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SPL wrap: Celtic take Old Firm honours, rise to top

SoccerNews in Scottish Premier League 28 Dec 2011

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Celtic have wrestled top spot in the Scottish Premier League from Rangers, after edging their Old Firm rivals 1-0 in the derby on Wednesday.

Joe Ledley’s goal seven minutes into the second half was enough to clinch the three points for Celtic, completing their revival in the title race after lying 15 points behind Rangers on November 5.

The win was Celtic’s ninth in succession, but the result could have been far different had the linesman at Celtic Park awarded a goal to Lee Wallace after seventh minutes.

The Rangers defender’s header looked to have crossed the line, but the goal was not given.

Rangers could have again taken the lead when Carlos Bocanegra somehow prodded the ball over the bar instead of past Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster from close range, and he was to rue that miss when Neil Lennon’s side took the lead early in the second half.

Charlie Mulgrew sent a corner from the right to the back post, and Ledley’s header beat the flat-footed Allan McGregor in Rangers’ goal.

Celtic had a handful of chances to extend their lead as they began to dictate proceedings, but instead held on by the slightest of margins.

Elsewhere, St Mirren missed an opportunity to move into the upper half of the table, after being held 2-2 at home by Dundee United.

St Mirren – undefeated in three matches and fresh from last Friday’s shock 2-1 win over Rangers – twice held the lead against United, but twice allowed the away side to equalise in eight crazy minutes of football.

Striker Scott Thompson put the hosts in front after 27 minutes at St Mirren Park, only for Jon Daly to hit his 12th goal of the season in all competitions four minutes later.

Graham Carey restored St Mirren’s advantage on 33 minutes, but Stuart Armstrong again levelled the scoreline just two minutes after that.

Hearts remain fifth but lost further ground on the sides ahead of them after failing to break the deadlock in a 0-0 result against Aberdeen, while fourth-placed St Johnstone’s season of cheer continued in their 2-0 win over Kilmarnock.

Hibernian looked on track for only their fourth win of the campaign when they went ahead through Garry O’Connor’s sublime eighth-minute free-kick, but Jon Hayes’ strike on 41 minutes ensured the Edinburgh-based club had to share the points with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Motherwell’s hosting of Dunfermline was postponed after wind damage to Fir Park.

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