's flick but he delayed too long and Paul Dixon made a magnificent last-ditch tackle.

Within two minutes of the restart United restored their lead. A long throw from the left arced over the head of Wilkie and was allowed to bounce on the edge of the six-yard box where Andy Webster was first to react to rattle his shot into the net.

Saints worked their way back into proceedings and Weaver had to dive full length to his left to tip away Morais' long-range effort in the 63rd minute.

Nine minutes later they were level as Saints manager Derek McInnes sent on substitute Hardie in time to take a free-kick, and he proved his set-piece ability by firing the ball into Weaver's bottom left-hand corner.

The see-saw match was still not finished, however, and only four minutes later United were back in front.

Casalinuovo found space in the box and when his shot was touched onto the post by home goalkeeper Alan Main, substitute Goodwillie followed into tap in from a yard.

United were forced to play the last three minutes of regulation time with only 10 men after Swanson's dismissal and then Goodwillie was denied a second by Swankie's goal-line clearance.

Rangers 0 - 0 Aberdeen
Rangers slipped further behind the SPL pace being set by Celtic after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at home by Aberdeen.

Walter Smith's side have now drawn a blank in three consecutive league games after failing to find a way past Aberdeen, who have not won at Ibrox since 1991.

There were a couple of surprises in the Rangers line-up. Kris Boyd was dropped and Steven Davis mysteriously absent from the squad as Walter Smith made five changes from the side who defeated Queen of the South in the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

Allan McGregor was back in goal at the expense of Neil Alexander, while Sasa Papac and Pedro Mendes missed out through injury and suspension respectively. As well as McGregor, Kenny Miller, Lee McCulloch, Steven Smith and Nacho Novo were all drafted into the starting line-up.

Aberdeen made three changes from the side who crashed out of the League Cup to Dundee, with youngsters Michael Paton, Peter Pawlett and Fraser Fyvie starting ahead of Chris Maguire, Darren Mackie and Davide Grassi, who suffered a fractured cheekbone midweek.

Some lovely play from Rangers almost led to the opener in the first minute when Madjid Bougherra slipped a pass to Miller who hooked into the path of Steven Naismith.

He was halted just outside the box by a Charlie Mulgrew foul.

The Dons player earned a yellow card for the challenge but made amends when goalkeeper Jamie Langfield spilled Jerome Rothen's free-kick and he managed to clear the danger before anyone had a chance to pounce on the rebound.

Rangers fans then screamed for a penalty when Steven Whittaker went to ground under pressure from Paton but there appeared to be little in the incident and there was no claim for a spot-kick from the player as referee Iain Brines signalled for play to continue.

The Ibrox side continued to press for the opener and Rothen stung the palms of Langfield with a powerful drive that the Dons keeper did well to block at the near post.

Rangers had another decent chance to take the lead when Novo released Miller and he turned in the box before unleashing the shot but his effort was deflected past the post by Richard Foster.

Aberdeen had posed little threat at the other end of the park and Gary McDonald resorted to a long-range shot which fell well over the crossbar and did little to trouble McGregor in the Rangers goal.

A free-kick 25 yards out - for an Ifil foul on Novo - provided Rangers with another opportunity to pile on the pressure but a full-stretch Langfield managed to tip Rothen's swerving effort over the bar.

The keeper came to Aberdeen's rescue again moments later when Novo raced onto a Miller pass and bore down on goal but Langfield raced from his line to narrow the angle and the striker fired straight into his arms.

However, Aberdeen were dealt a blow just before the interval when Ifil hobbled out of the action, before being replaced by Stuart Duff. McGregor then did well to block from McDonald, as the Dons almost snatched the lead on the whistle.

Aberdeen started the second half the way they had ended the first - threatening the Rangers goal. A Pawlett corner broke to Andrew Considine in the box and he rifled a ferocious shot narrowly past McGregor's left-hand upright.

Rangers recovered and should have taken the lead themselves when Smith's cross to the near post found Novo but he was denied the opener when Considine nodded off the line and out for a corner.

With the game still deadlocked, the Scottish champions threw Boyd into the action in place of Naismith with just over an hour gone.

Instead, it was Aberdeen who should have snatched the opener when McGregor was left flapping at a Mulgrew corner and Considine somehow failed to connect with the header a yard out at the back post.

Then it was Rangers' turn to pass up a couple of chances. Whittaker's cross was met by Boyd, whose glancing header fell across the face of goal and wide.

Foster then narrowly avoided an own-goal when he deflected a Novo cross onto the post, the ball spinning out of play, with Boyd loitering with intent in front of goal.

Falkirk 0 - 0 Kilmarnock
Falkirk had Robert Olejnik to thank as they held on for a goalless draw against Kilmarnock - but their search for a first domestic win of the season goes on.

An otherwise dire Scottish Premier League game at the Falkirk Stadium was lit up by two brilliant bits of goalkeeping from Olejnik, who kept out Mehdi Taouil's free-kick shortly before half-time and Kevin Kyle's late header.

The shot-shy Bairns forced just one save - and an easy one at that - out of Killie goalkeeper Mark Brown during the 90 minutes at the Falkirk Stadium.

The hosts were able to welcome back a trio of first-team regulars as Thomas Scobbie, Jackie McNamara and Burton O'Brien, all returned after missing Wednesday's Co-operative Insurance Cup third-round thrashing by Celtic.

Killie were forced into two changes from Tuesday's League Cup defeat by St Mirren, replacing the injured Craig Bryson and suspended Manuel Pascali with Gavin Skelton and Danny Invincibile.

The Bairns went into today's game bottom of the table but knew a first domestic win of the season would see them leapfrog their out-of-form opponents.

Their desperation got the better of them in the third minute as Brian McLean clattered into Jamie Hamill, earning a deserved booking.

Otherwise, it was a scrappy start from two sides searching for form and missing some of their more creative players through injury.

With a quarter of the game gone, Kyle laid the ball off to Invincibile, whose sweet 18-yard half-volley was parried away by Olejnik.

Falkirk immediately charged down the other end but Carl Finnigan scuffed his finish wide.

O'Brien skied a 25-yard free-kick just before the half-hour mark before Invincibile received a lecture from referee Stephen Finnie for his reaction after conceding a free-kick.

With half-time approaching, Danijel Marceta was carded for bringing down Hamill on the edge of the area.

Taouil struck a brilliant free-kick matched by an even better save by Olejnik, who somehow tipped the ball onto the woodwork.

There was still time for Invincibile to be cautioned for felling Scobbie before the break.

Falkirk upped the tempo immediately after the break and Marceta curled a loose ball just past Mark Brown's left-hand post from 25 yards.

Kyle, who had scored four goals in his last two appearances against the Bairns, was starting to win possession in the hosts' box.

But it was in his own area that he made the most telling intervention, clearing Darren Barr's header from O'Brien's corner off the line.

With an hour gone, Falkirk threw on Mark Stewart for Kjartan Finnbogason before Marceta hit a bouncing 30-yarder, easily held by Brown.

Scobbie became the latest player booked for furiously protesting after being adjudged to have fouled Steven Old.

Neither side looked capable of fashioning a late winner as the game entered the final quarter.

Falkirk's second change saw Vitor Lima replace Marceta.

Scobbie had tried to get forward all game but his final ball had let him down until a fine cross was met by Finnigan, who failed to connect properly with a header.

Scobbie came off for Marc Twaddle in the final 10 minutes moments before Frazer Wright came off worse in a full-blooded challenge with Stewart and was briefly forced from the field before returning with a bandaged head.

Finnigan was carded after conceding a free-kick just inside his own half and Kyle almost made him pay, his header from six yards brilliantly turned behind by Olejnik.

Gavin Skelton became the sixth player booked in stoppage-time.

Motherwell 1 - 3 Hibernian
Hibernian moved level on points with champions Rangers after a 3-1 win at Fir Park condemned Motherwell to a first defeat of the season.

Colin Nish gave Hibs an early lead on their travels, but John Hughes' side were pegged back before half-time by Mark Reynolds.

Derek Riordan restored Hibs' advantage in the 51st minute before Merouane Zemmama marked his first start in almost 18 months with the third goal.

Zemmama was a constant menace as he started his first Hibs match since April 2008 after spending most of last season on loan with Al Sha'ab in the United Arab Emirates.

Goals were always on the cards as both managers set up with attacking formations. Nish's recall meant Riordan moved to the left side of a midfield four with Zemmama on the other flank.

Jim Gannon had striker John Sutton back after injury and the Motherwell manager employed both his full-backs in advanced positions when Well had the ball.

The tactic backfired in the ninth minute as they were caught on the break after enjoying the bulk of the early possession.

Jim O'Brien lost the ball midway inside the Hibs half and the visitors broke down the right with Zemmama. Riordan volleyed the Moroccan's deep cross across the six-yard box and Nish cushioned the ball home despite John Ruddy's efforts to keep it out.

Steven Saunders forced a diving save from Graham Stack with a volley from Yassin Moutaouakil's free-kick but the Motherwell defender had a let-off in the 18th minute after misjudging a long ball.

Nish got in behind him and went down inside the box claiming Saunders had clipped his heel, but referee Steve Conroy waved play on.

Zemmama was twice off target from long range before his penetrating run was stopped inside the box by the backtracking Giles Coke.

Ross Forbes went close with a blistering 25-yard strike but Motherwell were slow to get the ball in the box.

Sutton looked capable of causing problems when they did and Well got a 35th-minute equaliser when Reynolds beat Stack to O'Brien's near-post corner to head home from close range.

Motherwell threatened from more set-pieces either side of the break but they paid the price for allowing Riordan space inside the box in the 51st minute.

Liam Miller dispossessed Coke and threaded the ball through for the unmarked Riordan, who slotted the ball into the far corner from 16 yards.

Conroy, criticised for handing out 11 yellow cards and two reds during last weekend's goalless clash between Kilmarnock and Rangers, issued his first booking in the 55th minute when O'Brien chopped down Ian Murray.

Zemmama further punished Well when he curled the free-kick inside Ruddy's near post as the goalkeeper anticipated a cross.

The Moroccan was fortunate to escape a booking after gesturing towards the home fans while being admonished by Conroy for celebrating in front of the East Stand.

Miller and David Wotherspoon were also booked but Hibernian's only real worry in the final quarter came when Miller cleared off the line from team-mate Sol Bamba following a corner.

Well were fortunate to escape conceding a penalty when Coke appeared to go through Miller with a sliding tackle as the former Celtic midfielder prepared to shoot.

And Zemmama almost set up another goal but Ruddy blocked from Danny Galbraith before fellow substitute John Rankin fired over from the rebound.

Hearts 2 - 1 Hamilton
A quick-fire double from Michael Stewart and Suso Santana set Hearts on the way to a 2-1 victory over Hamilton at Tynecastle.

The skipper broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break before Suso added a second with a neat back-heel just two minutes later.

In an action-packed passage of play, Hamilton winger Marco Paixao pulled one back after Marius Zaliukas' defensive error in the 62nd minute.

The visitors made a confident start to proceedings as they had Hearts pegged back in their own half but it was the home side that conjured the first chance in the fifth minute,

Jose Goncalves picked out winger Suso at the back post but the Spaniard failed to make proper contact and the ball bounced tamely wide.

Moments later Hearts striker David Witteveen took a swing at a loose ball but his effort went high and wide.

Accies created their first opening in the 15th minute with a route-one long ball to Mickael Antoine-Curier but the on-loan Dundee player's far-post shot was blocked by Goncalves.

From Richard Hastings' corner, Janos Balogh's attempted clearance fell to Paixao but the ball came back off the Portuguese player's legs and went wide.

A lacklustre first-half performance from the hosts contributed to a subdued Tynecastle atmosphere but a Suso solo run that came to nothing had the home supporters encouraging their team on.

Uganda international David Obua should have done better with a free header from Craig Thomson's corner after he missed the target from close-range.

Goncalves then powered a header against the crossbar in the 33rd minute after connecting with Thomson's outswinging corner and Ismael Bouzid could not reach the rebound.

Stewart gave away a free-kick 20 yards from goal after clattering into James Wesolowski and Hastings' free-kick was deflected just wide of the goal.

Hamilton finished the half the stronger as Antoine-Curier then blasted wide after latching onto Simon Mensing's through pass.

Just three minutes into the second half, Suso attempted a curling effort from the edge of the box but Tomas Cerny pulled off a fine diving save.

Then Hearts took control of the game with two goals in as many minutes that left the visitors reeling.

The first arrived in the 55th minute through Stewart from the penalty spot. The midfielder played a quick free-kick to Witteveen and the Austrian was adjudged to have been fouled by Martin Canning after rounding the defender.

Stewart made no mistake from 12 yards with a clinical shot into the corner and Suso then doubled the home side's lead almost immediately.

Thomson's corner was headed down to the winger by Bouzid and he back-heeled the ball over the line right in front of the goalkeeper.

Hamilton winger Paixao reduced his side's arrears in the 62nd minute. The midfielder nipped in to collect Grant Evans' pass ahead of Zaliukas before applying a coolly finishing.

Despite the being pegged back, Hearts continued to press as they looked to put the game beyond doubt.

Hearts brought on winger Arvydas Novikovas for Suso and the Lithuanian winger was in the thick of the action straight away.

The hosts had claims for another penalty waved away by referee Alan Muir after Novikovas fell in the box under a challenge from Hastings.

Moments later Novikovas created space on the edge of the box but he dragged his shot wide.