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SPL wrap: Celtic stay top, Jelavic fires Rangers

SoccerNews in Scottish Premier League 14 Jan 2012

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Celtic have retained top spot in the Scottish Premier League after a 2-1 victory over Dundee United on Saturday, while Rangers also won.

Goals in the opening 17 minutes from striker Gary Hooper and Kenya international Victor Wanyama put Neil Lennon’s side ahead early in Glasgow.

Attacker John Rankin pulled a goal back for the visitors just after the interval, but they were unable to find an equaliser as Celtic clinched their 11th consecutive league win.

Celtic stay two points clear at the summit despite Rangers’ 2-1 win at St Johnstone.

Nikica Jelavic hit a brace for Ally McCoist’s team, either side of Carlos Bocanegra’s 68th-minute own goal.

In-demand Croatia striker Jelavic opened the scoring on 23 minutes, diverting Sone Aluko’s shot past Finn goalkeeper Peter Enckelman.

Rangers dominated but were pegged back midway through the second half when Marcus Haber’s header hit Bocanegra and left goalkeeper Neil Alexander helpless.

But Jelavic would find the winner, smashing home after Murray Davidson headed Aluko’s cross onto his own crossbar.

Elsewhere, Czech Rudolf Skacel netted a hat-trick to lead third-placed Hearts to a 5-2 thrashing of St Mirren.

Lithuanian Marius Zaliukas opened the scoring for Hearts, before his sending off led to a penalty and Paul McGowan’s 13th-minute leveller.

Steven Thompson put St Mirren ahead before Skacel struck three times and John Sutton rounded off the scoring late on.

In other matches, a 67th-minute goal from French forward Gregory Tade helped Inverness to a surprise 1-0 win at Motherwell.

Striker Leigh Griffiths, on loan from English Premier League side Wolves, hit a brace as Hibernian moved four points clear of Dunfermline Athletic with a 3-2 win over the bottom-placed side, while Aberdeen and Kilmarnock played out a 0-0 draw.

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