Rangers were awarded four penalties in their 4-0 victory over St Mirren as they kept up the pressure on Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic on Saturday.
Steven Gerard’s team remain second but moved to within three points of the top, ahead of Celtic’s clash at St Johnstone on Sunday.
James Tavernier opened the scoring from the spot in the third minute following a foul from Ethan Erhahon but hit the post with his second spot-kick of the afternoon after Jermain Defoe went down under the challenge of Paul McGinn.
Ryan Kent struck the bar after 35 minutes but the hosts, and Tavernier, eventually added to their lead with another penalty early in the second half.
Referee Andrew Dallas adjudged Greg Tansey to have handled the ball in the area and Tavernier stepped up to atone for his earlier miss.
Daniel Candeias won Rangers’ fourth spot-kick in the 80th minute and Defoe this time converted from 12 yards before Kent added gloss to the scoreline moments later.
Aberdeen moved up to third after winning 2-1 at Hibernian, who lost in their first game since Neil Lennon’s departure as head coach in midweek.
Hibs, with caretaker boss Eddie May in charge, started brightly and took an early lead when Oliver Shaw struck from distance.
The Dons, though, hit back to take the lead with two goals 10 first-half minutes, through Andrew Considine and Gary Mackay-Steven.
Brian Rice’s first game as manager of Hamilton ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw at home to Dundee.
Scott Wright’s 66th-minute goal looked like securing Dundee victory but Darian MacKinnon struck in added time for Hamilton to keep them in 10th, a place and a point above their opponents.
Jake Hastie scored twice as Motherwell ran out 3-0 winners over Livingston at Fir Park.
Hastie got the hosts off and running in the sixth minute before Curtis Main added a second.
Stephen Robinson’s side then put the game beyond doubt midway through the first half when Hastie doubled his tally for the afternoon.
Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/rangers-spot-on-asgap-to-celtic-they-close/
