Scottish Premiership Review: Celtic return with win, leaders battle to draw

Celtic closed the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win at Hamilton and leaders Aberdeen grabbed a 3-3 draw with Dundee.

Celtic returned from their mid-season stint in the sun to close the gap to Scottish Premiership leaders Aberdeen with a 2-0 win at Hamilton Academical.

Ronny Deila’s champions are now two points behind Aberdeen with as many games in hand following their warm-weather training break in Gran Canaria. 

Adam Matthews got the better of Hamilton goalkeeper Michael McGovern at the near post to give Celtic a 33rd-minute lead and Liam Henderson sealed the points five minutes after half-time.

Aberdeen were forced to produce a stunning late comeback to earn a 3-3 draw at home to Dundee.

David Goodwillie put the Pittodrie outfit ahead after seven minutes but two goals in three minutes from Gary Irvine and Greg Stewart meant the visitors held a 2-1 half-time advantage.

Gary Harkins’ brilliant volley made it 3-1 – a scoreline that remained until Kostadin Gadzhalov brought down Lawrence Shankland for Jonny Hayes to net an 87th-minute penalty and Ryan Jack secured a dramatic share of the spoils in stoppage time.

At the other end of the table, 10-man St Mirren struck late on to claim a vital 2-1 win over basement boys Ross County.

Sean Kelly put second-bottom St Mirren ahead but Yoann Arquin – who signed this week after his County contract expired on January 2- was sent off for a rash challenge on Lewis Toshney before half-time.

County could not make their man advantage count until Liam Boyce headed them level in the 82nd minute but Stephen Mallan netted the winner five minutes later.

Goals from Dave Mackay and Steven Anderson gave St Johnstone a 2-0 win over Patrick Thistle.

Structural damage at Fir Park meant Motherwell’s match with Kilmarnock was postponed on Friday and a frozen pitch saw the meeting between third-place Dundee United and fourth-place Inverness Caledonian Thistle suffer the same fate.