:00:57. > :01:03.Good evening. We have had a splurge of gold this weekend. Last week,
:01:04. > :01:06.just eight, tonight, almost three times that number plus four red
:01:07. > :01:10.cards and one potential incumbent manager sitting in the stands. In
:01:11. > :01:15.terms of the goals, Steven Thompson joins us in the studio, so too does
:01:16. > :01:20.the former Hibs midfielder Stuart Lovell. It is at Hibs that we start
:01:21. > :01:23.tonight. All week long the question had been would Terry Butcher take
:01:24. > :01:27.the reins at Easter Road, with the added spice that Inverness
:01:28. > :01:32.Caledonian Thistle were the visitors this weekend. As it was come
:01:33. > :01:33.kick-off time Butcher was in neither dugout. The commentator is John
:01:34. > :01:43.Barnes. Jimmy Nicholl makes one change to
:01:44. > :01:48.the side. James Collins returns to partner Heffernan in attack. No
:01:49. > :01:51.matter whether it was Terry Butcher or Maurice Malpas that selected the
:01:52. > :01:55.team, they stick with the same 11 that beat Kilmarnock. Willie Mackay
:01:56. > :02:09.looking to add to his nine goals so far this campaign.
:02:10. > :02:19.The referee points to the spot. Shinnie nudged by James Collins. A
:02:20. > :02:27.good, positive play by the fullback. He earns his side a penalty. Nick
:02:28. > :02:35.Ross. Cars -- Caley Thistle in front. Ross's first goal of the
:02:36. > :02:42.season after 14 minutes it comes. Williams got a touch to it, but he
:02:43. > :02:46.couldn't manage to keep it out. Terry Butcher looks to have donned
:02:47. > :02:47.his civvies today to take place in the stand to oversee his present
:02:48. > :03:02.team and possibly his future team. A transfer number two, an excellent
:03:03. > :03:07.finish by Billy McKay. He is now into double figures for the season.
:03:08. > :03:12.It was great play by Shinnie to set up the opportunity. He still had
:03:13. > :03:19.work to do from the angle. But Billy McKay delivered the perfect finish
:03:20. > :03:21.for his 10th goal wrist campaign. Controlling things in the technical
:03:22. > :03:40.area for Caley Thistle. It has come off the post. The
:03:41. > :03:45.interception, dollar and really could have taken it on himself and
:03:46. > :03:47.had a shot but unselfishly looked for Billy McKay and a sigh of relief
:03:48. > :04:08.from the Hibs goalkeeper. Blocked by the boots of Ben
:04:09. > :04:15.Williams. Billy McKay looking to get his second of the afternoon and it
:04:16. > :04:19.was the Hibs goalkeeper who blocked him. An interested spectator, Kenny
:04:20. > :04:26.Millar, second from the left in the bottom row. A one-time Hibs striker.
:04:27. > :04:31.It is Jordan Forster up from the back, going close there. Is he
:04:32. > :04:40.claiming for the corner? He rose well. Inches away. Is this the last
:04:41. > :04:47.match in charge for Jimmy Nicholas -- forgery Nicholl as caretaker?
:04:48. > :04:50.The Hibs players are appealing for a penalty. They believe the goalkeeper
:04:51. > :05:07.took out Forster. I good ball, excellent defending by
:05:08. > :05:21.Shinnie under extreme pressure from Collins.
:05:22. > :05:28.He is appealing for the penalty there. Maybe he did seem to have a
:05:29. > :05:30.hand on his back and took that the jersey. It would have been in the
:05:31. > :05:48.soft category. Caley Thistle really have bossed
:05:49. > :05:53.this game. A fine block by Hanlon to deny Billy McKay another opportunity
:05:54. > :05:57.to increase Inverness's lead. It was a fantastic performance, started the
:05:58. > :06:03.game brightly and once we scored the two goals we were romping for a
:06:04. > :06:08.while. We needed a goal to get confidence and unfortunately it did
:06:09. > :06:10.not work out like that. It was always going to be a struggle in the
:06:11. > :06:16.second half but confidence is low anyway and the last thing we needed
:06:17. > :06:20.was a couple of early goals. Whatever happens with Terry and the
:06:21. > :06:28.two clubs we have a decision to make, until then...
:06:29. > :06:34.It was insipid from Hibs, you would have to say, but all eyes on Terry
:06:35. > :06:39.Butcher yesterday. Is it inevitable, do you feel that he will be the next
:06:40. > :06:43.manager of Hibernian? The bookies would suggest is a done deal. I
:06:44. > :06:49.wonder whether Terry might feel that he can take Caley Thistle a little
:06:50. > :06:53.bit further. There is no question if you compare the two clubs, Hibs are
:06:54. > :06:57.bigger club than Inverness Caley Thistle, always have been. I would
:06:58. > :07:02.suggest they always will be. Nevertheless there they are sitting
:07:03. > :07:04.second in the table with a Cup semifinal to look forward too
:07:05. > :07:09.against hearts, which after what happened last season they will want
:07:10. > :07:14.revenge -- Hearts. This is a difficult decision for him. I don't
:07:15. > :07:18.think it is a done deal. It is not a no-brainer, like some people
:07:19. > :07:24.suggest. Do you think it is a matter of time, could it happen tomorrow? I
:07:25. > :07:27.think he could. You may see it tomorrow. Terry loves his life in
:07:28. > :07:32.the Highlands and he is a very ambitious person. He has been up
:07:33. > :07:37.there nearly five years now and I think he maybe feels he needs a new
:07:38. > :07:40.challenge. Playing devil's advocate, sticks in the net Caley Thistle la
:07:41. > :07:46.on a great run this season and yesterday they were much better than
:07:47. > :07:51.Hibernian -- Inverness Caley Thistle. It would be mad to take the
:07:52. > :07:55.Hibs job, wouldn't he? Managers like projects, we know that. They don't
:07:56. > :07:59.often get the chance to see them through to the end. If you are
:08:00. > :08:03.making comparisons between the two teams now then obviously the
:08:04. > :08:07.sensible choice would be to stay where he is. Nevertheless Hibs is a
:08:08. > :08:12.big club, you can't get away from that.
:08:13. > :08:19.He is an ambitious guy, some guys have viewed it as a poisoned chalice
:08:20. > :08:23.in the past. I am fascinated by what decision he comes to because he
:08:24. > :08:27.really enjoys his time at Inverness and he is well looked after. What
:08:28. > :08:31.about the point at Inverness he is Lord of the manor, he calls the
:08:32. > :08:35.shots in terms of the footballing aspect and at a Bernie and he will
:08:36. > :08:38.be working with Rob Petrie, who presumably will want his say on how
:08:39. > :08:46.things go? I think the interesting thing is that Terry works as a team
:08:47. > :08:50.with Morris and Steve and I do say if he is going to go to Easter Road
:08:51. > :08:55.he will want those guys with him. People are saying, why has there
:08:56. > :08:59.been a delay for him taking the job at Hibernian? Perhaps that is the
:09:00. > :09:02.reason, he wants to make sure if he goes there he goes there on his
:09:03. > :09:09.terms and gets the opportunity to work with the backroom staff he
:09:10. > :09:13.knows and trusts. I quit --. It will be interesting. Jackie McNamara's
:09:14. > :09:18.young side always liable to put on a show. Motherwell's recent form a bit
:09:19. > :09:21.up and down. Goals always a possibility at Fir Park and it
:09:22. > :09:27.finished 2-macro-2-macro in September. There was a minute's
:09:28. > :09:35.silence in memory of the Faurlin conflicts across the globe. -- in
:09:36. > :09:43.memory of the fallen, in conflicts across the globe.
:09:44. > :09:48.A quartet of changes for the Motherwell side, and unfamiliar back
:09:49. > :10:20.four, It comes in for Ryan Gauld.
:10:21. > :10:29.Motherwell had a chance to clear, they didn't do so. The goalkeeper's
:10:30. > :10:34.punch was poor and although he got a touch, it ends up behind him. Ryan
:10:35. > :10:42.Gauld with a fourth goal of the season, neatly up and neatly in. Not
:10:43. > :10:47.the start he was looking for. Francis-Angol isn't under pressure.
:10:48. > :11:06.-- is under pressure. Paul Paton, 2-0 to Dundee United and
:11:07. > :11:11.Motherwell are a mess at the back. Paul Paton schools for the first
:11:12. > :11:14.time for Dundee United and Francis-Angol under severe
:11:15. > :11:23.pressure, really should have cleared his lines. In the end it was pulled
:11:24. > :11:27.back, came off comments. Paul Paton with a header in. Dundee United two
:11:28. > :11:41.ahead and Motherwell are far from happy.
:11:42. > :11:50.Sutton, on his weaker side, trying to get Motherwell back in the match,
:11:51. > :11:55.John Sutton. A good hit, plenty of power.
:11:56. > :12:11.United keeping up the pace. That is deflected, a really good save.
:12:12. > :12:14.Robertson was always going to drag it back onto his left side, the
:12:15. > :12:23.goalkeeper at full stretch there. United, just one loss in the last
:12:24. > :12:43.seven, are flowing again. A great pass into Ryan Gauld, and
:12:44. > :12:45.even better finished. Great football from Dundee United. 64 minutes gone,
:12:46. > :12:55.a double for Ryan Gauld. The finishing touch, perfection from
:12:56. > :12:58.Ryan Gauld. His first-ever Dundee United double and they look set for
:12:59. > :13:16.all three points. He sends it wide onto Robertson.
:13:17. > :13:23.That is the way to finish the game. Andrew Robertson, who scored against
:13:24. > :13:31.Motherwell at Tannadice. The does the same at Fir Park. A wonderful
:13:32. > :13:33.performance. The best performance I have witnessed from an away team at
:13:34. > :13:39.this ground. Sometimes you think you could have done better, but they
:13:40. > :13:43.have had a good run of form away from home. Took Celtic all we lost
:13:44. > :13:47.week and I think they showed today for sub you only have to look at the
:13:48. > :13:55.strength in depth on the bench to see what they have got. I thought we
:13:56. > :13:58.were excellent. The team had a desire to get forward and help each
:13:59. > :14:02.other. Disappointing, the above chances that we did not take a but
:14:03. > :14:09.even to come here and create those chances, against a strong Motherwell
:14:10. > :14:10.team, that has won five games out of six at home, that was a massive win
:14:11. > :14:22.for us. Stuart McCall was very confirmatory
:14:23. > :14:27.about Dundee United. Every week, we were -- wax lyrical about Ryan
:14:28. > :14:31.Gauld, but it was the engine room of this United team that made the
:14:32. > :14:36.difference. Yes, Paul Rankin deserves a mention. You need two
:14:37. > :14:42.players playing their position to allow the front four to flourish.
:14:43. > :14:45.They all do that. It is ironic that those of them are meant to be
:14:46. > :14:51.holding midfielders. They are in the six yard box looking to finish. They
:14:52. > :14:57.do this job very well. They press, and then pop it off to the guys who
:14:58. > :15:01.can give them a cutting edge. They did their job very well for Dundee
:15:02. > :15:09.United Jess today. They allowed the front four to win the game. --
:15:10. > :15:15.yesterday. Just how good a side can they be, than the United? Brilliant,
:15:16. > :15:19.and the scary thing is they are getting better as the season goes
:15:20. > :15:23.on. Motherwell yesterday had three of their normal back for out and if
:15:24. > :15:27.there is one thing you do not want to meet at this time in that
:15:28. > :15:35.situation is Dundee United going forward, they are frightening. At
:15:36. > :15:41.this moment in time they are a frightening prospect. Stewart, you
:15:42. > :15:48.said that it could have been even more. Ryan Gauld, we talk about him
:15:49. > :15:56.quite a lot, just how good can he be? He has got a touch of the Messis
:15:57. > :16:01.about him, very low centre of gravity, he takes a break positions.
:16:02. > :16:05.He needs to be given the ball in areas that he can hurt teams, and
:16:06. > :16:09.Dundee United have found a way to get the ball in to him and allow him
:16:10. > :16:19.to do his stuff, and he is flourishing in a team that is set up
:16:20. > :16:23.perfectly for him. Things looking increasingly bleak for hearts as
:16:24. > :16:29.they started the day on a less than inspiring -7 points. Eight league
:16:30. > :16:32.games without a victory, and the last victory had been against
:16:33. > :16:40.Aberdeen at Tynecastle back in August. Commentary from Rob Maclean.
:16:41. > :16:49.Ryan Jackson itching to holding midfield role for Aberdeen alongside
:16:50. > :16:52.Willo Flood. Gary Locke cannot make too many changes. This is a team
:16:53. > :17:03.that lost at home to Saint Johnstone.
:17:04. > :17:10.That was flicked on for Stevenson. Stretching out the right leg to make
:17:11. > :17:23.the save, Jamie Lange field for Aberdeen. The corner kick from Barry
:17:24. > :17:26.Robson. And Niall McGinn. Aberdeen ahead, midway through the first
:17:27. > :17:40.half. Haas did not deal with the corner kick. Jamie Hamill with the
:17:41. > :17:47.shot. Barry Robson blocked it. He's going to get a yellow card for
:17:48. > :18:00.encroaching. He disputed, but he did take a couple of steps forward.
:18:01. > :18:05.Robson slides it through for Pawlett. Skipping away from the
:18:06. > :18:11.challenge from Wilson, then firing the ball across goal. That was
:18:12. > :18:21.close. In, from Robson, and goes Zola, and Considine has the shot
:18:22. > :18:25.lot, Dylan McGowan blocks the shot on the line and screams for a
:18:26. > :18:30.penalty from Aberdeen. It took a deflection and reared up in the
:18:31. > :18:35.direction of McGowan on the goal-line, appearing to strike him
:18:36. > :18:45.on the face. Barry Robson, for Aberdeen. Peter Pawlett trying to
:18:46. > :18:51.drive through. Mounting pressure on the Hearts goal, and that there is a
:18:52. > :19:03.penalty. That surely struck the back of Meguid. --McGhee. And saved by
:19:04. > :19:09.McDonald, good goalkeeping. Maybe justice done.
:19:10. > :19:19.Hearts, looking to break with Jamie Walker. Jason Holt is bundled over
:19:20. > :19:24.by Robson and there was going to be trouble, it is going to be a second
:19:25. > :19:29.yellow card. For the midfielder. He looks aghast, but he will have to
:19:30. > :19:44.take the long walk and Aberdeen are juiced to ten men. -- reduced. That
:19:45. > :19:52.is touched over by Jamie Lange field -- Langfield. Johnny Hayes fires it
:19:53. > :19:57.in and Scott Vernon. Almost making an impact from the bench. A neat
:19:58. > :20:08.touch and a neat save from Jamie Macdonald. Danny Wilson is the
:20:09. > :20:12.target. Jamie Walker is around Langfield and it is 1-1 at
:20:13. > :20:25.Pittodrie. Nobody reacted quicker than Walker. Flicked on for Walker,
:20:26. > :20:33.Newsround Hector, he turns it back and Paterson scores. They have
:20:34. > :20:42.turned this game completely around have young Hearts. Paterson scores
:20:43. > :20:53.and it is 2-1 at Pittodrie. Lovely pass. And Walker can set Paterson. A
:20:54. > :21:02.big chance. And he just could not stretch far enough. Powerful header
:21:03. > :21:09.clear, and now, Hearts on the counterattack. Jamie Langfield who
:21:10. > :21:18.was up for the corner kick has to sprint back. Here, Hearts again. And
:21:19. > :21:23.it is Stevenson mother blockbuster, to finish things off at Pittodrie.
:21:24. > :21:32.-- with a blockbuster. The comeback is complete. Hearts have beaten ten
:21:33. > :21:34.man Aberdeen 3-1. It was a fantastic performance, especially in the
:21:35. > :21:40.second half. The sending-off changed the game a little bit. Every time we
:21:41. > :21:44.look forward -- we went forward, we looked dangerous. We were not happy
:21:45. > :21:50.with the second half performance last week but we have responded well
:21:51. > :21:56.today. The handball on the line from McGowan, it has been five or six
:21:57. > :22:03.yards before the ball fires up at them, whether it is difficult for
:22:04. > :22:06.him to get his arm out of the way, that has denied us a goal, and
:22:07. > :22:08.Richard have been a red card and a penalty kick. No doubt about that.
:22:09. > :22:22.That was a key moment in the game. Let's have a look at these penalty
:22:23. > :22:28.incidents. Jamie Hamill on Peter Pawlett. I think he kicks the back
:22:29. > :22:32.of his leg. He tries to kick the ball but kicks the back of his leg.
:22:33. > :22:37.I don't think that is a penalty. This is the handball from Dylan
:22:38. > :22:41.McGowan. Look how many Aberdeen players appeal for it. They all see
:22:42. > :22:46.the same thing which is that his arm goes up, maybe to protect his face,
:22:47. > :22:55.but I think that does look like a handball and a red card. Not
:22:56. > :22:59.convinced? No, but you have to look at the position of the referee.
:23:00. > :23:06.Whether he has been influenced by the ones that he had not given...
:23:07. > :23:08.Referees do not do that, do they? You can see why Derek McGuinness
:23:09. > :23:14.would be disappointed with the second one. He was full of praise
:23:15. > :23:19.for the Aberdeen performance. He said that they played comfortably
:23:20. > :23:24.and well, but then went down to ten men with the sending-off of Barry
:23:25. > :23:31.Robson. I don't think Barry can have any complaints with this. Referees
:23:32. > :23:34.are told that if a player encroaches, don't forget, it is
:23:35. > :23:41.direct, that there is a nailed on yellow card. I have a lot of
:23:42. > :23:46.sympathy for Barry Robson. He is trying to check is tried and let him
:23:47. > :23:49.go. I know that referees are told the book someone when a player is
:23:50. > :23:56.impeded when in a promising attacking move. He is trying to get
:23:57. > :24:02.out of the way, almost. I do not see that as a yellow card, that was very
:24:03. > :24:10.harsh. Was that necessary for Pastor comeback into this match? -- for
:24:11. > :24:15.Hearts to comeback. This was a wonderful touch from Walker. And a
:24:16. > :24:19.lovely finish. He had an excellent match. Setting up the school, as
:24:20. > :24:26.well. It was a massive three points for Hearts. Aberdeen, defensively
:24:27. > :24:30.are magnificent, so you have to credit them, what a finish that was.
:24:31. > :24:37.He's getting used to scoring these types of goals now. Hearts are going
:24:38. > :24:42.to need many more results and performances like that to stand any
:24:43. > :24:46.chance of escaping relegation. We have had some good results of late.
:24:47. > :24:53.And the cup victory at Easter Road, but they still have a monumental
:24:54. > :24:59.task on their hands. Still, a lot, to turn things around. Hearts,
:25:00. > :25:06.making inroads at the bottom of the table. What about the teams in close
:25:07. > :25:10.proximity? Partick Thistle had managed just the one win from their
:25:11. > :25:14.last seven Premiership matches. They were also still without a victory at
:25:15. > :25:18.home in the league. Add to that they went into this one off the back of a
:25:19. > :25:21.4-0 thumping at Aberdeen. They had beaten St Mirren back in August but
:25:22. > :25:23.that was when Saints manager Danny Lennon had been under severe
:25:24. > :25:29.pressure. A sense now that things were on a
:25:30. > :25:33.more even keel, with St Mirren having won two out of their last
:25:34. > :25:36.three games. With the story of the match at Firhill, here's Brian
:25:37. > :25:39.Mclaughlin. This was not to be a day that Partick Thistle fans or players
:25:40. > :25:41.will want to look back on with any great relish. This challenge on John
:25:42. > :25:49.McGinn by Stephen O'Donnell worthy of a yellow card. From the free
:25:50. > :25:53.kick, the goalkeeper Scott Fox could only parry that effort around the
:25:54. > :25:58.host for a corner kick. The ball, dipping and swerving towards goal.
:25:59. > :26:05.From the corner kick, who else but Steven Thompson with a bullet header
:26:06. > :26:12.to put Saints in front? Clinical finishing, but questions about the
:26:13. > :26:16.marking. Many were surprised when Marian Kello join St Mirren last
:26:17. > :26:22.month. But he has proved to be a top-class addition. On this
:26:23. > :26:26.occasion, foiling Kris Doolan, as Partick Thistle look to get back on
:26:27. > :26:30.level terms. The home side had plenty of possession but struggled
:26:31. > :26:34.to break through the Saints rearguard, and when they did, Marian
:26:35. > :26:38.Kello was on hand to save the day. Then they were denied what seemed to
:26:39. > :26:43.be a clear-cut penalty, with the shot from Higginbotham heading the
:26:44. > :26:47.outstretched arm of Jim Goodwin, but play with on by the referee, much to
:26:48. > :26:54.the dismay of the Partick Thistle players. Then there was more woe for
:26:55. > :27:01.the home side. Another yellow card, followed by a red for McGinn. No
:27:02. > :27:06.doubt in the mind of John beaten. And St Mirren soon made the extra
:27:07. > :27:18.man pay off. Newton fired the ball through the legs of Scott Fox. The
:27:19. > :27:20.ball made by the pass from McGowan, and cool finish by the on loan
:27:21. > :27:26.midfielder. The home side kept pushing forward, with James Craigen
:27:27. > :27:31.having an effort on goal from outside the box, but again there was
:27:32. > :27:34.no getting beyond Marian Kello. McGinn had been a thorn in the side
:27:35. > :27:45.of the home defence all afternoon. This wally, just wide. -- volley.
:27:46. > :27:48.And Ben Thomson finding space and time to fire home his second and the
:27:49. > :27:51.third force in Marin, of the afternoon, taking St Mirren up to
:27:52. > :28:01.ninth place in the table. So They are delighted, in terms of
:28:02. > :28:06.the way they went about their business the discipline and shape,
:28:07. > :28:15.they carried out their game plan. They have the rewards they deserved.
:28:16. > :28:20.They stops the ball travelling, that is what he did, he wasn't close to
:28:21. > :28:24.any of them. The shot was about ten yards away from him hitting it so I
:28:25. > :28:28.have no idea why the proper decision wasn't given. A great win for your
:28:29. > :28:32.side yesterday. We will talk about your goals shortly but first the Jim
:28:33. > :28:37.Goodwin hand ball. Even you must admit this should have been a
:28:38. > :28:41.penalty. I have no defence, really. It is a blatant penalty. I can
:28:42. > :28:55.understand why Archie is furious. It is blatant, if you are Partick
:28:56. > :28:59.Thistle via you are very frustrated. A few strange decisions tonight,
:29:00. > :29:04.that is maybe the most blatant hand ball. Handballs seem to follow Jim
:29:05. > :29:09.around. He was harshly dealt with with a hand ball given against him
:29:10. > :29:14.in a semifinal of the Cup at Hampton and there was no question he was
:29:15. > :29:18.dealt a harsh blow -- blow that day and maybe this is look going his
:29:19. > :29:23.way. He dodged a bullet yesterday. Two great goals, it must have felt
:29:24. > :29:29.good. It seems a real change of mood about St Mirren. What has happened?
:29:30. > :29:33.There has been a lift around the place, we have managed to get form.
:29:34. > :29:37.Yesterday in terms of what the manager said, our organisations and
:29:38. > :29:40.shape were spot on. When you play against Partick Thistle they will
:29:41. > :29:44.have a lot of possession of the ball and they like to play through the
:29:45. > :29:49.lines of midfield but we dealt with it well, closed down spaces in the
:29:50. > :29:53.final third. We caught them on the counter on a few occasions but it is
:29:54. > :30:00.a big turning point, the penalty not being given. 3-0 was flattening --
:30:01. > :30:04.flattering? There was a goal -- there was a man sent off, it was a
:30:05. > :30:09.professional away performance from St Mirren. Tough for Partick Thistle
:30:10. > :30:13.yesterday. Partick have been a breath of fresh air to the
:30:14. > :30:16.Premiership this season. A lot of good young players. They have made a
:30:17. > :30:21.good start. Having a sticky patch now. I am sure they will click with
:30:22. > :30:27.a win. After a disappointing night in the Champions League await Ajax
:30:28. > :30:31.in Amsterdam, Neil Lennon took his side up north to Dingwall. Not
:30:32. > :30:34.entirely happy with the Saturday lunchtime scheduling, it is fair to
:30:35. > :30:39.say. As for Ross County they were hoping for the sheer novelty of
:30:40. > :30:47.completing a fixture after their last two matches were abandoned.
:30:48. > :31:04.The Dutchman has a debut. Melvin De Leeuw goes up front.
:31:05. > :31:10.Celtic have responded to European matches very well this season so
:31:11. > :31:15.far. They are keen for that to continue. That was Virgil van Dijk.
:31:16. > :31:24.We have seen him stride forward from defence already this season.
:31:25. > :31:32.Account T corner. They haven't been able to impose themselves so far. --
:31:33. > :31:57.County Court. Virgil van Dijk! He is off the back
:31:58. > :32:00.now. His manager is delighted to see the Dutchman gets his first goal for
:32:01. > :32:06.the club. He has threatened a couple of times already in this game.
:32:07. > :32:10.Finally, he makes the breakthrough and Celtic lead in the Highlands as
:32:11. > :32:22.we creep towards the half-time interval.
:32:23. > :32:26.The wits of the left-hand post has denied Scott Brown. Celtic looking
:32:27. > :32:39.for their second. It is another and it is another for
:32:40. > :32:45.Virgil van Dijk. He is using his head.
:32:46. > :32:56.He has given Celtic 2-0 lead. A tall order for County now, although vague
:32:57. > :33:00.did win 3-2-macro last season but Virgil van Dijk got his first in the
:33:01. > :33:05.first half, his second in the second.
:33:06. > :33:15.He is being replaced by Ivan Sproule.
:33:16. > :33:29.Ivan Sproul. They are back in it. Within a minute of coming on, the
:33:30. > :33:30.Northern Irishman Ivan Sproul breathes new life into Ross
:33:31. > :33:37.County's afternoon. Out of nothing, Ross County are back
:33:38. > :33:44.in the game. Celtic are stunned by that Ross
:33:45. > :33:56.County goal. That is Joe Ledley. The two goal
:33:57. > :34:02.leaders restored within a few minutes. Joe Ledley's first goal of
:34:03. > :34:12.the season. He got ten last campaign. It will be relief for him.
:34:13. > :34:14.Mark browbeaten for the third time. -- Mark Brown, beaten for the third
:34:15. > :34:34.time. That is Joe Ledley again! Celtic
:34:35. > :34:37.four, is Joe Ledley School six seconds, just three minutes after
:34:38. > :34:42.his first and that is the pick of the headers. Wonderfully taken by
:34:43. > :34:47.the Welshman. Into the corner, away from Mark Brown.
:34:48. > :34:54.Neil Lennon with -- will be delighted with the reaction his
:34:55. > :35:04.players have given him from the defeat in Amsterdam. Almost a
:35:05. > :35:05.hat-trick. Roberts had the initial effort and Ledley so unlucky. He
:35:06. > :35:16.reacted first. We played well from start to finish,
:35:17. > :35:20.we freshen things up in terms of personnel and formation. There was
:35:21. > :35:26.zest, energy and quality about us today. It has been a frustrating
:35:27. > :35:29.time in terms of set pieces and we had four in one game which is
:35:30. > :35:34.incredible. It has been a very good day and we keep the unbeaten run
:35:35. > :35:38.going. Defensively we haven't done well enough today. The cross ball
:35:39. > :35:41.into the box, that is something we need to improve on. It has been the
:35:42. > :35:46.story of our season. We have been working on it but individually we
:35:47. > :35:50.have to do better in that case. How have you enjoyed your time in
:35:51. > :35:55.Scottish football so far? Very good, still unbeaten in the league. That
:35:56. > :36:03.is where we want to stay. Very happy, of course, after this. Virgil
:36:04. > :36:08.van Dijk amongst the goals. He has looked a class act since they
:36:09. > :36:10.arrived. We talk about him possibly forcing his way into the Dutch
:36:11. > :36:16.international squad. How impressed have you been with him?
:36:17. > :36:23.Very good defensively, a big, tall physical player. A wonderful header.
:36:24. > :36:30.He is getting better with every game. If you have been given the job
:36:31. > :36:33.of matching Virgil van Dijk, you have to stay with him and he loses
:36:34. > :36:38.the run very early and does not stay with him. He is trying to get back
:36:39. > :36:42.but it is too late. A couple of good finishes from him. Neil Lennon will
:36:43. > :36:46.be delighted because we have talked a lot about Celtic creating chances
:36:47. > :36:50.and games. Sometimes struggling to take them in the matches. At set
:36:51. > :36:55.pieces as well, Neil Lennon has spoken about how he has been
:36:56. > :36:59.frustrated with the lack of scoring from set piece opportunities but
:37:00. > :37:02.yesterday they got it right. When they have Charlie Mulgrew who
:37:03. > :37:05.delivers good ball and on the back of that they have great height in
:37:06. > :37:12.their team, looking at the guys playing yesterday, Virgil van Dijk,
:37:13. > :37:19.6-foot, another tall lad they have, Ambrose, it is hard to match up and
:37:20. > :37:23.I know that Derek Adams will be frustrated but you run out of tall
:37:24. > :37:27.players eventually. A tough day for Ross County but it was tough for
:37:28. > :37:30.Celtic mid week in the Champions League against Ajax. They did not
:37:31. > :37:35.show up compared to the games they have played so far. They were not
:37:36. > :37:38.too happy to go to Dingwall for the early kick-off but it seemed like
:37:39. > :37:43.the sort of performance Neil Lennon would have been delighted with.
:37:44. > :37:48.Yes, five changes to the team and Celtic have a squad dealing with
:37:49. > :37:52.that situation. It was a tricky fixture for them and it keeps their
:37:53. > :37:56.unbeaten run in the league going. It was a superb performance from Celtic
:37:57. > :38:01.yesterday. Celtic very much out in front. There is an international
:38:02. > :38:06.break coming up but Sportscene never rests. We are back on Friday with
:38:07. > :38:12.highlights of the Scotland Hyam Wash the Scotland-USA match. Join us for
:38:13. > :38:16.that. On the same channel we have got live coverage of the away
:38:17. > :38:21.fixture against Norway a week on Tuesday. Join us for that. If form
:38:22. > :38:25.is fleeting then St Johnstone are moving in the right direction. Turbo
:38:26. > :38:29.powered by the top end of the team tandem of Stevie May and Nigel
:38:30. > :38:33.Hasselbaink. The duo have been a revelation with me being talked
:38:34. > :38:38.about as a potential Scotland international in the not too distant
:38:39. > :38:45.future -- with Stevie May being talked about. They want two out of
:38:46. > :38:47.their last three games so perhaps Allan Johnson's side were not
:38:48. > :39:00.without hope. When the going gets tough you need
:39:01. > :39:05.your defenders to stand up. Nigel Hasselbaink opened the scoring after
:39:06. > :39:12.24 minutes. If anything the Kilmarnock defending got worse.
:39:13. > :39:20.Stevie May making it 2-0 just after half an hour. Jackson Irvine took a
:39:21. > :39:26.tumble in the box and got booked for diving by the referee. That yellow
:39:27. > :39:35.card would prove fateful, the second half. Jackson Irvine was booked
:39:36. > :39:40.again, this time for a foul on Chris Millar. Really hard to say if he got
:39:41. > :39:47.any contact with the ball. But he got his marching orders. Against the
:39:48. > :39:53.ten men the class of Stevie May really began to tell. Chris Milburn
:39:54. > :40:02.again found himself on the turf. Michael guidon -- Michael Gardyne,
:40:03. > :40:08.in the box. From the spot. No mistake. Stevie May with his 11th
:40:09. > :40:13.goal of the season from 18 appearances, 3-0 to St Johnstone.
:40:14. > :40:18.The Kilmarnock fans were not happy, chanting Johnstone out and there is
:40:19. > :40:22.only one Kenny Shiels. They did have a touch of fortune when Sean
:40:23. > :40:25.Clohessy made it 3-1 but there might have been more goals for St
:40:26. > :40:33.Johnstone. This effort cleared off the line. Tommy Wright was pleased
:40:34. > :40:40.with what he was seeing and after picking up the ball, Caddis was
:40:41. > :40:45.appended by Darren Barr. -- up ended. It will be one of those
:40:46. > :40:54.yellow cards of the fateful variety. Little doubts about the merits of
:40:55. > :40:59.this one. From the free kick, Stevie May went mightily close to getting a
:41:00. > :41:05.hat-trick but there was a fine save. This was a bad day for Kilmarnock.
:41:06. > :41:08.The fans are not happy with Johnstone and Johnston, chairman and
:41:09. > :41:13.manager. They finished the game with nine men, Darren Barr shown a second
:41:14. > :41:15.yellow. Kilmarnock's second bottom of the table, their lead over Hearts
:41:16. > :41:28.is down to 13 points. The two goals came from longer
:41:29. > :41:33.passes from deep and with Nigel's pace and Stephen's pace, that could
:41:34. > :41:37.be a problem for defenders. We started well, passed the ball well
:41:38. > :41:41.and to lose a goal in the way we lost the first goal, you can't do it
:41:42. > :41:47.especially against these players. They were looking for the ball
:41:48. > :41:51.behind and it is far too easy. Tough times for Kilmarnock but a fantastic
:41:52. > :41:57.run for St Johnstone, four wins in a row. We talk about it week in and
:41:58. > :42:00.week out, Stevie May, Nigel Hasselbaink partnership but you know
:42:01. > :42:02.Nigel well from your St Mirren time together. It has clicked for them,
:42:03. > :42:12.hasn't it? It has. They have pace and
:42:13. > :42:18.directness. He is finding more consistency. They have not just got
:42:19. > :42:22.pace but strength, both of them. He shrugs off the defender and composed
:42:23. > :42:28.finish from Nigel. He is starting to did bring it into his game. We had
:42:29. > :42:35.Callum Johnstone suggesting that he could finish second in the table,
:42:36. > :42:37.but why not? It is a brilliant race for second when you consider that
:42:38. > :42:41.Inverness Caley Thistle have had a great start the season, been there
:42:42. > :42:46.from day one but Dundee United are getting motoring now, have had a
:42:47. > :42:51.good start of the season, Aberdeen obviously St Johnstone, any one of
:42:52. > :42:54.five very difficult to call. Terrible play at the back from
:42:55. > :42:58.Kilmarnock for the first two goals of the game, in a sorry place at the
:42:59. > :43:04.moment. The fans getting on their backs as well. Yes, they are, it
:43:05. > :43:10.never really helps. He got a shout to leave it, it is a good finish. It
:43:11. > :43:14.is difficult. The fans are disappointed. When you're on the
:43:15. > :43:17.pitch and things are not going well, confidence is down, the last thing
:43:18. > :43:23.you need is the supporters getting on your back. They are trying to get
:43:24. > :43:27.up into the lead. It is better to be behind them. It seems to be early to
:43:28. > :43:34.be falling for a change of manager, doesn't it? Ella Bob and it is the
:43:35. > :43:38.world we live in in doubt, get rid is the mantra. I hope they stick
:43:39. > :43:43.with him because as we have seen with St Mirren, it was a personnel
:43:44. > :43:47.at six -- it was a perfect example of whether Danny Lennon was the
:43:48. > :43:51.right guy and they have had a great run and you have to stick with your
:43:52. > :43:52.guy and give him a chance. Lets see what that means in terms of the
:43:53. > :44:24.table. That is what the new Scotland top
:44:25. > :44:29.will look like. There is Terry Butcher, they talk about the scope
:44:30. > :44:38.speculation that he might join Hibernian sooner. What about his
:44:39. > :44:46.sartorial choice? He looks like he's auditioning. I quite liked it, quite
:44:47. > :44:49.smart. Maybe it is what they were in Edinburgh. If this doesn't happen
:44:50. > :44:54.and Terry Butcher doesn't go to Hibs, that is a disaster for the
:44:55. > :44:55.Easter Road club, isn't it? They have to make preparations for the
:44:56. > :45:05.possibility he might turn them down. I don't think they have a second
:45:06. > :45:09.choice, we will find out in the next 24 hours. You think it will happen?
:45:10. > :45:16.I think it will, there has been too much going on for it not to. Who
:45:17. > :45:22.will take over at Inverness? At is an interesting question. That is it
:45:23. > :45:26.from us tonight. No Sportscene next Sunday but we return to league
:45:27. > :45:29.action in two weeks time. Let's hope for another eruption of goals then.
:45:30. > :45:32.For now, good night from all of us.