Derby delight for Hearts

Hearts claimed the Edinburgh derby honours as two goals in the final seven minutes sealed a 3-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road.

Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack saved Hearts midfielder Ian Black's penalty after 43 minutes before the visitors took the lead after 58 minutes through Ryan McGowan.

Hearts captain Marius Zaliukas turned the ball into his own net from Danny Galbraith's cross as Hibs equalised immediately but Webster restored the visitors' lead after 83 minutes and substitute Rudi Skacel netted a third in the dying moments.

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Celtic cement top spot

Charlie Mulgrew scored one and helped set up the other two goals as Celtic began life at the top of the SPL with a commanding 3-0 win at Dunfermline.

Mulgrew's cross led to a glorious curling opener from Anthony Stokes and Victor Wanyama volleyed home his delivery before half-time.

The defender completed Celtic's 10th successive league win when he curled home a 30-yard free-kick midway through the second half.

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Rangers overpower Well

Rangers bounced back from their Old Firm derby defeat with a convincing 3-0 win over Motherwell in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League - without the help of top goalscorer Nikica Jelavic.

Jelavic missed the clash at Ibrox amid suggestions of a knee injury, paving the way for David Healy to grab his first goal of the season on what was his first SPL start of the campaign.

Sone Aluko then opened his goalscoring account for Rangers, before an own-goal from Stephen Craigan sealed the victory for the Scottish champions.

A minute's silence was observed before kick-off to remember the 66 people who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster on this day in 1971. Once underway, Rangers had an early chance to open the scoring when Aluko burst down the right flank and tried to set up Healy from close range but goalkeeper Darren Randolph was able to clear the danger.

With Jelavic already absent, Rangers were dealt a further blow when Kyle Lafferty pulled up chasing a long ball and left the pitch on a stretcher after just nine minutes, with John Fleck thrown into the action.

The home side continued to push forward and Aluko released Lee Wallace down the left and he squared across goal for Healy but Craigan was able to intercept and clear before the Northern Irishman could connect.

The breakthrough came after 35 minutes when Maurice Edu slotted into the path of Healy, who turned and fired into the back of the net from six yards out.

Motherwell threw Omar Daley and Chris Humphrey into the action for the second half but Rangers still looked more likely to find the back of the net again. Wallace was denied by an impressive save from Randolph before Tom Hateley then came to the rescue to clear a Carlos Bocanegra header off the line.

But Motherwell could not prevent Rangers from doubling their advantage after 55 minutes when Aluko collected a short pass from Healy and rifled past Randolph to claim his first goal for the club.

There was no way back for Motherwell when Rangers netted their third of the day with 73 minutes gone. Aluko had a go from a tight angle and the effort was touched away from goal by Randolph but the ball fell for Wallace and his shot was deflected into the back of the net by Craigan.

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Rangers bounce back but Hoops stay out in front

Rangers got over their Old Firm derby defeat disappointment with a 3-0 win over Motherwell at Ibrox to remain two points behind Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

In a rare start David Healy fired Rangers into a first half lead before Sone Aluko netted his first goal for the club ten minutes after the break.

Stephen Craigan then turned Lee Wallace's shot into his own net in the 73rd minute to round off a comprehensive victory against third-placed Well.

"I must admit it's been a great start to 2012," Rangers manager Ally McCoist said, though his men still trail Celtic by three points.

"I thought the application, skill and football we played was very good and I was really pleased," the Rangers manager said.

His Motherwell counterpart Stuart McCall was hugely disappointed with his side's performance.

"It's probably the worst I've felt after a Rangers game," McCall said.

"I don't think we have had a better chance in the past few years to come in and try to get something from the game. We tried to have a go and didn't succeed and it's disappointing."

Celtic stay top after goals from Anthony Stokes, Victor Wanyama and Charlie Mulgrew sealed a 3-0 win at Dunfermline.

At Ibrox, Rangers made three changes to the side that lost the Old Firm derby with Dorin Goian returning from suspension and Healy brought in for the injured Nikica Jelavic.

The Northern Ireland striker nearly made an instant impact when keeper Darren Randolph blocked his early close range shot before Rangers were dealt a blow in the ninth minute when Kyle Lafferty appear to pull his hamstring and was replaced by John Fleck.

Northern Irishman Healy fired Rangers into the lead on 36 minutes with a low angled shot.

Motherwell came close to an equaliser when Michael Higdon connected with Steven Hammell's cross at the back post but sent his first time effort just over.

Randolph did well to stop Lee Wallace's volley before Carlos Bocanegra saw his header blocked on the line as Rangers emerged from the interval hungry to add to their lead.

Aluko slotted home a left-home shot low past Randolph from the edge of the box in the 55th minute for 2-0 after Healy teed him up.

Rangers extended their lead in the 73rd minute. Randolph saved Aluko's initial shot but couldn't do anything as Craigan turned Wallace's follow-up effort into his own net.

Elsewhere, two goals in the last ten minutes handed Hearts a 3-1 win in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian at Easter Road.

After a goalless first half Ryan McGowan headed Hearts into a 58th minute lead but Hibs were almost immediately on level terms when Marius Zaliuskas turned Danny Galbraith's cross into his own net.

However, strikes from Andy Webster and substitute Rudi Skacel in the final minutes means Hearts move up to fourth spot and leaves Hibs languishing a point above the relegation spot.

Aberdeen came from behind to defeat Dundee United 2-1 and Kilmarnock scored late to record a 2-1 win over St Mirren.

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McCoist says Gers need to invest

Ally McCoist says it is essential he strengthens his squad in the January transfer window despite watching his injury stricken side comprehensively defeat Motherwell 3-0 at Ibrox on Monday.

The Gers bounced back from their midweek Old Firm derby defeat disappointment to sweep third-placed Motherwell aside with a rare strike from David Healy, Sone Aluko's first goal for the club and a Stephen Craigan own goal.

A hamstring injury suffered by Kyle Lafferty in the match means he joins fellow forwards Nikica Jelavic, Steven Naismith and youngster Kane Hemmings on the sidelines.

It leaves Northern Ireland international Healy, who started his first league game of the season against Motherwell, as the only fit striker at the club.

Rangers are also having to cope without injured defenders Kirk Broadfoot and Steven Whittaker while midfielder Thomas Bendiksen looks set to leave the club for Norwegian side Torsmo.

And McCoist says he will now sit down with club owner Craig Whyte to discuss a list of potential transfer targets as they bid to overcome a two-point lead for Celtic, who defeated Dunfermline 3-0.

"Obviously anyone could tell you that it certainly looks like we need strengthening in forward areas. The injuries to Jelavic, Lafferty and Naismith haven't done anything to change my opinion," McCoist said.

"We need bodies in, it's as simple as that. I couldn't put my finger on it and say we need three, four or five but we certainly need players in.

"As happy as we are with the performance against Motherwell we do know we need to add to our squad.

"At this moment in time we've got one centre forward in Healy, who did well against Motherwell, but I've got to be honest and say we need to strengthen.

"I know what we want and I know what we need and I know what we would like to get."

Rangers have been linked with moves for former strikers Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo.

Boyd, who scored 101 league goals in four years at Ibrox, is a free agent after he terminated his contract with Turkish side Eskiehirspor while manager McCoist admitted he was impressed with Sporting Gijon forward Novo when he trained with his old club while in Scotland over the festive period.

However, Northern Ireland striker Healy, who has failed to make an impact at Ibrox after signing last January, said he hoped to make the most of the injury crisis to kick-start his Rangers career.

"It's one goal and I'm not going to get carried away but for me it was nice," Healy said of his goal against Motherwell.

"It's been a long time since I started a game so hopefully my performance and my goal will help me get more minutes on the pitch.

"Any professional will tell you that when you train all week you want to be involved and part of it. When you are not playing it is disappointing but the manager has always said it's a squad game.

"We've got a good bunch of lads but there were a few lads missing against Motherwell and hopefully the boys who have played have done enough to let the manager know we can come in and do a job.

"Jelavic is obviously injured and Lafferty went down in the game so there are not too many forward players at the minute.

"I'm sure in the January window we will be linked with a few strikers so it's up to me when I get a chance to do what I did against Motherwell and score goals and win games."

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Celtic turnaround surprises Lennon

Neil Lennon has been taken aback at how quickly Celtic have turned their season around after a 1-0 Old Firm victory over Rangers saw them leapfrog their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Joe Ledley's 52nd minute header at Parkhead on Wednesday took the Hoops to the summit of the SPL for the first time since August and they will head into the new year with a two point lead over second-placed champions Rangers.

The win was Celtic's ninth in a row as the Hoops gained revenge for their 4-2 defeat at the hands of their Glasgow rivals at Ibrox in September.

It capped a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Celtic, who at one stage in November trailed Rangers by 15 points, albeit they had two games in hand.

Despite always having faith his side could peg Rangers back, Celtic manager Lennon was surprised at the speed with which his side had regained top spot.

"They are a good team and weren't doing themselves justice earlier in the season," Lennon said.

"They were too inconsistent but I always knew they could claw it back.

"I didn't realise they would claw it back so quickly but they always had it in them to go on a run like this.

"I think it was the fallout from the second half at Ibrox, still wrangling with them and myself. I wanted a better performance from them and I certainly got that.

"They didn't play well in the first Old Firm game but they've certainly rectified that.

"If you look back at this run we had to go to Motherwell who were flying high, we had to go to Inverness, St Johnstone and Dundee United and played very well in all these games.

"I wouldn't say this was a culmination of it but to beat Rangers is always special. Under the circumstances they have handled the pressure very well."

However, Lennon had a warning for his men.

"They can't get complacent. We have come a long way in a short time but there is still a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the season."

The result at Parkhead could have been different after Lee Wallace's seventh minute header appeared to cross the line before Celtic keeper Fraser Forster scrambled the ball away.

Nevertheless, Rangers manager Ally McCoist was philosophical about referee Willie Collum's decision not to award his side a goal.

"I have seen it and I think it has definitely crossed the line but sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't," McCoist said.

"I think it was Lee and Nikica Jelavic who were both fairly convinced that the ball had indeed crossed the line. But there is no use mumping and moaning about it as we never got it and we have to move on.

"I have said all along that we should have goalline technology but I'd rather save that argument for another day.

"We will just have to take it on the chin and get on with it."

With a £49 million ($75 million) tax bill hanging over Rangers, the Ibrox club are not expected to spend big in the January transfer window.

And despite his side's recent dip in form, McCoist believes his current squad are still good enough to retain their title.

"We will be fine. We are just half way through the season so there is plenty of football to be played," he said.

"If we get fresh blood in January then great, but if we don't I certainly believe we can still go on and retain the title.

"It will be very, very difficult, as it is to win any championship, but as manager of this football club I have to believe and do believe it is possible."

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Hoops clinch Lustig deal

Sweden international defender Mikael Lustig will officially become a Celtic player on Sunday after his transfer to Glasgow was completed.

The 25-year-old, who can play at right-back or in the centre of defence, agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract in November after leaving Norwegian side Rosenborg.

Lustig watched Celtic go top of the SPL table with Wednesday's defeat of Rangers and could make his debut in Monday's match at Dunfermline.

A statement on www.celticfc.net read: "Celtic Football Club are delighted to confirm that new Bhoy Mikael Lustig has passed his medical and confirmed his new deal.

"The Swedish international, who signed a pre-contract earlier in the season, has been in Glasgow over the past few days to take in the derby victory and finalise his new contract - which will officially start on January 1, 2012.

"Mikael will be officially unveiled as a Celt at a media conference at Lennoxtown [on Friday]."

Lustig's arrival strengthens the Swedish connection at Celtic, whose record goalscorer is Henrik Larsson.

Johan Mjallby was a successful defender for the club and is now manager Neil Lennon's assistant, Daniel Majstorovic is a key figure in the defence and Freddie Ljungberg had a short spell at Parkhead last season.

Lustig will rival Adam Matthews, Cha Du-ri and Mark Wilson for the right-back berth.

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McCoist to meet over transfer funds:

Rangers manager Ally McCoist will hold talks with owner Craig Whyte in the next few days to determine whether he will be able to strengthen his squad in January.

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McCoist has identified a couple of targets he is keen to bring to Ibrox next month, with attacking reinforcements top of the list as he bids to steer the Scottish champions' Clydesdale Bank Premier League title charge back on track.

With his side trailing rivals Celtic by two points, the Light Blues boss is keen to establish if funds will be made available to him when the window re-opens, and said: "Our scouting department have been very busy and I'm in almost constant dialogue with the boys."

He added: "We've got one or two players, in an ideal world, we would like to bring in. We just have to wait and see what happens. We're ready to go if we can go.

"I'll sit down in the next few days and have a good chat with Craig and see where we are. I've gone on record as saying it would be nice for us to strengthen in forward areas and that's still the case.

"We will just have to wait and see where we are and if we are in a position to do that."

As well as recruiting personnel, McCoist is also set to sanction loan moves for some of his young players, including John Fleck.

Fleck and Kyle Hutton both agreed to join Sheffield United on loan in August but the deal fell through due to an administration issue and Hutton sealed a temporary switch to Partick Thistle instead.

McCoist said: "Kyle Hutton was at Partick Thistle and I think it was a great move for Jackie McNamara and Kyle. It worked well so that's something we might look at again for one or two of the younger boys.

"I had a chat with wee Flecky and we both feel it's really important that he gets games and starts playing on a regular basis. If there is an opportunity for John to go out and play and it suits us and it suits John, then that will be the case."

New Bhoy Lustig inspired by Larsson

Celtic new boy Mikael Lustig revealed he caught the Parkhead bug by watching fellow countryman Henrik Larsson play in the hoops.

The Sweden defender, 25, will officially become a Celtic player on Sunday after his transfer to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders was completed on Friday.

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Lustig, who agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract in November after leaving Norwegian side Rosenborg, almost inevitably referenced legend Larsson, who starred at the Parkhead club between 1997 and 2004, saying: "Henrik Larsson put Celtic on the map in Sweden."

He added: "I watched many Celtic games when he played here and Celtic have many fans cheering for them in Sweden.

"I haven't spoken to him but he has spoken a lot about the club and Glasgow. I have known about this for two months.

"I always thought it was a great club for me and I have been waiting for this moment, so now I am here it is perfect."

Lustig, who first became aware of Celtic's interest 18 months ago, was in attendance at Parkhead on Wednesday night as Neil Lennon's men beat Rangers 1-0 to go two points clear of their Ibrox rivals at the top of the SPL table.

The former Rosenborg defender insisted that the game whetted his appetite for life at one of the Glasgow giants, adding: "It was my first live Old Firm game and the atmosphere was really good.

"I heard the game was something special and it was, it was really nice. I was sitting in the crowd with a smile.

"I come from Rosenborg and I know what it is like. Every game is a pressure and every year you want to win the league so it is the same. I am quite a calm guy and I think I am going to handle it very well."

McCoist admits to 'healthy respect'

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has declined to reveal what was said between himself and Neil Lennon after both Old Firm bosses shared a post-match embrace on Wednesday night.

The scene which followed Celtic's 1-0 win was in stark contrast to an angry exchange between the pair following a fiery Scottish Cup clash, also at Parkhead, last March.

"I wouldn't divulge what was said but I would like to think that we have a healthy respect for each other and the job that the other one is trying to do," said McCoist.

"We are both relatively new Old Firm managers but, since both clubs were formed, there has been, there has to be and hopefully always will be, a healthy respect for each other. That has to be the case.

"Neil and I sat after the game, just the two of us, and had a bottle of beer and spoke about the game and spoke about other things. It was good and it was refreshing."

What was less refreshing for McCoist was the sight of his players surrendering their lead at the summit of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The Scottish champions were 15 points clear of their rivals in early November but now trail Celtic by two points and find themselves in unfamiliar territory this season.

Speaking ahead of Monday's visit of Motherwell, McCoist said: "It's something that's relatively new to us this season but it's not something that's new to us in the past few seasons.

"The need to pick up three points is just as important, if not more important, and that starts against Motherwell.

"What we have to do now is string consecutive results together and go on a little bit of a run. It will be very difficult against Motherwell but we have to start somewhere and hopefully it's that game."

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