20/10/2013 Sportscene

Good evening. In a week when Gordon Strachan's Scotland proved there is

life in the side yet, it is a burst to life. Arguably the best yet in

the history of the Scottish Premiership. Steven Thompson and Pat

Nevin joined me tonight. We start at Easter Road where Hibernian took on

Celtic. Fisher to McGivern. Kris Commons.

Six goals so far this season for Kris Commons. He tries again to test

the goalkeeper. Heffernan runs through, he has been given offside.

-- on side. Celtic will feel aggrieved that the flag did not go

up. Kris Commons is onside with a chance for the equaliser. Over the

top it goes. This man has been deadly in front of goal this season.

He expected that to nestle in the net. Brown onto Fisher. Fisher

posing with Tudor Jones. Samaras. The keeper kept it out. Samaras was

set up and put it straight at the goalkeeper. Stalks then not testing

the goalkeeper. McGivern saves the blushes of his

goalkeeper. Williams went wandering. Cookie took far too long to execute.

Nelson in on the sly to deny the arduous Samaras. -- to deny Georgios

Samaras. A tough afternoon for Heffernan.

Stalks denied. He scored half a dozen against his form -- former

club. He was onside. That's like the punch. -- Tudor

Jones lacked the punch. Just a little bit team. -- tame. That will

be a big king. Brian McGivern just caught for peace. -- booking. The

left back is off. Forrest attacking Craig, a chance for James Forrest.

That was brilliant! That is the equaliser next mission marked he

exploited this space left by McGivern being off. A stunning

strike. That was a terrific ball in. What a

save from Ben Williams. A great one-handed save. You're disappointed

when you are reading any game. We did most part of the game really

well. It did not appear to be offside, it was offside. I am this

appointed that the officials missed that. We had some marvellous

goalkeeping by Ben Williams. We could have won the game comfortably.

M Micro no doubt that was offside, how disappointing is that decision

by assistant? You will macro it is very disappointing. The referee is

this side. He sees the green and white jersey. Although it is only

about one yard it is no doubt that it is offside. I think Neil Lennon

is probably very right to be disappointed and angry. A great

start for Hibernian. We had the lead. How impressed where you buy

that goal? So direct and so fast. It is the technique he uses with the

outside of his boot, I would not dream of doing that. It was an

incredible bit of skill. That will do him the world of good in terms of

confidence. I was one of those not convinced by his form but watching

his piece in that game, he has absolutely got it back. Great news

for Celtic and for Scotland. Kris Commons looks like being out injured

for a couple of weeks. A lot of top after the match about the

physicality of Hibernian. What was your view? We could use euphemisms

like robust and strong challenges. One or two of them were over the

top. If you are not as good as the opposition player for player you

have got to find a way of winning. It might be that you have better

team spirit. Cannot argue with that one egg 's creation marked he is

understandably angry but there was no doubt that Neil Lennon and his

Time to pretend the sort of tackle we are talking about. There were a

lot of strong tackles but I do not think they were malicious. Perhaps

the fans still feel unsure about how it is all going. You will macro the

need to defend and I think they have defended very well. McGivern was a

classic example. The captain here. He keeps on moving. By the time he

plays at the last three Hibernian players in the fighting and

battling. That is what they have added to the game and the need to

keep going. Celtic only getting a draw meant Inverness could cut the

lead to a single point. It would be a memorable match to see the least.

This free kick. It has come to Draper. Greenhalgh. The woodwork

Spears Partick Thistle. That was a lovely touch. Terrific. This'll act

on the move. Dylan! That is a superb goal by the visitors. A wonderful

move. He finished it off, keeping it past the keeper. Inverness have been

the better side but the trail. Draper. What receive! -- what are

save. Doran was one of the Star sport Caley Thistle in the early

part of the season. That is his effort. Mackay turning it back for

Draper. It has been this saves that maintain the Partick Thistle need.

-- lead. Ross Draper leaving it for Aaron Doran.

Doran scorers! This goal is not going to stand! The referee comes

over to speak to his assistant. Controversy at the end of the first

half here in the Highland capital. Mackay's effort blocked on the line.

Lauren fine the net but it will not count. -- Aaron Doran found the net.

Warren scorers! Caledonian Thistle will see that justice has been done

here. Warren's first of the season has levelled the game.

This goalkeeper has had a lively afternoon. It might have just

strayed in the. There was a foul on the keeper by Billy McKay and again

Inverness are left frustrated and angry.

A good move by Partick. Good movement again by Dylan. An

excellent turn from Welsh. The ball is missed by the keeper and Partick

Thistle are back in front. It is Aaron Doolan again.

Inverness have to respond again. They are running out of time.

Partick Thistle look like they're going back down the a nine with all

three points. Scoring the goals was vital.

going back down the a nine with all three points. Scoring the I was

disappointed with the goal we lost after half-time. I thought the lads

showed great character to get back from that. I cannot work out why we

lost the game. We should have got a point or three. We had great

opportunities. We had a goal disallowed. In the second half,

there was a lot of pressure on the teacher. He got a lot of help from

the referee. -- pressure on the keeper. Starting with corner gate,

no getting away from it, a lot of the rules say that you have to touch

the corner. I think should stay. It was a stroke of genius. He it back.

I've seen teams do this before. It was a neat trick. The flag is still

down. No flag. The key thing, does the existence referee had knowledge

the suggestion that the Corner has been taken? Look at him here. He has

kicked it and he's having a word, but watch what he does now. He

pushes the Partick Thistle playback as if to say, you can come within

ten yards, because it's not been played yet. So the assistant, for

me, has said that the ball has not been played, even though it has been

played. He is saying, see, he's pushing the Thistle man away and

understand his position. The thing do not understand is why the flag is

not up. He has made a mistake by not raising the flag as soon. That is a

big mistake and it is a perfectly good goal. That was the problem. And

now he has flagged it. In the spirit of the game, sneaky or clever?

Sneaky and clever. OK. But not clever enough because it did not

count. I think it is perfectly fine because you do a dummy run at free

kicks, and you drag players around, it is all about doing that sort of

thing to give yourself some advantage. There is nothing wrong

with that and it is within the rules. I'm sure the Partick Thistle

players would have been raging if it had stood. Dooley got two goals in

the match. They have won a lot of plaudits, but had the lack of a

striker on a weekend, week out basis is a problem, but suddenly Dooley

has two. This was a tremendous move. A tremendous touch. It is great for

him to get some goals. But Partick Thistle are one of the best sides in

the division. They have been a real bonus to the Premiership. And a

horrible moment from Dean Brill. I think Partick Thistle adduce some

luck. And was that they are game on Monday and they were

luck. And was that they are game on Monday brilliant but they got

nothing out of it. I think they played well. -- Partick Thistle are

due some luck. I'm delighted to see a current player saying that it is

the best team in the league right now. It was a sora once-a-day

foreigners. It has been a long time since the Aberdeen Dundee United

fixture was referred to as the new firm derby with any real sense of

credibility. But with both sides looking good, a crowd of 12,500

gathered to see which of the rivals could take the bragging rights.

Despite a tiring week with the Scotland team, Ryan goal at -- Gauld

starts. You have to go back to 1998 is to find a game between these two

teams that ended without a goal. Good play from Stewart Armstrong.

Good anticipation. The first real test for the Polish keeper.

Shaughnessy should have perhaps got more on it. Trying conditions for

both teams. Awkward for the defenders. Craig Brown is a director

here these days. Watson! Jamie Lange field is relieved to see this go

past because the United support for this was in. From Watson. Gunnings

got the header initially. Aberdeen are looking to start the

second half positively. Calvin Zola! First blood! Calvin Zola's first

goal at Pittodrie. Aberdeen in front in the north-east derby. Brilliantly

worked. Cutting the United defence open.

That took a touch but Bobby Madden has not seen it. Stewart Armstrong

making that point. United are undefeated since the end

of August when they lost to Celtic. A lot of draws in there as well.

Ciftci has been a nuisance. Derek McKinnon, the former Dundee United

fielder. -- midfielder. A good spell there. Danny MacRae marrow did not

have a good spell here. United looking for the level! -- Danny

McNamara. Armstrong! That is a foul by Goodwillie. The best chance of

the game so far for the Tangerines. It was on a plate for Goodwillie.

You feel that he would have scored a couple of years ago.

Cross was dealt with by Cierzniak. Creeping in under the crossbar from

Johnny Hayes' delivery. Lange field was not getting there.

Keith Watson headed over. -- Jamie Lange field. Aberdeen picking up all

three points. I think we were playing in the wrong areas in the

first half. That allowed United to get a bit of football in the first

half. All in all, another clean sheet. We have had plenty this

season. Jamie's save made it that way. It is one of those games were

you get a real going over. Unfortunately, it did not go our way

today. I thought we passed the ball and cost them a lot of problems. The

luck they had was from free kick some foreigners. -- freak X and

corners. Local bragging rights up for grabs. Calvin Zola with the

decisive goal. How culpable were Dundee United in their own downfall?

We have all school and new school tactics. Look at the position that

Calvin Zola takes. Use going to run through the middle. Dylan and

Gunnings are back there. Look at the centre backs. They leave him alone.

That is the last thing you do. From the strikers point of view, it all

opens up. It was a great finish. It was a good move from Aberdeen in the

build-up to the goal. But they finished it well. Dundee United have

earned a lot of praise for the way they have been playing. If you look

at the style, it is not much about when they don't have the ball when

they do. at the style, it is not much about

when they don't have Every player out there is going to push. If you

push up the pitch, you want a transition play when you get the

ball back. If you close up, you will get the ball back. The best, this is

a lot of energy expended. They are young and they are young and they're

willing to do this. Look at how many Dundee United players are up there.

Four. He only has two options and he's going to give it away. Then

United have the ball back up there. That is fantastic. Bayern Munich are

doing it and Barcelona have always done it. Jackie McNamara looked at

that. That is a fantastic tactic. But it is hard work. Three great

games so far and three more to go. Next, St Mirren versus St Johnstone.

Danny Lennon defied the critics as his side beat Hearts two to zero at

a match in tank at all. -- 2-0. Ron Maclean was watching in Paisley. --

Tynecastle. Not surprisingly, this team came up

with their first win of the season at Tynecastle two weeks ago. Danny

Lennon says, same again. Tommy Wright's team were in sparkling form

last time out. Kevin McLean with a big chance!

Opening the scoring after just eight minutes. It is the dream start for

the Paisley team. And Maclean finds a gaping hole in the middle of the

St Johnstone defence. And was only going to be one outcome. It is 1-0.

Hasselbaink continues the run and sets up Steven MacLean! Want to open

the scoring and the second to square it off at 1-1. Good work from both.

It was on that plate to make it one-to-one. -- 1-1.

Hasselbaink! Good fit. -- good hit and a good save.

The flag stays down. Paul McGowan. St Mirren are back in front.

St Johnstone opened up by that long ball down the middle. No offside.

2-1. It is a great run from Chris Millar.

Hasselbaink! The fourth goal of the game. Two each. What a game this is!

Twice the Perth team have been behind and twice they have level

things up. -- levelled things up. It is a terrific run from John McGinn.

He stumbles. Stephen Thompson halted up. Kenny claim into the box. Then

he goes. Penalty. -- Kenny Maclean. Gary MacDonald is furious. He seemed

to stumble. A flying save. It was not the worst penalty. Great save.

May is a constant threat to the St Mirren defence. This time, wider

target. He is perpetual motion, the young striker.

-- wide of target. A red card for right.

Penalty and red card. It is McLean. And it is the-2. Kenny McLean's

second goal of the game. It looks like he is recapturing his form of

goal. A great ball in. Rory Fallon! He

sixth goal of the game. 84 minutes played. He is just off the bench and

he has an instant impact. Three goals each. This man is wondering

whether his team can hang on. Kenny McLean N and Stephen Thompson. In

the 89th minute. Hoping finally that this is the goal which settled the

issue. For -3 to St Mirren. People question whether we were soft out

there but we stripped right back to the basics in the last two weeks.

When you add all the little things together you get decent performances

and then results. I think we were the better team. We probably should

do better. They bounced back each time. Even with ten men they bounced

back. We showed a lot of character but probably shot ourselves in the

food with poor defending for the fourth goal. And that goal with

Stephen Thompson? That is not just a tap in. Then macro it was a strange

game. Every time we took the lead we conceded. You are running out of

time. It was a man off at that time. After an horrific start to the

season we are really starting to build the foundations to push on.

Hopefully we can make it three wins in a row. It must be massive for the

club and creating a better atmosphere. St Johnstone put a lot

into this match. There was this penalty decision. What was your

view? I think the Coventry called it really well. Both of them were

dragging at each other. -- the common today. If the referee is

going to get the free kick he has to give the red card. It was never a

penalty, was it? I am going to see it was a penalty but I can see why

Frazer Wright was disappointed. St Johnstone obviously shell-shocked at

the end. They need not be too worried about it. They scored three

goals away from home. With St Mirren winning the games consecutively

these days Kilmarnock were starting to stand out like a sword farm. --

sore thumb. When you have got Kris Boyd in your

site, you have got a chance. I header from the striker almost

leading to an early opener. Another high ball into the box lead for a

chance for Boyd himself. Guarding slid in and the ball hit the back of

the net. The SPL's all-time top scored with his fourth Premiership

goal. Ross County were finding the high ball into the box difficult to

deal with. Cleared off the line to stop the visitors going down. The

keeper did not have his finest moment but they kept the ball out.

In the second half will mark the new the victory was within the grasp.

Kris Boyd had his shot partially blocked. He was denied his fifth

goal of the season. It was not shaping up to be a great day for

Ross County but this great run saw them threatened danger. The

follow-up cross from Ben Gordon found ahead but it was touched over

the bar. Soon after, the two Dutchman combined. The county player

was denied. In the 71st minute Kilmarnock would find the clincher

and what a goal it was. Kilmarnock finally with the first win of the

season. There is nothing in this league, most of the teams are very

similar. With a little bit of confidence we will not be far away.

They are macro we did put them under pressure. If we score it becomes a

totally different game but we walk away from you with no points and

that is disappointing. A fantastic result therefore come on up. Jackson

Irvine makes his debut for Australia and then this strike and clinching

goal to get Kilmarnock's first win the season. To hit a dead ball into

that top corner would have been superb but a rolling ball, if Wayne

Rooney had done that people would be waxing lyrical for weeks. Was that

like one of yours, part? I wish! There is nothing between a lot of

the teams in this league. Little things such as a bit of confidence,

C if they can rise up the league now. -- let us see. They do have the

tools they are to rise up the table, do they not? I think they

have. It is not a lot between the teams in the league. That was not

the best goal Kris Boyd has ever scored but it is an important goal

for them. He will get more this season excavation mark and finally,

Motherwell, they have been in good form of late. The face by young

Hearts side bruised and bloodied. Hearts started the day on -7 points.

The home side dominated possession in the first-half but clearly the

Hearts goal. And this occasion it was a case of ball to hand. Hearts

were proving dangerous on the break. Jamie Walker. Goalkeeper blocked the

effort. The rebound defended over the crossbar. More of a threat in

goal during the second PDA. McDonald getting his fingertips to another

sudden header. Set pieces were proving to be a problem for Hearts.

Another corner. Callum Tapping proving that it does pay to have a

man on the post. With just over one hour on the home crowd were stunned

when Hearts took the lead. Ryan Stevenson had acres of space and

time on the left-hand side to drive forward, before filing the ball low

into the bottom corner of the goal. This was Ryan Stevenson's first goal

of the season for Hearts after returning to the side from injury.

Just as Hearts seemed to be on course for the first win since

August, the trump card for Motherwell was played. Just 18

seconds on the pitch and what are we to endure yourself to the home

support. -- what the way. With just eight minutes left, another set

piece and this time no reprieve for Hearts. Shaun Hutchinson again

getting the better of the keeper. What an introduction to professional

football for a demure? Absolutely. -- Craig Moore. It is a goal he will

remember for the rest of his life. If you take our performance into

consideration we are not far away. That was extraordinary, was it not?

Absolutely, he just walks onto the pitch and the ball falls for him. I

hope his family were there to watch that. He was getting called into

play for the under 20s today. He caught the ball ever so sweetly and

what we to make a debut. They are macro anything like your debut?

Unfortunately not! There is very little between the teams and in that

situation you cannot make simple mistakes. The going is in good

position but she ducks. They get away with this. When you have got

away with it once, do not do it again. He is on the ardour we and

what about his own man? If unique little mistakes like this it will

cost you. -- if you make little mistakes. Hearts are still stuck at

the bottom of the table. 13 points now behind Caol Marnoch. This is how

the fixture list looks over the next few weeks. -- hind Caol Marnoch. If

they had won that game they would be six points behind us but now they

are 15 points behind. It is very difficult for them to keep

motivating themselves when the gap is getting bigger. It seems

ridiculous in October to be talking about how the end of the season will

be at do you get a sense that Hearts are doomed to life in the

championship next season? Plenty of mad things have happened over the

years but sometimes it takes something special. With lots of

young kids they it is ultra-difficult. I am not writing

them off yet but I was thinking that it is a bad moment that they will

live to regret. Let us take a look at the table in fool. Let us

concentrate on the top. Time now for a look at tomorrow's

back pages. I am glad this one has been censored by the newspaper!

Iraq's will be like Hibernian is the message! -- Ajax. Only a win will do

for Celtic on Tuesday. Let us talk about that. It looks like a match

that Celtic really have to win, is that how you see it? I think so.

They are missing Scott Brown which is massive. They have a reputation

for producing big performances at home in Europe so I would not be

surprised if they got a result. The crowd are so important for them, the

atmosphere will be beer but they need a win. Absolutely, best of luck

for Celtic. It has been a cracking weekend of action. From now, it is

good night.