SPL wrap: Celtic, Rangers continue title chase

Celtic and Rangers were both big winners in Saturday’s Scottish Premier League action while Aberdeen’s resurgence continued.

Celtic remain five points clear of Rangers after they trounced Hibernian 3-0 at Easter Road in the early kick-off.

Former Hibs striker Anthony Stokes was instrumental in the victory, scoring twice and setting up another.

He provided the opening goal for strike partner Gary Hooper on the stroke of half-time before getting his own name on the scoresheet with a 50th-minute penalty.

Stokes then wrapped up the win for the Hoops when he found the back of the net with 25 minutes remaining.

With three games in hand on arch-rivals Celtic, Rangers kept up the pressure with a 4-0 thumping of Hamilton at Ibrox.

Manchester City loanee Vladimir Weiss opened the scoring after 25 minutes for the Glasgow club, and Weiss continued to cause problems for the SPL strugglers as he won a penalty just three minutes later.

Steven Whittaker converted from the spot before Weiss claimed his double just before half-time.

With the damage done, the match petered out in the second half but not before American international Maurice Edu got his name on the scoresheet eight minutes from time.

Aberdeen extended their unbeaten run to five as they beat St Mirren 2-0 at the Pittodrie Stadium.

New Dons boss Craig Brown has noticeably lifted spirits at the club, with his appointment coinciding in the club’s upturn in form which has seen them drag themselves from the foot of the table and into a more respectable ninth position, just five points behind sixth-placed Motherwell.

A Scott Vernon double wrapped up the three points for Brown’s side, with both of the striker’s goals coming in a 17-minute hot-streak after half-time that consigned St Mirren to their third SPL loss in a row.

St Johnstone substitute Cleveland Taylor snatched a late 1-1 draw for his side against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Connor Salmon’s 16th-minute strike looked to have given Kilmarnock all three points only for Taylor to score with just four minutes remaining.

The day’s other game saw a goalless draw played out between Inverness and Motherwell while Dundee United’s match against Hearts was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.