Jelavic celebrates

By FOE Editor
February 12 2011

Rangers helped themselves to three points and an improved goal difference with a 6-0 win at home to Motherwell, at the other end another Hamilton defeat sees them rooted to the bottom of the SPL.

Rangers scored three goal in each half to see off hapless Motherwell at Ibrox this afternoon. The opened the scoring after only five minutes when Naismith converted a Weiss cross at the near post.

Two goals in three minutes just after the half hour mark ended the game as a contest. Jelavic converted his first from a Whittaker pass, and then scored a great volley from a Weiss free kick.

It took until late in the second half before they scored the next three. The first was an own goal from Hutchinson who turned the ball over the line from a Fleck cross. Jelavic sealed his hat trick from close range from a Healey pass, and Healey sealed the win with a crisp strike from an acute angle.

Hearts consolidated third place in the Scottish Premier League with a comfortable victory away to Hamilton.

A close-range Stephen Elliott header gave Hearts a 22nd-minute lead after Lee Wallace had broken free down the left-hand side. The Irishman doubled his tally and Hearts' lead with another header 30 seconds into the second half.

The defeat means Accies remain at the foot of the table, having failed to win a home league game this season, while Hearts have now firmly cemented third place behind Rangers and Celtic.

Ten-man Hibernian held on to claim the points and move eight clear of bottom spot in a drama-filled encounter, in which Killie controlled the first half but failed to turn possession into goals.

Akpo Sodje was more clinical, robbing Manuel Pascali before slotting the ball into the Kilmarnock net, then Victor Palsson put Hibs two up from the penalty spot.

Jamie Hamill pulled one back for Killie, converting a penalty after Francis Dickoh was ordered off for a challenge on Kieran Agard.

Adam Rooney scored twice, but neither his Inverness side nor St Mirren could end their long runs without a league win after a thriller at St Mirren Park. Rooney pounced on slack defending to prod in the opener after six minutes, but Michael Higdon equalised from the penalty spot after 28 minutes.

Steven Thomson fired St Mirren ahead 60 seconds later, only for Aaron Doran to poke in a reply four minutes later. Rooney slotted in on 61 minutes, but Darren McGregor headed in a reply.

Both sides had gone into the game on the back of victories that took them into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup but seeking their first league wins of 2011.