SPL: Hamilton 0 Rangers 1

Rangers closed the gap on Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League to two points after a 1-0 win at Hamilton on Sunday.

Hamilton’s last league victory came way back in November when they won 1-0 at Motherwell. Amazingly, they have not won a home fixture all season, meaning Walter Smith’s side entered the clash as red-hot favourites.

But the reigning champions were given a test by the SPL cellar-dwellers, with the first half almost entirely non-eventful until Nikica Jelavic scored on the stroke of half-time.

Jelavic’s strike was of the highest quality, with his free-kick from the edge of the box curling past the wall and leaving Hamilton shot-stopper Tomas Cerny with no chance.

Throughout a tense second half, Rangers failed to get the all-important second half and left themselves vulnerable to a late equaliser from the hosts.

But it never materialised as Rangers kept the pressure on their arch-rivals Celtic.

Hamilton remain 12 points behind their nearest competitor St Mirren and have amassed just 16 points in 32 league fixtures this season.