Celtic drop points as Rangers move clear

Celtic slipped three points behind Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League as a Sean Dillon goal in the fourth minute of injury claimed a deserved 1-1 draw for Dundee United.

Celtic looked to have claimed all three points thanks to Gary Hooper’s first-half strike before Dillon headed a Barry Douglas free-kick past the despairing Fraser Forster deep into injury time after a period of sustained pressure from United.

The scoreline does not reflect the goalmouth action with both sides craving out plenty of opportunities in an entertaining match.

The draw leaves the Hoops trailing Rangers, who needed a Kenny Miller hat-trick to help them come from behind to win for the sixth time this season as they narrowly defeated ten-man Kilmarnock 3-2.

It was Daryl Murphy, in for the injured Anthony Stokes, who came close to opening the scoring after just three minutes when he sent a header off the outside of the post.

Goodwillie missed a golden chance to put United ahead a minute later after he beat the offside trap to collect a Johnny Russell pass and raced in on goal but, with only the keeper to beat, the striker sent his shot wide.

Celtic had Swedish defender Majstorovic to thank when he threw his body in front of a Goodwillie shot after good play from the newly-capped Scotland international.

United paid the price for their missed opportunities when Hooper gave Celtic the lead in the 23rd minute. The Englishman collected a Maloney pass with his back to goal 10 yards out and spun round to lash a strike into the top corner of the net.

Hooper should have had a second minutes later when he tried to prod home Emilio Izaguirre’s cross but Dusan Pernis superbly saved on the line before United cleared the danger.

After the break Niall McGinn found Hooper in space and the striker took a touch before unleashing a low drive but Pernis pushed his strike round the post.

United were furious when Majstorovic escaped punishment when he looked to have taken out Goodwillie at the edge of the box with substitute Danny Swanson and captain Garry Kenneth both picking up yellow cards for their protests.

Worse was to come for Kenneth when he somehow sent his header from four yards out over the bar after he connected with Paul Dixon?s cross.

United were piling the pressure on the home side and deep into injury time Dillon sent a looping header over Forster from a Douglas free-kick to claim a point.

At Rugby Park Connor Sammon had fired Killie into a first-half lead before a Miller penalty levelled the scores at the break.

Mohamadou Sissoko, who conceded the first penalty, saw red for his second bookable offence when he hauled down Kyle Lafferty in the box with Miller converting the resultant spot-kick. Sammon got his 13th of the season on the hour mark but Miller completed his hat-trick five minutes later to take him to 18 for the season.

Elsewhere, Hamilton remain bottom after goals from Rudi Skacel and David Templeton sealed a 2-0 win for Hearts, an Adam Rooney hat-trick sealed a 4-2 win for Inverness over Hibernian, Aberdeen lost their fifth successive match as St Johnstone defeated them 1-0 and St Mirren drew 1-1 with Motherwell.