TNT Sports
Weekend Preview
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Published 27/10/2007 at 10:18 GMT+1
Scott McDonald returned to the Celtic side and tortured his former club Motherwell with a hat-trick as the Hoops moved three points clear at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League table with a 3-0 win at Parkhead.
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The Australian striker, who was rested for the Champions League clash with Benfica in Lisbon on Wednesday, scored the opener three minutes before the interval with a close-range header.
His strike just before the hour mark and an 87th-minute penalty wrapped up the points for the champions.
Third-placed Hibernian's hopes of getting back to winning ways were destroyed by St Mirren at Easter Road.
The home side's nine-match unbeaten run in the SPL was ended by Motherwell last week, and they dropped another three points as the Buddies claimed a valuable 1-0 win.
Billy Mehmet's first-half strike proved decisive, with Hibernian having striker Dean Shiels sent off in the second half.
Kilmarnock got their league season back on track with an important 3-1 victory over 10-man Hearts.
They made their extra man tell in the second half to run out comfortable winners thanks to goals from Gary Wales, a Colin Nish spot-kick, and Willie Gibson.
The match turned on Christian Nade's 45th-minute dismissal after the Frenchman felled Frazer Wright off the ball, and Kilmarnock now climb above Hearts and back into the top half of the table.
The scale of the task facing bottom club Gretna was highlighted at Fir Park as nearest rivals Inverness cruised to an emphatic 4-0 victory.
Caley Thistle's win was never in doubt from the moment Dennis Wyness netted a second-minute penalty, and further goals from Don Cowie, substitute Barry Wilson and Roy McBain were just reward for the impressive visitors.
Gretna boss Davie Irons had stressed the need to avoid being cast adrift, but Inverness moved six points above their hosts with ease.
Rangers will look to go level with Celtic on points again by winning at Dundee United on Sunday while Aberdeen host Falkirk in the remaining game.
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